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Discovering the Texas Hill Country
Frio Cañon is located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, just five miles north of Real County Airport; only a five-minute drive from good eats and great adventure in Leakey, TX; and a short road trip away from some of the Hill Country’s most exciting attractions and beloved small towns. Whether you’re a hunter or a shopper, a fly-fisherman, golfer or a history buff, you’ll never find yourself short of fun and exciting things to do.
Leakey, Texas
Leakey, voted #1 Friendliest Town and #1 Small Town in Texas, is approximately six miles south of Frio Cañon. Here, you’ll find the Real County Historical Museum, where you can learn about the area’s rich history. Leakey, the Real County seat since 1913, is home to quaint groceries and family-owned restaurants serving fresh Mexican, Italian and good ol’ American fare like The Leakey Feed Lot which has been recognized by Texas Monthly and Bon Appetit magazines for their homemade chicken fried steak. In Leakey, you’ll find live music and small businesses that cater to horseback riders, motorcyclists, car enthusiasts, hang gliders, fly-fisherman, hunters, paddlers, and folks interested in tubing down the river. If you’re in town for the 4th of July, you’ll be invited to the annual July Jubilee, which includes an old time street dance and one of Texas’ most celebrated parades. More than 7,000 people travel to Leakey - population 387 - to march through the town with flags in hand. You have to see it to believe it! On Memorial Day, locals will insist you join them for their annual downtown shrimp boil. And on Labor Day, it’s the Real County Rodeo that attracts spectators — and cowboys — from across the state.
Just a few miles outside of town, close to Vanderpool, bike-lovers will find The Lone Star Motorcycle Museum, which features an impressive collection from around the world, dating back to 1910. Garner State Park, which is 10 miles south of Leakey, encompasses 1,420 acres of pristine land on the Frio River. The park offers camping, hiking, nature study, picnic areas, canoeing, fishing and swimming in the Frio River, seasonal miniature golf, biking, and paddleboat and kayak rentals. Garner State Park is famous for its nightly dances, which have been held all summer for the past 50 years. The park has an abundance of white-tailed and axis Deer, cougars, mountain lions, aoudads, mouflon sheep, and other animal species.
Concan, Texas
Concan is situated 20 miles south of Frio Cañon. A premier springtime bird-watching destination, Concan is best known for The Club at ConCan, an 18-hole par 72 course designed by Bechtol and Russell. Panoramic views of the Texas Hill Country are found on every fairway. The club features a restaurant and, because Concan is in a dry precinct, offers bar services as a private club. Concan is also home to the famous House Pasture Cattle Company, a restaurant and a preferred live music venue for musicians including Willie Nelson, Pat Green and Tanya Tucker.
Camp Wood, Texas
Camp Wood is roughly 20 miles southwest of Leakey and on the picturesque Lake Nueces. The town is situated on only 0.5 square miles of land, but it is a city rich in history and surrounded by some of the most scenic spots in Texas.
Utopia, Texas
Utopia is a quaint town 23 miles from Frio Cañon and located in the Sabinal Canyon on the Sabinal River. Utopia boasts the historic Lost Maples Café and The Laurel Tree Restaurant, which is owned and operated by Le Cordon Bleu trained chef Laurel Waters. Utopia is also home to the Utopia Golf Course and Utopiafest, an annual music festival. There’s also an annual Utopia Ranch Rodeo & Dance and a bi-annual Utopia Art Fair. In 2010, actors Robert Duvall and Lucas Black were the talk of the town while they filmed Seven Days in Utopia, in theaters August 2011.
Vanderpool, Texas
Vanderpool may have a modest population (roughly 20 people), but every year 200,000 visitors flock to this tiny town located 10 miles north of Utopia to explore Lost Maples State Natural Area. The park, which was named for its thriving Bigtooth maples, covers nearly 2,200 acres on the Sabinal River.
Kerrville, Texas
Kerrville, home to a number of preferred summer camps, is just 45 minutes from Frio Cañon. Kerrville is known for beautiful parks that line the Guadalupe River, which runs directly through the city. It’s also the home of Texas' official State Arts & Crafts Fair, the Kerrville Folk Festival, and The Museum of Western Art.
Bandera, Texas
Bandera, also known as “the cowboy capital of the world,” is 50 miles east of Frio Cañon. Here you’ll find old-fashioned honky-tonks and dude ranches that offer a taste of cowboy living, offering horseback riding, trail rides and chuck wagon meals.
Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is an ideal rest stop when driving to or from Frio Cañon, which is 75 miles away from this historic town and shopping destination. Founded by German settlers in 1846, Fredericksburg has a number of attractions, including its world famous peaches, their annual Oktoberfest, incredible antique stores, the National Museum of the Pacific War and the Fredericksburg Herb Farm. Fredericksburg also has more than 70 restaurants — a number of which offer authentic German cuisine — and bakeries. It is the perfect spot for grabbing a bite to eat on the way to Frio Cañon. The LBJ State and National Historic Parks, and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area are located near Fredericksburg.
