Cleburne State Park - Cleburne, TX
Discover Cleburne State Park: A Dog-Friendly Gem Near Cleburne, Texas
Cleburne State Park is a beautiful destination for dog owners and outdoor enthusiasts in Cleburne, Texas. This pet-friendly park welcomes families and their furry friends to explore scenic hiking trails, enjoy the serene lake, and take in the peaceful natural surroundings. With plenty of shaded areas, picnic spots, and day-use areas, it’s a great place for both people and pets to relax and connect with nature.
One of the unique features of Cleburne State Park is its extensive network of dog-friendly hiking trails, offering opportunities for you and your pup to enjoy longer adventures in the forested landscape. Whether you’re interested in camping, kayaking, fishing, or simply hiking, this park has something for everyone. Visitors regularly praise the friendly staff and rangers, who often have treats for your pups!
Frequently Asked Questions about Cleburne State Park
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, Cleburne State Park offers a variety of pet-friendly hiking trails for you and your dogs to explore.
- Are restrooms available for owners? Yes, there are public restrooms available at the park, although some visitors note the maintenance could be improved.
- Is there shade or shelter available? Yes, many areas of the park, including picnic spots and trails, are shaded by trees. There are also covered picnic areas for visitors.
- Is there a swimming area or pond for dogs? There is a public swim beach at the park. While not specifically designated for dogs, owners often enjoy the scenic lake setting with their pets.
- Are there staff or rangers present at the park? Yes, friendly park rangers are present and can often be seen greeting visitors and their dogs.
- Are picnics or BBQs allowed? Yes, there are picnic tables and areas throughout the park where families can enjoy meals.
- Is there a fee or membership required to enter? Yes, Cleburne State Park is a Texas State Park and there is a daily entry fee.
- Is the park open year-round? Yes, the park is open throughout the year for camping, hiking, and day use.
- Is the park muddy after it rains? Some areas, especially trails and waterfalls, can become muddy following rainfall, so plan accordingly.
- How busy does the park get on weekends? The park is typically less crowded than others nearby, but weekends can still see an increase in visitors.
Reviews
Nice park! First time camping, and my experience was great. Didn’t know what to expect. Was a little too hot during the day, but still had a great time. I will definitely be back in the fall.
What a beautiful and fun state park! The hike was a little more of a challenge than some of the others near DFW, which our group appreciated. We visited on a Sunday morning and there weren’t as many people as we were initially expecting and generally others were respectful of letting everyone have their space. It had rained a couple of days prior, so the falls were flowing. The park rangers were friendly and provided our pups with treats. We did not camp this time, but there were plenty of day use areas with picnic tables and shade.
Rent Kayaks, hike endless trails, camp, or fish at this serene state park. My family and I love the park. Make sure you check out the spillway! It’s super cool! The bathrooms leave a lot to be desired to be honest, and hopefully they will improve them in the near future, but regardless, we love taking the kids and dogs and getting them out in nature.
A truly awesome hike around. I haven’t been through all of the park yet but really enjoyed the tree cover. If you are looking for a day hike or some lake adventures this is a great spot.
We camped here for 2 nights and 3 days. We camped at campsite 10. It was private and close to the public swim beach and restrooms. The park was beautiful. The swim beach is lovely – no rocks, shallow enough for young kids to play in and very accessible and clean. We wound up purchasing firewood from one of the self-service kiosks and it was the perfect way to spend the evening.
Deducting one star for maintenance in some areas. The plants were overgrown in several areas and covered in thorns – including on the bridge to the restrooms by the camping loop.
Lots of wildlife – what would you know? Make sure to keep everything locked up at night. We did experience some items being taken by racoons. It was our fault though for leaving things out and available for them to steal.
Also, you’ll want to bring a long extension cord for access to the electricity. For example, we wanted to set up our tent in a grassy area, but we brought a 20ft extension cord for our fan and it was not long enough to reach across the parking space and into the softer grassy area for our tent.
Overall, I did enjoy our stay. The staff was friendly and the park was quiet and beautiful. I loved seeing all of the stars.