Welcome to Utopia, Texas - Paradise on Earth! This is a beautiful part of the Texas Hill Country River Region, with rugged canyons and cool, beautiful streams, where cypress, live oak and pecan trees tower overhead, creating a setting that is, complete and pure utopia! Plan a picnic, fish, swim, or float lazily in the refreshing clear water of the Sabinal River. Breathe fresh air while you hike Lost Maples State Natural Area, bike the scenic country roads, or take the most exhilarating motorcycle ride of your life on the Three Twisted Sisters pathway.
Known for wonderful birding year around; this area is a world-class birding & wildlife viewing destination! One of the best places to see many Texas specialty birds, including the golden-cheeked warbler, black-capped vireo, vermilion flycatcher and all three king-fisher varieties! Nature guides are available to take you on private ranches and properties, as well, so there's always a great adventure just waiting to be had.
Play a round of Golf on the scenic (and now famous) 'Utopia Golf Course.' Utopia and the Golf Course were the inspiration for the book Golf's Sacred Journey and a movie Seven Days in Utopia starring Robert Duvall, Lucas Black and several other stars that was filmed in Utopia around August, 2010 and was brought to theaters in September, 2011.
Utopia Community Park on the Sabinal River has a dam which creates a nice swimming hole with a rope swing and giant cypress trees. For a fee you can bird, fish, swim, picnic, or camp; there are public restrooms and swings for the kids. The Sabinal Canyon Museum features exhibits of pioneer farm implements and household items, Native American artifacts and geological exhibits, including fossils and minerals from the Sabinal River Canyon. Or stop in the Hill Country Nature Center with animal, bird, bat, butterfly and insect displays of the many critters that call Utopia home.
Make plans to spend time at the park on Memorial Weekend for the Utopia Ranch Rodeo & Dance, and on the 4th weekend of June for the Utopia Rodeo, BBQ & Dance. The park and river are the perfect backdrop for July 4th Utopia Fireworks, which lasts a full hour and beats any big city fireworks displays! And don't miss the many other Annual Events going on in and around Utopia, including the Utopia Fall Art Fair happening the first Saturday in November and has over 50 booths with artist work. Beautiful Fall Foliage at Lost Maples State Natural Area usually begins the end of October or first part of November and lasts till December. But Utopia's Hills are alive with colors of red, orange, and yellow from the maple trees, red oaks, Texas cherry and flame sumac thru December.
Enjoy the town of Utopia's many local eateries like the Drive Inn, Lost Maples Café, and Laurel Tree with its French cuisine. Visit Main Street Utopia, the French antique shop for antiques and Utopia souvenirs, Heaven's Landing for flowers, gifts & ice cream. Imagine Lavender Farm Tours & Gift Shop is another wonderful shopping experience, and be sure to stop by the Utopia General Store for your groceries and lunch at the deli.
Garner State Park
Fun traditions and beautiful scenery bring people back to Garner State Park time after time. Besides easy access to the Frio, the park offers many miles of hiking trails and camping options. There are two hikes up different mountains with one of the most scenic views, caves to explore, swimming (plus some secret swimming holes), and more. Garner State Park is a great place to visit for a swim or hike, or to enjoy a relaxing weekend. With 2.9 miles of Frio River winding through 1,774 acres of scenic Hill Country terrain, the park offers lots to see and do!
Swim in the Frio River or float its waters on an inner tube, operate a paddle boat, and hike 16 miles of scenic trails. You can also camp, study nature, picnic, canoe, fish, play miniature golf, geocache and ride bikes. And, of course, you can dance. Overnight visitors can stay in screened shelters, cabins or campsites. Large groups can rent the screened shelter or group campsite. The park's concessionaire sells meals and snacks during the busy season, and rents the pavilion in the off season.
Lost Maples State Natural Area
Lost Maples is known for its fall color, but it is spectacular year-round. Visit any time to see abundant wild¬flowers, steep canyon walls and the scenic Sabinal River. It's just two hours northwest of San Antonio. Your whole family will find plenty to do here. Take a hike or a photo, go fishing, look for birds and other wildlife, camp, backpack, stargaze and hunt for geocaches. Lost Maples protects a special stand of Uvalde bigtooth maples. There's so much to do here, the hardest part will be deciding what to do first and next, as you discover all the wonders of the great outdoors!
Hiking: Explore over 10 miles of trails, including a loop that takes you along the top of a 2,200-foot cliff.
Camping: Choose from 30 campsites with water and electricity. Or back¬pack to one of our primitive campsites.
Fishing: Wet a hook in the Sabinal River or Can Creek. You do not need a fishing license to fish from shore or pier in a state park or natural area.
Birding: This area is home to a wide variety of birds, including the en¬dan¬gered golden-cheeked warbler and the recently de-listed black-capped vireo.
Three Twisted Sisters
The Three Twisted Sister is a "must-see" motorcycle pathway destination for motorcycle enthusiast. Three Hill Country Ranch Roads, 335, 336 and 337, are known throughout Texas as the Twisted Sisters, and riders come from near and far to enjoy them. If you have always thought of Texas as a flat country with strictly straight roads, the Twisted Sisters ride will change your mind and keep you wanting to come back. Equally beloved by local and visiting motorcyclists alike, these three roads form an exciting loop ride following canyons and hills and offering many incredible twists and turns. Before you take a spin on the Sisters, fill your tank up as gas stations are few and far between along the route. The temperatures in Texas can get hot hot hot, so pack your swimsuit for this ride because there are several swimming holes along the way. The little paradise of Utopia has a lot to offer and millions have visited as they ride the Three Twisted Sisters
Welcome to Concan, Texas - the perfect getaway destination situated approximately 30 minutes from your new homesite at Sky View Ranch. According to local lore, Concan was named after the Mexican card game, "coon can."
Concan is a paradise where the waters are crystal clear, and you can explore some of the most scenic hikes! Many people travel to Concan to float the river, but there are so many different things to do and explore. In the Winter months, this charming town is perfect for hunting deer, doves, and wild turkeys. The summer months are perfect for enjoying the clear waters of the Frio River, which is a perfect location to swim, fish, and tube.
Concan, Texas is widely known for its bird watching and Bechtol-Russell designed 18-hole golf course. The Club at ConCan golf course has amazing scenery with beautiful rolling hills. While exploring this area be sure to stop in at the House Pasture Cattle Company Restaurant. The restaurant is known for their delicious home-style cookin'!
Neals Lodges, located on the Frio River, is a highly favored place to stay and is right next to Neal's Café. The café has a great family atmosphere with exceptional food and endless activities like horseback riding, tubing the Frio River, bat flight tours, hayrides, hunting, fishing and more. Joe Jimmy's offers dancing lessons, fine wine and cold beer.
The Rio Frio Fest is a huge music festival that takes place annually in Concan in mid-March, showcasing a number of Texas musicians, great food, and the Frio River.
Go to a Small Swimming Hole
All of the swimming spots in Concan get filled with people but the Frio River Private Access is a local spot that only allows 30 people in a day (so get there early). With a limited number, you have room to move around and explore! There are a couple of different swimming holes, a hidden staircase hike, and kayaks/paddleboards available for rent. If you're looking for something peaceful while enjoying the Frio River, the Frio River Private Access offers that with limited numbers. While there, be sure to visit one of the oldest trees in Texas!
Go Stargazing
The stars are especially bright in Concan with little light pollution! With a stargazing society in Concan, people who are visiting have the chance to see the stars, the moon, and maybe even some planets. You can visit the tourism center or check the Concan website to find out when these will take place.
Cool Off with Ice Cream
Right next to the tourism center is The Frio Float where they have all the BlueBell ice cream, chocolates, and shakes. After all that time in the sun, the ice cream is a great opportunity to cool down. Plus, the shop itself is so cute and a little like candy land!
Go Tubing
A Concan tradition is floating the river! Rent a tube from one of the local spots and spend several hours floating down the river! I personally like having my own tube, so I still take advantage of the local spots who will drop you off/pick you up and blow up your tube for you!
Enjoy Lunch with a View
If you visit Concan, most people will bring up Neal's as the place to eat! Neal's serves all of the Southern comfort foods like chicken fried chicken, fried pickles, and other dishes. Plus, outside they have a patio that looks out over the river.
Stay in a Cute Cottage
There are plenty of options of places to stay in Concan, but the Inn Between stands out because of how colorful it is! Each cottage and tiny home at the Inn Between is so unique, with its own personality. It has a kitchen and lots of space for families.
Grab a Mangonada
Grab a mangonada from the Mangonada Bus, run by the same people who run the Inn Between. You can check out their Facebook page to figure out where they'll be on any given day. They have all kinds of different flavors and a unicorn one that comes with glitter on top!
Do a Little Shopping
Whether you're looking for a little extra gear for your trip, some souvenirs, or some funky finds, there are some cute little shops in Concan to check out. Josh's Outfitters has coffee, ice cream, different shirts, and gear, plus some fun little photo opportunities around. Frio Dry Fifty is a adorable souvenir shop where you can find a little bit of everything. It's also a place where people hang out and play some outdoor games, snap some pictures, and visit the fun pink truck.
Pull Up Right by the Water
Mager's Crossing is an area where you can pull up and park and be close to water for lounging around, packing a cooler, and setting up a chair right in the water. Right across from the water, you have the view of Mount Baldy right behind!