While planning a road trip for MLK weekend, google highlighted Chalk Ridge Falls as a great nature stop. Since I have to make stops every 2-3 hours or I fall asleep, I’m always looking for great suggestions. I’d say this park is worth a visit if you’re looking for a little hidden gem or off-the-beaten-path type visit!

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Where is Chalk Ridge Falls?

Chalk Ridge Falls is a perfect stop off highway 35 in Belton, Texas. The park is easily found on google maps and just off to the east of Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The parking lot is at the very west end of the Lampasas River.

The park is about an hour north of Austin and two hours south of Dallas.

For me, it was about an hour and 45 minutes away from home, which made it a great spot to stop and stretch my legs.

Know Before You Go

You can access the park between 8am and 7pm every day and parking is free. This is a day-use park only, no camping/overnight parking.

When you arrive, there is an outhouse-type restroom at the parking lot, but no toilet facilities throughout the park.

The park is dog-friendly. It says leashed dogs only, but I saw a lot of dogs just playing in the water when I was visiting. Just know the rules and be respectful of those around you. If you’re bringing a dog, be aware of the signage on the water too. There was a warning regarding potential toxic algae in the water at the entrance of the park.

Cell service is spotty (at least with Verizon) so be sure to download an offline map or get your AllTrails map loaded before you get to the park.

What to Expect at Chalk Ridge Falls in January

When you first enter the park, there is a short, straight road that leads you into the area where the falls are. Once you make that first turn off the road, you should be prepared to self-navigate because the trails are not well marked at all.

On a positive note, you can hear the falls from pretty much anywhere in the park so you can always navigate your way toward the sound of the water if you feel you’ve gotten off trail.

Hiking Trails

The AllTrails App showed two main hikes around the park. One loop around the falls, and one out and back. As mentioned before, it’s really easy to get lost here because there are a lot of little side trails to be explored and none of it is really well marked at all. I found myself turned around more than once after looking at the app, I got back on track.

I decided to take the easy, 2.5-mile out-and-back trail along the Lampasas River. Now, when I think “easy”, I think relatively flat, well-trodden surface, no boots necessary, and easy to follow. This trail was none of those things at this time of the year.

It was relatively flat, I’ll give them that, but once you passed the main swimming hole (about .25 miles in), it became a mission to make it to the end. A whole adventure. The weeds were overgrown, there were a lot of fallen trees I had to climb over or under, there were giant holes in the middle of the trail. There were no markings to indicate where the trail was. It was easy to just follow along the river, but this trail was basically out of order for the season haha.

I enjoyed it because it was a challenge and I was able to climb, forge my own trail, and get my boots dirty, but boots were necessary. There were also a lot of spikey plants that kept scraping at my clothes and sticking to me so I highly advise covering your arms and legs if visiting at this time of the year.

Despite it being overgrown and untaken care of, there were a lot of great stops along the way.

Other Attractions

One of the most photographed spots at the falls is their unique suspension bridge that was, unfortunately, out of commission when I visited. It’s right at the beginning of the trail. I was sooo tempted to just cross it anyway, but there were people around, so I was a respectful adult and followed the rules. 😂

Another stop is at the main swimming hole, which has a rope swing and a large, cleared-out group seating area to put your things, eat lunch, or hang out. There’s no BBQing permitted but it’s still a nice place to stop and have lunch or to rest after being in the water.

The rest of the nice views were mostly of the Lampasas River, but also of some of the plants that were growing along the trail.

Visiting Chalk Ridge Falls Throughout the Year

During the warmer months, Chalk Ridge Falls comes alive! The falls start rushing, the swimming holes fill up and there are plenty of visitors to the park.

Besides the main section with the falls, there are multiple swimming holes with rope swings along the water’s edge for those of you looking to have some fun in the water.

What to Bring

If you are planning on visiting, I do advise wearing hiking boots or at least closed toe shoes. Bringing water shoes isn’t a bad idea either if you’re planning on getting in at all.

The most important for any hike is staying hydrated. I highly recommend bringing a water bottle with a filter so you can fill it up anywhere along the trail as needed. If you want to have lunch, there are great places to sit down, throw out a blanket (if you brought one), and eat lunch along the water.

Remember to always pack out what you brought in! There’s nothing worse than being on a beautiful trail littered with human garbage. 😢

Depending on the time of year, sunscreen or bug spray will be very important when visiting this park.

Would I Recommend Stopping at Chalk Ridge Falls?

Yes, absolutely. It’s a great place for families, a date, or a walk with your dog. Although the main trail I hiked was overgrown and not well-maintained at this time of the year, I still enjoyed the stop. There were lots of birds chirping and the sound of the water running made Chalk Ridge Falls a very relaxing place to visit.