We spent Sunday night at South Llano River State Park, near Junction, TX. The land was purchased by a retired jeweler named Walter Buck in 1910.
After his father died, his son, who felt strongly about conserving the land, ensured that his cattle, sheep, and goats were not overgrazing the land by reducing the number to the amount the land could support.
This way, he was able to survive a multi-year drought in the 1950s.
Buck donated his 600 acre property to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1977 for wildlife conservation or park purposes. The park opened in 1990, and is now 2600 acres, encompassing a wildlife refuge.
There are numerous hiking trails, and since the land is at the edge of the Hill Country and along the S. Llano, there are trails with significant elevation and spectacular views of the countryside.