Austin East KOA

The Great Outdoors

You’ll be able to visit the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge from your home base at the RV park. This wildlife refuge covers 27,500 acres and was established to conserve the natural nesting habitat for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler and black-capped vireo. It also preserves old Ashe juniper and oak woodlands. Ringtail cats, raccoons, cliff chirping frogs, whitethroat slimy salamanders, cave crickets, daddy longlegs, spiders, beetles, and pseudoscorpions make their homes here. Visitors can enjoy nature trails, wildlife viewing and photography, and hunting. Educational and interpretive programs and special events take place here throughout the year. There are accessible restrooms at the refuge’s headquarters, Doeskin Ranch, and Warbler Vista.Lake Walter E. Long is located in the Walter E. Long Metropolitan Park in Austin. The 1,200-acre lake offers opportunities for swimming, boating, fishing for largemouth bass and hybrid striped bass, and personal watercraft. Other outdoor recreation at the park includes sand volleyball, walking and running, and biking. Picnic tables, grills, and restrooms are available. A small store sells fishing gear and bait. Enjoy a visit when you are RV camping at Austin East KOA.Pedernales Falls State Park is also easily accessible during your RV rental visit. It is located on the Pedernales River and covers 5,200 acres. There is a stunning waterfall that lends its name to the park itself. The property is maintained by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Heavily wooded areas feature oak, juniper, pecan, elm, sycamore, walnut, hackberry, cypress, buttonbush, and ash. White-tailed deer, coyotes, rabbits, armadillos, skunks, opossums, raccoons, catfish, bass, sunfish, carp, ravens, vultures, herons, quail, doves, owls, roadrunners, wild turkeys, Rufous-crowned sparrows, western scrub jays, and endangered golden-cheeked warblers all call the park home. There are numerous multi-use trails of varying lengths and difficulties and a downloadable interactive trail map. Outdoor recreational opportunities include swimming, fishing, boating, tubing, hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Nature photography, stargazing, picnicking, and geocaching opportunities are also available. Ranger programs, interpretive programming, and special events for all ages are held throughout the year. Restrooms are available, and the camp store sells ice and gift items.

Exploring the Area

Austin is one of liveliest cities in the country, and you will have no shortage of things to do and see during your Austin East KOA camping trip. It is well known as the Live Music Capital of the World, and you’ll be able to find nearly any genre on nearly any night. Craft beer seems to be a natural companion to live music, and there are over 30 breweries in the city as well as wineries, distilleries, and other beverage options. There are also over 1,000 food trucks operating in Austin. Austin was also where Whole Foods Market was born. The original store now includes several mini restaurants and a bar.The Schlitterbahn waterpark and resort in New Braunfels seems to have sprung from the banks of the Comal River and has been recognized by Amusement Today as the world’s best waterpark. It’s actually four waterparks in one -- Original Schlitterbahn, Blastenhoff, Tubenbach, and Surfenburg -- all connected by a tram. There is a total of 51 rivers, rides, slides, and chutes including a skycoaster, a pool with a swim-up bar, tube chutes, rafts, and kids’ areas. Cabanas are available for rent, and some even include reserved parking spaces, wait staff, and lockers. There are numerous gift shops selling branded merchandise, beach gear, towels, specialty items, and souvenirs. You’ll have over 25 different dining choices including barbecue, pizza, funnel cakes, ice cream, and health-conscious options too. You’ll enjoy a trip here when you camp in an RV near Austin.