Palmetto State Park is a 270.3-acre Texas state park in Gonzales County that opened in 1936 on land assembled from private owners and the City of Gonzales. Named for the abundant dwarf palmetto that gives this part of Central Texas a subtropical feel, it was largely developed by Civilian Conservation Corps companies 873 and 886, whose work included Park Road 11, river crossing and utility structures, a refectory, headquarters building, and picnic features. The San Marcos River and a spring-fed oxbow lake shape the park’s recreation and scenery, while trails, diverse plant life, and abundant wildlife make it a distinctive destination unlike most Texas parks.