This state historical site is such a cool place. It features ruins of Kreische Brewery (and the still standing home) as well as Monument Hill a tomb for those who died in the Dawson Massacre of September 1842. There is a beautiful overlook, and the grounds themselves are very well maintained. Only $5 per person for admission and leashed dogs are welcome. The Visitor Center has a few displays of relics that you won't want to miss! I do recommend wearing good shoes and carrying water if you are planning to walk down to the brewery. It's a bit steep in some places! read more

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On a visit to La Grange, I looked up the top attractions in La Grange on TripAdvisor. Monument Hill State Park came up as number one. We stopped by on a Sunday afternoon. After paying a small fee to enter, we parked. The visitor's center has a small museum where you can learn all about the history of the park. It's a good way to kick things off. From there, you can hike around the park. Beyond getting a workout, you come across historical markers and other goodies along the way. Brewery ruins, a home, a statue, and more. You'll learn even more through this experience. I love these types of hikes: where you simultaneously learn and get a workout in. read more

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Made a pitstop here heading back to Houston from Austin and was surprised to find this on my radar. The scenes of the old brewery, mountains, and backdrop of the La Grange town make this park worth visiting. Oh and did I mention you can hike/walk here as well? Not as steep as Bastrop State Park but nonetheless you'll get a workout for your legs and calves with the elevation. Definitely worth a stop when you pass through this small town! read more

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This park is home to a monument and the ruins of an old brewery. We mainly came to see the ruins. When you first enter the park you'll check into the office to pay your fee of $5 a person which isn't too bad. Parking is free too. You can check out the small museum inside or go outside and walk the path to the overlook, which is beautiful. You can see La Grange and the Colorado River there. There's the house, which is two stories, though it doesn't seem like it when you come in from the overlook side. The rooms are closed off but you can still look inside from behind a rope. There is a smokehouse and another structure. To get to the ruins you go down a path. Be careful there are snakes! We narrowly avoided a copperhead. There's a longer path downward toward the ruins but it was too hot this time around. We may check that out later as it's a bit of a hike. read more

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Well maintained historical site. Also known as Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill State Historic Sites. They have trails for longer hikes or a short eventful walk for all age groups to view the brewery ruins and historical structures such as the Kreische family house. Highly recommend this stop for a little stretch of the legs on a road trip. We didn't get to stay for the Christmas light walk thru this trip, but it looks magical. read more

Monument Hill State Park - Sam the resident cat - Parks Near Me - La Grange, Texas

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Not bad with bucees on the way there,1 hour away from Austin. The office manager was so helpful. You have to pay $4 at the visitors center per adult, pets are free. There's lots of shade, dog stations, benches, views and a refillable bottle water station. This hike is great even for a beginner or if u have toddlers. The brewery ruins have the best view from the top and the house is something really cool to see from history. The shulenburg trail is the longest and the best. The other trails are are very easy and BEAUTIFUL. read more

Monument Hill State Park - Parks Near Me - La Grange, Texas

This is a hidden gem in the part of Texas independence. It's nestled in the La Grange area And it was a beautiful drive to get there. There's picnic tables and grills where you can have a picnic and eat with your family. The entry fee was low and the people were very nice. The bathrooms on site were extremely clean and the attractions were extremely interesting. This German immigrant built a three-story brewery on the banks of the Colorado river using a natural spring. He was also integral in building many things around the La Grange area, to include the jail and the courthouse. If you have a second to drive over to La Grange, I highly recommend you visit. On his property is the tomb of Texans who were shot in the black bean incident. These are the 17 people killed in 1842 era by the Mexican army. Quite interesting history. read more

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I visited this place on a whim... Was exploring small towns on my way back to Houston from San Antonio... Great walk on such a beautiful day. There is a lot of history here and has a very great scenic area over looking la grange. The houses you walk past are eerie yet interesting.. Definitely a place you should visit if you want to see some historical land marks read more

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Not bad for a 1.5 drive from Houston (my friend drove 1.5 hours from Round Rock). Spent about 1.5 hours here & explored the town a bit (ate breakfast and lunch). Hike wasn't strenuous (I am in good shape though) but I still got sweaty; the steps might be a little tiring for some. $4/person if you want access to the trails & sites. Gift shop w/ a few drinks/snacks available. Free and plenty of parking. Went on a Tuesday at 10am, and we were the only ones hiking. read more

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I love right across the street from here, we take our dogs for walks almost every week and it's always a pleasant time

The seasonal Trail of Lights is a great experience! I've been coming here for years and my daughter loves it. read more

Monument Hill State Park - Holiday lights - Parks Near Me - La Grange, Texas

We were traveling from Schulenburg to La Grange exploring the area, and it was fortunate we came upon Monument Hill. Pulled into the parking lot, and walked a few feet to park headquarters. A ranger was inside, showed us a fifteen minute video, and gave us a map. So now we knew the history and what to look for as we went off to scout. There's murals, a large monument commemorating the Texas War for Independence, tomb, the Kreische brewery ruins and hiking trails. Plenty of souvenirs for purchase at headquarters, but no entrance fee to the park. The most spectacular site is the view. You look down into the valley and see the Colorado River and La Grange. It was hard to tear my eyes away when I knew it was time to leave and get back on the road. read more

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Beautiful destination with tons of awesome views and cool old buildings to walk through. read more

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I go here quite often throughout the year, I never get tired of looking at the historical house on the property I could live in there. I love the trails they have here. Its a good little exercise and I enjoy the scenery and the people are always very sweet. They do a very good job of keeping the park maintained. read more

My husband, nephew, and I had a fantastic time exploring this park recently. Strangely, my parents lived in La Grange for nearly ten years a while back and I never knew Monument Hill existed. Well, I didn't realize what all the park was. We drove over from Burton a couple of weeks ago in the afternoon to hike and explore. The views were lovely, and it was cool to see the old buildings and the remains of the brewery. It was also nice to have varied elevation to hike as opposed to...flat. This was the first time our nephew had done any type of hiking, so it was nice that it was a cool spot. The weather was nice (hot, but not TOO hot), and we got to see a deer in the woods. We also encountered a couple of employees while out and about who were both very friendly and helpful. There is no entrance fee, though the do accept donations. This is definitely worth checking out! read more

The visitor center staff are helpful. The site is interesting. The scenic overlook is lovely. The brewery & house remains are on the trails. I saw several birds. I'm glad we stopped here. There isn't a fee but they ask for donations. It's worth it. read more

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The best view in east/central Texas. The grounds are so well kept and the history is very cool if you like the industrious/innovative side of Texas read more

Beautiful spot nestled in the hills above the Colorado River. Made for a nice nature commune on a cloudy Sunday with the fam. The lower trails were closed due to flooding but the upper & nature trails were open. Not too hard of a hike to view. Pets welcome, even saw two doe near the parking area who just chilled for a bit nibbling grass. read more

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Very nice little park hidden away in the town of La Grange, TX. Well maintained, very clean bathrooms, beautiful old trees provide lots of shade. We had a picnic at the table that looks over the bluff and it was a fantastic view of the area and Colorado River. If you're driving through the area and want somewhere to stop for a couple of hours, check it out. You won't be disappointed! read more

I liked this little Texas State Park! The trails were nice and open with lots to look at: the ruins of the brewery, the monument, Kreische House, etc. there was even deer happily grazing within viewing distance from the trails. The trails had some good incline/declines so be careful, but the good thing was they are not long trails at all! So you could do a little hike around the park within an hour of so with no problem. Of course, it's hot during the summer but it's worth the trip to see the overlook to the Colorado and walking over the bridges. Plus... it's free!!! read more

Beautiful park. I went on a day that was cloudy with intermittent rain and still enjoyed the whole experience. The park Ranger was very helpful in telling us the lay of the land and even though I didn't say for a tour of the brewery I think I would've enjoyed it. The brewery and the house are really neat and the plaques around the property provide plenty of info if you don't have time for the tour. The hills provide great views and it's a place I'd bring a picnic. Overall, hoping to return soon! read more

What a gorgeous place! I learned so much here! Highly recommend for families.

I discovered this park on a whim back in 2000 when I needed a break from Houston's flat terrain but only had a Saturday to spare and wanted to be back in Downtown Houston by late afternoon. I got on the TPWD website, and this was the most promising-looking spot on their map. It did not disappoint, and has continued to be my and now my family's favorite daytrip from Houston, and less than an hour and a half drive. Monument Hill truly is a little slice of Texas Hill Country close to Houston, not just because of the vista from the top of the bluff, but also because "Numerous plants and animals common to the limestone-based soils of the Hill Country, 70 miles northwest, have been transported and deposited in this locale by the Colorado River, located at the base of the 200-foot bluff. These species flourish in pockets of alkaline soils produced through erosion of the calcareous sandstone cap of the escarpment." The park also has a lot of history, including the tomb and monument to the ill-fated Dawson Expedition of 1836 and Mier Expedition of 1842, and the Kreische house, barn, smokehouse, and the ruins of the brewery. It's a small, compact park. There are several well-maintained hiking trails, none of them over half a mile loops. But you can enjoy the park, its scenic views, and picnicking without doing very much walking at all, and it's free (small donation suggested). The bluff provides a great view of La Grange, below, which is also a neat little town to visit, with a picturesque town square surrounding an attractive historic courthouse. There are interesting shops and a few good places to eat there, including Prause Meat Market, an authentic old school Central Texas German meat market and barbecue joint, though we usually bring a picnic lunch to eat at the park while we enjoy the view, as this is our favorite picnic place. If you forget to pack a picnic, go into La Grange first and pick up some barbecue. La Grange is also the location of the true story that "The Best Little Whorehouse" was based on, and the Burt Reynolds/Dolly Parton movie was filmed there. The whorehouse, known as the "Chicken Ranch", isn't there anymore, the building was bought and moved to Dallas to be a restaurant that burned down. Also, Rohan Meadery is nearby, offering tastings of meads, hard ciders, and fruit wines. read more

Loved this state park...smaller but with great hiking trails and great Texas history. The park headquarters employees were knowledge, helpful, and friendly. There's no fee to enter the park area but donations accepted to help run it. We'll be back when it's cooler! Great area to picnic, walk, hike, and learn some history! And amazing views of La Grange! A great little gem of a park that is not as known but just as impressive as others! read more

Great place to visit, great views, easy hikes. On Saturday afternoons, there are volunteer docents who will take you on the tour brewery ruins. You will learn so much more of the old brewery and get to go places you can't without the guide. Call the park to ask about the tours. read more