Comal County’s 288-acre Morton Preserve opens for the season Sept. 1, but reservations are required to visit this natural sanctuary for species like the golden-cheeked warbler, a small songbird found only in Central Texas.
Because the preserve protects such a sensitive habitat, access is limited to a small number of visitors at a time.
Morton Preserve sits on a bluff above the Guadalupe River off Bluff End Road between the Second and Third crossings of River Road. It also features a half-mile walking trail. Access ends in February. To make a reservation visit Comal County’s website or click here.
The site was purchased in 2008 through a U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Grant as part of the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund administered by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), but did not open until November 2024.
At that time, the Commissioners Court approved a grant application to protect an additional 474 adjoining acres. In 2025, the county was awarded a $5.51 million grant from TPWD for the expansion.
“We have received notification of the $5.51 million award, and we are currently working with the property owners on seeking to purchase the land/conservation easement,” county spokesperson Cary Zayas said. “We are still pretty early on in that process, so the most important thing is that this may take some time to execute.”