Cibolo Nature Center Surprise Proposal Tips

For nature-loving couples, the variety of environments found within the 160 acres of the Cibolo Nature Center make it the perfect place for a proposal. From cactus fields and a working farm, to wetlands and one of the most beautiful creeks this side of the Guadalupe River, the Cibolo Nature Center has backgrounds to suit just about any couple’s vision for their engagement. In today’s blog post, I will be helping those of you who are looking to stealthily pop the question while in the park. From the best places to get down on one knee, to tips so that you don’t get lost – these are my best Cibolo Nature Center surprise proposal tips.

Cibolo Nature Center Surprise Proposal Tips – The Basics

Introduction & Map

Located just outside of Boerne, Texas, the Cibolo Nature Center is a beautiful park with five main areas: the woodlands, the marsh, prairie trail area, Menger Creek meadow area, and Cibolo Creek. Most people, tend to want to propose near the creek.

To give you a sense of where you are and where you will be heading, here is a map of the Cibolo Nature Center:

Hours for the Cibolo Nature Center

The Cibolo Nature Center is open seven days a week, dawn to dusk. The Herff Farm is only open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The farm is not accessible on any other days or at any other times.

Cibolo Nature Center Surprise Proposal Tips – Photography Logistics

How to Obtain a Photo Permit

Any sort of organized photo shoot at the Cibolo Nature Center – such as having your proposal photographed – requires a photo permit. The good news is that permits are reasonably priced and easy to obtain. Photo permits cost $25 for individual sessions, while annual photo passes can be purchased for $250. To purchase your permit online, simply go to this link.

Photography Policies

There are rules you need to follow in order to ensure that the park is well preserved for the public. Here are the policies:

Do not use rice, confetti, flower petals, candy, glitter, balloons, cascarones or similar items.
Do not use candles, bonfires or any other type of open flame.
Do not pick flowers, break tree limbs, move furniture or disrupt natural habitats.
Animals must always be on a leash.
Do not cross climb or cross fences or gates.
Dressing room areas are limited to public restrooms in the Pavilion or at the Visitor Center.
Clothing is required at all times, as these are public spaces for families.

The fact that the last rule about clothing even had to be stated tells me they have had some close calls with nudity…

Cibolo Nature Center Surprise Proposal Tips – Where to Propose

Cooper’s Crossing – Getting There

The most popular spot for proposals at the Cibolo Nature Center is Cooper’s Crossing. Cooper’s Crossing is a bridge across Cibolo Creek, and to the right of it you will see a series of stepping stones. Here is how you get to Cooper’s Crossing:

Make a left out of the small parking lot, and walk towards the Cibolo Nature Center.
Once you see the Cibolo Nature Center, look to the right, and you will see a sign in the woods marked ‘Trailhead.’ This pathway will lead you directly to Cooper’s Crossing.
Well, direct-ish. The trail will come to a crossroad marked by a wooden bench. Make a left at the bench down the main sandy road. Do not take any of the mulch paths leading towards the creek.
Follow the sandy path, and walk just past the picnic table on the right. This sandy path leads directly to a rusty sign that says ‘Cooper’s Crossing.’ Unfortunately, this is the only signage for Cooper’s Crossing.

Please note, this walk takes about 20 minutes from the time you leave the parking lot to point at which you come to Cooper’s Crossing. As with all my surprise proposals, I always recommend that you share your location with your photographer, either via iPhone’s location sharing function or through WhatsApp so that no one is in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Cooper’s Crossing – Where to Hide the Photographer

If you are going to propose at Cooper’s Crossing, then plan to be getting down on one knee in the middle of the creek. Yep, you’ll be getting wet. Aim for the middle of the crossing, and try to get as close to the line of square stones as possible so that your reflection can be seen in the still creek water.

But to get this shot, the big question is, where should your photographer be situated? This week I took a trip to Cibolo to see exactly where I will need to be for my upcoming surprise proposal. The creek bank here is a tough area to access, so I will basically be hugging the side of a cedar tree across the bridge with camera in hand. Yep, this will be my first photo shoot where I will be getting wet as well.

I’m sure it will be worth it, but please, please make sure you don’t drop the ring in the water.

Other Proposal Location Options

Cibolo Creek

If you like a little bit of water, but still want some dry land under your feet for the actual proposal, then don’t stop in the middle of the Cooper’s Crossing. Instead, as you are walking over the bridge, look to the right or left of Cibolo Creek. Once you pass through Cooper’s Crossing you will find gravel shores on either sides of the crossing. You can safely get down on one knee here and still have the beautiful creek as your background.

The Wooden Bench

If it makes you nervous to put a ring on someone’s finger over running water, then I don’t blame you. You still have plenty of beautiful options at Cibolo. First off, the charming wooden bench that we met earlier makes a great proposal point. Picture it: you stopped for a rest, maybe you pretend that you’re lost. You get out the map and give it to her. You’re fixing your shoelace and are down on one knee. She puts down the map and you and looks up to see that you are in position with the ring box in hand. I’ll be off on the side with my camera snapping away.

Cypress Trail

This beautiful trail makes a great proposal spot. You can propose to the left or right in the middle of the trail, and then continue on for some beautiful photos wherever you choose.

Charming Meadows

The easiest meadows to access (and the easiest to propose in) are the grassy areas found along the Cypress Trail. Take the main Trailhead like you were going to Cooper’s Crossing. When you come to the wooden bench, make a right and keep walking along the Cypress Trail. You’ll see the Tall Grass Prairie on your right, and a shorter in height meadow area on your left with trees behind it. This is the area I would propose in because the main meadow is so much denser.

Marsh Boardwalk

Aside from Cibolo Creek, the marsh is my favorite part of the nature center. With twisting trails and beautiful trees, this is a very unique area that you really can’t find in many other parks around the San Antonio area. Unfortunately, the trails are often closed due to rain. And that’s exactly what I encountered during my recent visit. (The photos you see in this post is from an earlier visit last year.)

If the marsh is your jam, and you would like to propose here, then you might want to try one of the bridges that will most definitely remain open in this area of the park, come rain or shine. You can propose here and then head off into further into the park for more photos.

Herff Farm

Yes, you can propose at Herff Farm, but remember that the hours are limited to Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Also, the Herff Farm hosts a farmer’s market during these hours so expect the venue to be quite crowded.

Cibolo Nature Center Surprise Proposal Tips – Best Time to Propose

As with most public parks, the Saturday and Sunday are going to be your busiest days of the week. Avoid these days – and especially holidays – if at all possible.

In terms of timing, try to schedule your proposal towards ‘golden hour.’ That is, either just after sunrise or just before sunset so that the sun is not directly overhead and thus, less harsh in your photos. You’ll want to make sure that you have enough light for your photo session afterwards, so calculate your time accordingly. Also, make sure you take into account daylight saving time.

Cibolo Nature Center Surprise Proposal Tips – Photo Shoot Locations

Cibolo Creek Area

The most popular place to take photos at Cibolo Nature Center is Cibolo Creek. If you want to beat the crowds, then I would head here first. However, if you are going to enter the creek, then this may need to be the last spot on your shot list. Either way, Cibolo Creek should be at the top of your list of photo locations.

From Cooper’s Crossing and the cute little stepping stones, to the majestic cedar trees, the creek is very inviting, so plan to get wet. Bring a change of shoes if not a change of clothes. That goes for your photographer as well. Fear not, the water is very shallow, and it’s easy to navigate. And even in winter, it’s not too cold.

And for those of you not planning on taking the plunge, there are plenty of dry spots for photos as well. From twisting roots to massive trunks, you can get a dynamic range of shots within the forest.

Felled Tree on Creekside Trail

Once you’re done photographing the live trees, take off into the woods through Cooper’s Crossing and make a right. Here you’ll find a large felled tree. This large tree branch is great to climb on, if you are an adventurous couple.

Menger Creek Meadow

Head back towards Cooper’s Crossing and look to the right to see a path leading to an open field. Depending upon if the park has mowed the pasture or not, this field is a beautiful site for photos. Even if the pasture has been mowed, there is usually some fluffy greenery around the edges that you can use for photos.

While there is zero shade in this pasture, so try to schedule your session here as late as possible so that you can use golden hour to your advantage and avoid the harsh overhead sun.

Cactus Beds

While Herff Farm is off limits unless you happen to be shooting on a Saturday, there is a bed of cacti just to the right of the large meadow that is really lovely. With pepper trees and beautiful light, you can get gorgeous photos here. It’s a bit of a walk, but it’s also quite a contrast from the refreshing creek and to me, that’s what makes the shot so interesting.

Parking Lot Entrance

Finally, there is a lot to be said for the little wooded area located next to the parking lot. Yes, you can definitely take great photos among the magnificent cedars. But this more open forest area can also generate some terrific photos.

In addition, the pathway leading to the Cibolo Nature Center along the wooden fence is quite scenic and is a perfect location for portraits.

Cibolo Nature Center Surprise Proposal Tips – Final Advice

Here in Texas, you get used to parched landscapes everywhere and to come upon Cibolo Creek is like finding an oasis in the desert.

Final Tip #1

With this in mind, know that no matter where you choose to propose within the Cibolo Nature Center, your moment will be magical. All it takes is a bit of preparation ahead of time. The most important advice I can give you is to make sure that you and your photographer can find each other. The Cibolo Nature Center is a large park so losing each other is a distinct possibility. Location trackers are a necessity here – be it through iPhone or through Whatsapp. If at all possible, make a visit to the Cibolo Nature Center so that you know exactly where you need to be before you get the ring out of your pocket.

Final Tip #2

Finally, know that the Cibolo Nature Center is very, very popular spot – especially on weekends. Even during the weekday, Cooper’s Crossing is a congested spot. During my visit on a Monday afternoon, a family with five kids took up residence at Cooper’s Crossing. This is a public park, and there is no way to reserve the creek. My recommendation is that you have a plan B (and plan C) in mind in case one location is booked on the day of your proposal. It never hurts to have a backup plan ready.

I will be able to put all of these tips into action with a surprise proposal in mid-November, and of course, I will be sharing the photos in an upcoming blog post. Until then, enjoy the images, and I will have more photo adventures for you next week!

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Looking to ask someone to marry you around Austin or San Antonio? Drop me a line and let’s chat about how I can help you photograph your moment. I have hourly rates, and all photo shoots include editing and high-resolution files.

To view more images from my wedding photography portfolio, please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com