Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Texas Highways Magazine

Though our family has traveled to far-flung parks like Big Bend National Park out west and Caddo Lake State Park in East Texas, it wasn’t until last month that we finally visited McKinney Falls State Park in South Austin, about 25 minutes from our home. It can be easy to take local destinations for granted, thinking you’ll get around to visiting at some point. Thanks to the planning process for this issue celebrating the Texas State Parks system’s 100th anniversary, I was inspired to explore more nearby state parks. Their yearlong campaign is centered around connecting Texans with their regional state parks. “We want to give people a reason to visit state parks and underscore the importance of protecting our most iconic landscapes in Texas,” says Russell Roe, editor-in-chief of…

While working on the 2018 revised edition of his book Official Guide to Texas State Parks and Historic Sites, photographer and writer Laurence Parent drove from Winnsboro to Lake Bob Sandlin State Park near Pittsburg hoping to catch fog on the lake. “I always enjoy shooting when something special is happening with the light or weather—the mist in this case,” Parent says. He selected the expansive view of the park’s swimming area to capture the rising sun shining through the April morning haze. “While the lake and weather were too cool still for water sports, the swim platform is waiting patiently for warmer weather and the return of swimmers,” Parent says.…

As I push off from the dock on the north side Marsh Unit at Sea Rim State Park, about 10 miles west of Sabine Pass and the Texas-Louisiana border, my excitement rises at this opportunity to test my mettle against the elements with a solo paddle. I’m traveling by kayak up a trail to one of the more curious campsites in the Texas parks system: a 13-by-20-foot floating tent platform 2 miles north of the launch, a secret spot on the map known to relatively few Texans. Spanning a mix of brackish and saltwater marshes marked by feathery phragmites and assorted grasses, Sea Rim offers a soupy wilderness. Beyond the 4,100-acre state park extend neighboring preserves in the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge. The combined…

Paddling I LEARNED A FEW IMPORTANT LESSONS on my first multiday mountain biking trip through Big Bend Ranch State Park as I weaved between spiky plants and sharp rocks. First, if you soar off the seat of your bike on a rugged downhill and land in a patch of prickly pear, you’ll still be plucking out cactus spines two weeks later. Second, every scratch will be worth it. On that first trip 15 years ago, I whooped like a cowgirl as I swooped down rocky trails I’ve returned to ride a dozen times, reinforcing my belief that the best adventures take place outdoors beneath wide-open skies. Sometimes, those adventures unfold just a short drive from the state’s urban centers. Other times, you have to make an effort to get out…

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park The feathery crowds that gather at the feeding stations of this park along the Rio Grande look like they’ve been caught in the crossfire of a paintball game—green jays splashed in lime and sapphire blue, pumpkin-colored Altamira orioles, and bright red Northern cardinals. “This is one of the top 10 places in the country for birding,” says Roy J. Rodriguez, lead interpreter at the park. Two migratory flyways merge in the semitropical zone of the park’s location, and the grounds occupy what little remains of the floodplain forest that once covered much of the Rio Grande Valley. “This is what the Valley used to look like,” Rodriguez says. In all, birders have recorded 366 species of birds, including 20 found only in the Tamaulipan Biotic…

A carefully crafted itinerary can only get you so far when planning a trip to a Texas state park. Schedules are thwarted by all kinds of events out of our control, and soon, a vacation to one of Texas’ natural spaces becomes a race against the sun. But a late arrival doesn’t have to dampen the outing. Night ushers in its own appeal as the park’s critters come to life. Great horned owls swoop overhead looking for smaller animals—cottontails, geckos—to scoop up. Snakes both venomous and benign slither beneath and between rocks. Nine-banded armadillos stalk through the wilderness, safe from daytime predators. The scenery can be more immaculate than it is at midday. Constellations puncture the darkness to illuminate the flight of Mexican free-tailed bats, night herons, and hawks. As…

The sprawling Texas State Parks system we have today might not exist if it weren’t for the 50,000-plus young Americans who served the Civilian Conservation Corps in Texas following the Great Depression. Created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, when more than 15 million citizens were jobless, the CCC was a voluntary government relief program that enlisted unemployed men to work on land conservation and park development projects across the United States. Those who served in Texas worked on numerous state parks and built several from the raw land, including 29 that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manages today. From Balmorhea to Garner to Possum Kingdom, Texas used the CCC to build the core of its state parks system. Before Roosevelt’s program, Texas had only constructed 14 state…

Houston-based artist Andy Dearwater illu​strated the 2023 Texas State Parks centennial calendar for the Texas Highways Mercantile. Dearwater enjoys visiting state parks near Houston and Austin and has a penchant for nature illustrations, but he knew there would be a lot to learn about parks farther away. “I just educated myself,” he says. “I’ve been in Texas for 40 years, but I’m still learning about the parks.” Dearwater used digital tools to produce 12 images that show the breadth of the parks system, with each new month featuring a stunning illustration of a state park. The result is an 11-by-17-inch spiralbound calendar that features parks from Caddo Lake to Monahans Sandhills, and lots of places in between. If you’re a fan of the Texas landscape, make sure to pick one…

Whether you’re a novice birder in search of a spot to view technicolor hummingbirds in Central Texas or a lifelong devotee seeking out a rare bat falcon in the Rio Grande Valley, state parks have you covered with comfortable viewing areas. Dozens of state parks have bird blinds—camouflaged shelters built for viewing wildlife—some a simple bench and others fully enclosed structures with comfy chairs and strategically placed windows or openings. Most have feeders and a water source, which is often sufficient to attract migrating and resident beauties. In addition to providing comfort during a birding trip, blinds also make nature more accessible, says Ben Horstmann, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department regional interpretive specialist. “Someone may not be able to get to the top of a mountain, but in a…

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area Enchanted Rock’s granite dome rises from the surrounding Hill Country landscape like a huge, glistening road bump. While the majority of visitors come to hike, climbers also frequent the park for its steep rock faces. Much of the climbing takes place on the back side of the dome, accessible via the Loop Trail. The trail leads to an array of climbing routes with names like Stranger Than Friction, Sweat, and Ripple. Additional routes are located in Echo Canyon, which is between Enchanted Rock and Little Rock; and on Buzzard’s Roost, a smaller granite knob to the north. Some of the best bouldering is found on the garage-size hunks of rock on the park entrance side of Enchanted Rock and Little Rock. The dome expands and…

IMAGINE YOU’RE OVERWORKED, SCRAPING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. The economy is in free fall despite new developments in technology allowing you to work more efficiently, accomplishing in an hour what previously might have required days. The country has just waged a long campaign against an unseen enemy that killed millions around the globe. But in Texas, the governor feels your pain and speaks eloquently to your fatigue. Such was the milieu in May 1923, when Gov. Pat Neff enabled legislation for the formation of the Texas State Parks system and donated his own property to the nascent endeavor. “Nothing is more conducive to the happiness and contentment of a people, a State’s most valuable asset, than for them to go ‘back to nature,’” Neff wrote in a letter to the…

As soon as I descend the stairway leading into Longhorn Cavern, the temperature drops. A great rush of air envelops me while water drops fall from the natural rock bridge overhead. Looking up, I see hanging vines descending from one of the sinkholes, and just beyond them, a clear sky. The entrances at Longhorn Cavern State Park, an hour and a half northwest of Austin, originated as sinkholes, or dolines. The holes began forming 500 million years ago when rainwater seeped inside of pores and fractures in the area’s limestone and pooled in depressions, causing the roof to collapse. “Surface water began to enter the sinkhole and push its way through the hillside,” says park manager Evan Archilla, who is leading me on a tour of the cavern. The water…

FREE TRAVEL INFO 1 Addison, Texas 2 Admiral Nimitz Foundation 3 Andrews Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau 4 Bandera County Convention & Visitors Bureau 5 Beaumont Convention & Visitors Bureau 6 Big Spring Convention & Visitors Bureau 7 Brazosport Convention & Visitors Council 8 Bullock Texas State History Museum 9 Cedar Park Tourism 10 City of Alvin 11 City of Harlingen Convention & Visitors Bureau 12 City of Kyle 13 City of Port Isabel 14 City of Portland 15 City of Wimberley 16 Cleburne Chamber of Commerce 17 Corsicana Convention & Visitors Center 18 Cuero Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture 19 Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden 20 Destination Bryan 21 Destination El Paso 22 Discover San Angelo 23 Discover Temple 24 Dumas Moore County Chamber of Commerce…

All-in-One I really enjoy this magazine! Part literary, part travel, part food, and many other parts all rolled into one magazine that captures the spirit of Texas. Barbara Betin Macha Food Feud Comparing bagels to Tex-Mex tacos is nothing short of sacrilege [“Everything Bagels,” March]. Sorry, Yankees. Kevin Stiver Tree Hugger Growing up in Fort Worth, we had a big redbud tree in our front yard [“Blossoms in the Sky,” March]. My dad was not thrilled that I loved climbing it. It is no longer there, but my happy memories are. @vanessa_kay_bownds We want to hear from you! Send photos, feedback, and recommendations to letters@texashighways.com; P.O. Box 11009, Austin, TX, 78714-1009. Follow @TexasHighways on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.…

Located at the northern edge of Dallas-Fort Worth, Denton manages to feel like a cozy small town while offering the amenities of a lively big city. The population is near 140,000, yet the courthouse-dominated historic square is still the true heart of the community. With two large universities—and over 45,000 college students at Texas Woman’s University and the University of North Texas—the city brims with the energy of a college town. Denton has a long-standing, thriving music scene. A visit during the Denton Arts and Jazz Festival or the Thin Line Fest, which both feature a wealth of music, film, and visual art, makes it easy to forget this isn’t a bustling Dallas neighborhood. But walk a few blocks away from downtown and you’ll find yourself on quiet one-way streets…

Take it from the people who know: Cooking while camping doesn’t have to be hard. You just need the right equipment, a few good recipes, and a decent heat source for a flavorful meal. Kent Rollins knows his way around a campfire. An experienced camper, he’s spent years as a chuckwagon cook for ranchers and cowboys across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and as far as Wyoming. He travels and cooks with his 1876 Studebaker chuckwagon and nearly 400-pound stove named “Bertha.” He’s even brought his “cowboy comfort food” to TV, appearing on Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen, and Throwdown with Bobby Flay, where he beat the celebrity chef with his chicken-fried steak. But to him, a fancy TV kitchen will never top the fire pit. “People have been mesmerized by fire since…

Whether you’re a thrill-seeker, heritage buff, or beach bum, experience the charm of Galveston Island. Explore 32 miles of coast, then stroll through history in what was once known as the Wall Street of the South. It’s a destination full of art, historic architecture, chic boutiques, ghost legends and most of all – culinary inspirations for every craving. Galveston’s waterfront restaurants are preparing the freshest seafood caught just off the coast alongside Southern favorites and mouth-watering burgers. From there, discover the pyramids of Moody Gardens, the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier and Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark. For those who want to spend the day on the Gulf, an abundance of waterways makes Galveston the ideal fishing location for top-rated deep-water sportfishing. Find your family’s next adventure on this Gulf Coast…

Parks across Texas are celebrating the centennial with stargazing parties, bike and kayak tours, wilderness walks, fishing clinics, heritage days, and more. Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway joins the party with Experience Caprock! on May 6. Park visitors can learn the basics of nature photography, hiking, and fishing, plus take a drive through the landscape with a park interpreter. “The activities are really about helping folks understand the things they can do, and to be mindful when hiking, how to fish without being an expert, and how to take a great nature shot when you’re not a professional photographer,” says Le’Ann Pigg, assistant superintendent at Caprock Canyons. To cap off the day, volunteer astronomers bring in their highpowered telescopes for evening stargazing and give talks on how light pollution…

Andrew Sansom got his first job in 1959 as a lifeguard at Lake Jackson Municipal Pool in his hometown about 55 miles south of Houston. Little did the 14-year-old know the job would set the stage for a lifelong career in parks administration and environmental conservation. “I stayed with that summer job for eight or nine years, literally until after I was married,” recalls Sansom, who later became executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “I discovered that Texas Tech had a degree in parks and recreation. I couldn’t imagine that you could actually have a career in that, but that’s how I ended up at Tech.” Sansom’s studies in Lubbock led him to Washington, D.C., where he worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior and Federal…