Parks & Recs
November 1, 2023
How to Watch the April 8 Solar Eclipse From a Texas State Park
Skip the traffic and exorbitant hotel rates—go camping at one of the 31 parks in the path of totality. Overnight reservations open on November 7.
Parks & Recs
Stories and tips for enjoying Texas’s state parks and other outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, and cycling
Latest
1-50 of 52 Articles
Parks & Recs
October 24, 2023
Taking It Slow at Goose Island State Park
I marveled at the thousand-year-old Big Tree and stargazed with a pod of pelicans.
Parks & Recs
September 20, 2023
After a Summer of Heat Deaths, Texas Parks Debate How to Protect Hikers
Six hikers died from heat-related causes in Texas state and national parks this summer. Should trail closures on the hottest days be standard?
Parks & Recs
September 15, 2023
A Pristine, 1,200-Acre Texas Preserve Will Open to the Public for the First Time This Week
Anonymous landowners donated the pristine 1,200-acre parcel, which will be open to the public on September 23.
Sports
September 6, 2023
A Guide to Texas’s Best Public Golf Courses
From arid El Paso to the Piney Woods, Texas boasts outstanding links that don’t require an expensive membership.
Travel
August 9, 2023
Swing by Texas’s Smallest State Park to See Three Million Bats Soar From an Old Railroad Tunnel
Austin’s urban bat colony has nothing on this.
Parks & Recs
August 2, 2023
We Found Texas’s Best Beachcombing Spot in Matagorda
The seaside town is also a great place to catch redfish, watch dolphins, and stay in a snazzy new bungalow.
Parks & Recs
June 26, 2023
Hikers Are Dying on Texas Trails in Severe Heat
Recent tragedies in Big Bend and Palo Duro Canyon are a reminder to “respect the desert,” says one ranger.
Parks & Recs
June 16, 2023
What Should Texas Do With $1 Billion for State Parks?
Lawmakers just authorized lots of money to acquire new parkland. We asked advocates and conservationists to dream big.
Sponsored
June 1, 2023
Austin Parks & Recreation Presents: Juneteenth Celebrations Through The Years
The Civil War did not officially end until April 1965, and enslaved people in the Confederate State of Texas did not hear of their freedom until June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger announced the abolition of slavery upon his arrival in Galveston, Texas.
Parks & Recs
May 1, 2023
Get Lost in the Fog at This Swampy, Spooky East Texas Park
Mossy cypresses seem to float in the clouds at Martin Dies Jr. State Park, which offers otherworldly paddling and hiking trails.
Parks & Recs
April 19, 2023
Meridian State Park Offers Delights for Every Age
My kids splashed in the lake and studied bugs, while I was thrilled to see a rare golden-cheeked warbler.
Parks & Recs
March 29, 2023
Lake Mineral Wells State Park Offers Adventurous Hiking, Fishing, and Some of the Best Rock Climbing in Texas
This underrated pocket of North Texas is well worth your time.
Parks & Recs
March 8, 2023
There’s a State Park for That!
The twenty best Texas parks for birding, time traveling, kayaking, meeting up with relatives, and more.
Parks & Recs
March 8, 2023
Empire, Wide and Glorious
As we celebrate one hundred years of our state parks, they are more popular than ever. But our booming population is overwhelming the state’s scarce public lands. What will the next century hold for Texas’s “best idea”?
Texas Icons
January 17, 2023
Big Bend, Big Crowds
What happens when hundreds of thousands of people go to the same place looking for a little quiet time? One of our two national parks is finding out.
Parks & Recs
January 9, 2023
Welcome to Palo Pinto, Texas’s Next State Park
Set to open later this year, it'll give North Texans 4,871 scenic acres to roam.
Parks & Recs
January 4, 2023
I Fell in Love With Camping at Stephen F. Austin State Park
This peaceful spot near Houston is perfect for families, history buffs, and first-time campers.
Parks & Recs
May 13, 2021
Going With the Flow at Guadalupe River State Park
This slice of Hill Country heaven offers ample opportunity for fun, as long as Mother Nature is in the right mood.
Parks & Recs
May 13, 2021
Where to Eat and Stay Near Guadalupe River State Park
The area has lots of options for pre- and post-float fun. Here are a few places worth adding to your itinerary.
Parks & Recs
February 12, 2021
Finding Respite at Davis Mountains State Park and Its Historic Indian Lodge
In the heart of hard desert country, this welcome refuge features hiking, breathtaking vistas, and proximity to must-visit West Texas attractions.
Parks & Recs
February 12, 2021
Where to Eat, Shop, and Stargaze in and Around Fort Davis
With Davis Mountains State Park as your home base, you can find a lot to explore in the area.
Parks & Recs
October 14, 2020
Where to Find Fall’s True Colors in Texas
At Lost Maples State Natural Area, the trees put on a spectacular show every autumn.
Parks & Recs
August 20, 2020
Where to Go Swimming Now in Texas
A handy guide to which of our beaches, lakes, rivers, creeks, swimming holes, and swimming pools are and aren’t open.
Parks & Recs
July 22, 2020
Tyler State Park Is the Ideal Escape for These Times (or Anytime)
The northeast Texas oasis among the pines reminds us of happier summers while providing needed respite now.
Parks & Recs
July 22, 2020
Tyler State Park: Where to Sleep and Eat
Rough it—or not—and make sure to get some barbecue.
Parks & Recs
May 29, 2020
Texas Monthly Recommends: Making a Backyard Water Park
Plus, Tina Lawson's Instagram and an especially comforting cookie.
Parks & Recs
March 19, 2020
Is It Okay to Visit Texas Parks During the Coronavirus Pandemic?
Spending time outdoors is good for mental health. But as COVID-19 spreads in Texas, officials and citizens are grappling with whether, and how, we can enjoy public parks.
Parks & Recs
February 19, 2020
What to See, Eat, and Do Near Bentsen–Rio Grande Valley State Park
Outside Bentsen, watch butterflies, dance, and light a candle or two.
Parks & Recs
February 19, 2020
Eyes on the Skies at Bentsen–Rio Grande Valley State Park
Just along the Texas–Mexico border, this fragile oasis attracts hundreds of birds (and those who watch them).
Parks & Recs
November 20, 2019
Where to Sleep, Shop, and Eat Near Colorado Bend State Park
Make sure to stop for camping essentials on the way in. And maybe a burger or pizza.
Parks & Recs
November 20, 2019
Colorado Bend State Park: A World of Wonders, Aboveground and Below
The park features hidden caves, dramatic waterfalls, and sparkling springs.
Parks & Recs
August 20, 2019
What’s on the Horizon for Big Bend National Park
After an eventful first year as superintendent, Bob Krumenaker has a vision for the park’s future as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Parks & Recs
June 20, 2019
Sea Rim State Park’s Fragile Magic
The park offers quiet coastland and abundant wildlife, and feels like a defiant bulwark against some very particular cares of urban life.
Parks & Recs
May 15, 2019
Hope Springs Eternal at Balmorhea
This spring, I revisited this sparkling West Texas gem after its long closure—and I’m glad I did.
Parks & Recs
March 22, 2019
Where to Stay and What to Do Around Palmetto State Park
Luling, Gonzales, and the park itself provide lots of fun options.
Parks & Recs
March 22, 2019
Creatures Abound at Palmetto State Park—Just Beware the Ottine Swamp Thing
At this tropical, mystical park, you’ll find animals and plants unlike anything else in Texas.
Parks & Recs
February 20, 2019
The Temptation of the Devils River
To reap the rewards of paddling this remote, dangerous waterway, you don’t have to sell your soul. You simply need to respect its power. And be prepared.
Business
January 10, 2019
How Texas Parks and Historic Sites Are Dealing With the Government Shutdown
Volunteers and others step in to help maintain Big Bend, the San Antonio missions, and other beloved sites, but fears about lasting damage grow as the impasse drags on.
Parks & Recs
January 3, 2019
Where to Rough It (or Not) In and Around Big Bend Ranch
Choose from campsites, a bunkhouse, or a luxury resort. (And ¡Viva Terlingua!)
Parks & Recs
January 3, 2019
Big Bend Ranch State Park: Where Nothing Is Everything
The untouched vastness of the largest state park in Texas makes you feel like you’re exploring a whole other world.
Parks & Recs
September 21, 2018
Blanco State Park Embodies True Texas Spirit
Despite threats to its survival over the years, the picturesque and petite park goes with the flow, just like its namesake river.
Parks & Recs
September 21, 2018
The Best of Blanco
Where to eat, drink, and play once you venture outside the park.
Parks & Recs
September 30, 1993
Show Your Colors
You don’t need to travel to Vermont to see fall splendor. Discover it in the Guadalupe Mountains, Texas’ undiscovered national park.
Parks & Recs
March 3, 1993
Big Bend Made Easy
It may be more than 800,000 acres, but you can easily cut Big Bend down to size. Here’s how.
Parks & Recs
September 30, 1992
Hidden Valley
Brownsville’s Sabal Palm Grove has it made in the shade.
Parks & Recs
July 31, 1992
So Cool
A summer guide to the coolest place in Texas: the Davis Mountains.
Parks & Recs
January 1, 1985
A Grand Canyon
In 1541 Coronado and his troops stumbled upon a huge canyon in the midst of grassy plains and gazed upon it with awe. Journeying down into Palo Duro Canyon on mules 443 years later, I began to understand why.
Parks & Recs
August 31, 1983
Texas Primer: Caprock
Across the Panhandle stretches a thin red line that divides doughty plains dwellers from Texas’ lesser changed.
Parks & Recs
April 1, 1980
On the Edge of Texas
For hundreds of years man—from the Comanche to the backpacker—has tried to conquer Big Bend. Still, it remains wild, stark, and pristine.