Passport to Texas

The Lady Bird Lake Paddling Trail is approximately 11 miles long and features multiple public access sites and recreational opportunities. The Lady Bird Lake Paddling Trail provides an excellent venue for the novice and experienced paddler alike.

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This is Passport to Texas

Nature tourism fostered the development of many trails statewide. On land and water.

Parks and Wildlife has the Texas paddling trails program we kicked off in 2006 with our first inland trail.

Shelly Plante is the Nature Tourism Manager at Texas Parks and Wildlife

Here we are now in 2019 and we have 76 trails throughout the state of Texas. We have coastal trails, inland trails. Some are on rivers. Some are on ponds or bijous. Some are on bays. We give information about the local canoe and kayak rentals or who provide a shuttle if you have your own. So, we try to make it as easy as possible to get out on the water and enjoy nature from a different perspective.

Canoeing and kayaking offer distinct benefits over traditional hike or bike trails.

Paddling on a trail just gives you a different view of nature. You’re quieter, you’re able to sneak up on the animals a little bit so they don’t fly off as much or run away and you can see things in their natural habitat.

The nature tourism movement has made a positive impact on both rural and urban communities throughout the state

Paddling trails aren’t just at state parks. We have them all over. They require community partners so, they’re in stretches of river outside small towns like Seguin or lulling. Austin has one. San Antonio has one called the Mission Reach and it goes right through the cultural district around the missions.

Find Texas paddling trails on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Kayak fishing at Gum Slough, part of the Hen House Ridge Unit at Martin Dies SP

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This is Passport to Texas

Have you always wanted to learn to kayak? Then we have some great news! Ten state parks teach the basics of this paddling sport to interested park visitors.

Getting out on the water is something a lot of people haven’t tried because they don’t have the equipment.

Ben Horstmann is with Texas Parks and wildlife. He says each park that offers these classes provide attendees with a kayak, paddle and life jacket for the duration of the lesson.

So, this is an opportunity for us to give them the equipment and show them how much fun it can be.

If you go, you’ll learn the basics in a safe, ranger-led environment.

At state parks, for the most part, you pay your entry fee when you go into the park and the program is free.

Each park is different and so each offers a unique experience. Yet, all offer instruction in safety and basic paddling techniques as well as tours with rangers.

A lot of them, when they get out, are saying … Hey, how can I do this again. And that’s really the goal of this, to introduce them to a great way to use the park. You’re going to see things that would never see hiking. Paddling out to some of the islands you can see that they are just filled with life. The best part of kayaking is giving people a look at those resources that they would just never see before.

Find paddling opportunities in the calendar section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.