Passport to Texas

Anderson Ranch in the Texas Panhandle

Holiday Gifts for the Nature Lovers on Your List Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Holiday gift giving season is upon us, and if you have nature lovers on your list—the giving is easy—and twice as nice.

A seventy-dollar Texas State Parks Pass is a thoughtful gift for your outdoor enthusiast. Pass holders enjoy twelve months of unlimited visits to more than ninety state parks and historic sites. They also get discounts on camping and recreational equipment rentals. Money spent on the pass supports your Texas state parks.

For thirty dollars each, you can give the drivers on your list a conservation license plate. Twenty-two dollars from every sale goes directly to help fund conservation efforts in Texas.

Give every outdoor lover on your list access to more than a million acres of public land—with the Limited Use Permit—for the ridiculously reasonable price of twelve dollars.

Permit holders receive twelve months of access to Texas’ wildlife management areas, where they can fish, hike, bird watch, cycle, and camp.

When you give one of these gifts, you delight the receiver, and help support state parks and conservation in Texas.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation supports our series and helps keep Texas wild with support of proud members across the state.

Find out more at tpwf.org

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

Palo Duro Canyon Glow

TPW Magazine's Year of State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Of Texas’ more than 90 State Parks, some stand out as iconic. And others not so much.

I think like Ray Roberts might not be one of those iconic parks like Enchanted Rock or Garner State Park—even though it’s huge and a lot of people use it.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine Editor, Louie Bond says, Lake Ray Roberts State Park still made it into the publication’s yearlong celebration of state parks. While iconic sites got top billing, Bond says most parks got some love.

We tried to include everyone; we almost got them all. But, we included them in groups, like parks with great swimming holes, parks where you might want to take a hike, parks where you could ride a bike. And then grouped some parks by interest, like parks where you could take a photo of a great view—and just let people have a broader scope of what’s available in a state park system.

To close out 2016: one of the most iconic parks of all.

It’s Palo Duro. And, interestingly enough, as we went to press, the Washington Post ran an article on Palo Duro, and they said: you know, that canyon in Arizona may be larger, but Palo Duro ranks right up there with it.

You can read all the articles on state parks from this year online or when you download the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine APP from iTunes or the Apple Store.

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

Sunset at Big Bend Ranch State Park

TPW Magazine - A Year of State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine spent the past year taking us to some of the most iconic parks in the system. Editor, Louie Bond shares her inspiration for the year of state parks.

I think it started when I had the rare pleasure of meeting Jonathon Jarvis, who is the director of the national Park System. And it was right before they kicked off their big 100th anniversary of national parks. And he talked to me about some of the programs they were doing. And I thought, well, you know, that’s just fantastic. And gosh, I love our state parks so much, too, that we should feature them as well. So that was really the inspiration for the year of state parks.

But the inspiration did not stop there.

My other inspiration came from the fact that during my ten years at Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine—I’m always under the impression that the really popular parks don’t really need a lot of coverage. They’re full and people are waiting in line. And maybe they don’t get quite as excited about having a feature story in the magazine. I thought—you know what? Just for one year, I’m going to totally indulge myself, and write about everyone’s favorite parks. And they may be a little more crowded than usual, and I’m sorry about that. But I’m really glad to feature them.

Tomorrow find out which park closes out the year.

That’s our show for today… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

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

Biking in Brazos Bend burns off the pre and post holiday calories.

Combat Holiday Calories in State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

We’re standing at the threshold of the holiday season; once we cross over, we’ll encounter sweet and savory goodies with which to indulge our taste buds—both at home and at work. But we can balance out excess calorie consumption by visiting nearby state parks and engaging in outdoor activities before those treats touch our lips.

Yes. It’s really funny you say that. A lot of our parks, that’s a part of their activities and events that they’re putting on. The pre-Thanksgiving hikes and paddles and biking events…just to kind of get you ready for that whole holiday family and fun and food and all that.

Aaron Friar is with Texas State Parks. Except for rare occasions—like fire and flood—parks never close. So even after the biggest feeding frenzy of the season known as Thanksgiving, Texas State Parks stand ready to help all of us digest.

After you’ve had a good time with the family and ate your fill, and you’re wanting to get out there and be a little active afterwards, we have parks that are doing hikes and some really cool events to get you out there—to get you a little active—after those holiday feasts, you could say.

Don’t take Thanksgiving overindulgence lying down. Find a complete list of pre and post-Thanksgiving activities at state parks when you log onto the calendar & events section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

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

Fall Color at Lost Maples State Natural Area

Fall Events in State Parks 2016 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Texas has more than 90 state parks, and nearly all offer year round activities for visitors. But fall is by far a favorite time to enjoy these natural areas.

It’s cooler weather. The fall foliage changing always brings everybody out. Everybody loves to see that.

Aaron Friar works with Texas state parks.

We do have the fall foliage hikes. Come out and they’ll take you on a hike; they’ll teach you about the different trees, which ones are changing, what colors you’re seeing, and what kinds of tree species change at what time

Come for the colorful foliage and stay for the family friendly holiday crafts.

Several parks are doing different kinds of crafts events. One that I think would be really neat is at LBJ—at the farm, Sauer Beckmann—you know they have the traditional German family holidays. They’re having cookie decorating, and they’re having crafts for the tree—coming up for the Christmas holiday season—as well. So, that should be a really fun one in terms of arts and crafts.

No matter where you live, a state park is just a short drive away. Make plans to visit one today.

Find a comprehensive list of all fall, winter and holiday events at state parks in the calendar section of the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

We record our series at the Block House in Austin, Texas.

Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

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