Passport to Texas

Join us for a blast from the past.

Veteran's Day Events in State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Veteran’s Day is Friday November 11.

The Sunday after veteran’s Day it is free admission into Texas State parks for everybody in the state.

Aaron Friar, with Texas State Parks, says nobody pays park day use fees on Sunday, November 13.

That’s a really cool way that we’re trying to honor our veterans and our active military. The only caveat is that it doesn’t apply to camping fees or activity fees. But all day use fees are waived.

Battleship Texas, offers two events Saturday November 12 to honor Veterans. During the day, join the crew aboard ship for a day of patriotic fun! In the evening, experience a 1945 themed victory dance with live music on the main deck of the ship, games, food and drink. Period or military dress is welcomed, but not required.

This is for the 18 and up. But, it’s a great tour where you actually get onto the ship and you get to really learn about what it was like for day-to-day life for a sailor on the ship. And they’ll take you through it all; they’ll teach you all the card games and all the different activities that kept them busy while they were on the ship. So, it’s a pretty neat event.

Find a link to ticket information at passporttotexas.org.

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

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

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Find tickets for 1945 Victory Dance on Battleship Texas.

Nathan Adams and his kiddos searching for Pokémon.

Pokémon Guide to State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Since adding a Pokémon Guide to the Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine APP, the publication’s art director, Nathan Adams and his sons, have spent a lot of time in Texas State Parks.

So, every day when I come home, my boys who are six and 10, they want to see what’s been added to the APP–what new parks have been added. And as they flip through the APP on my iPad or my iPhone, [they give me] a laundry list of ‘here’s where we have to go this weekend.’

Through augmented reality, the Pokémon GO APP by Niantic, Inc., populates the outdoors with creatures suited to their locales. Texas Parks and Wildlife’s guide helps to find them in Texas State Parks.

They’re tied to geographic locations. So, if there’s a lot of water in a park, for example, then more water type Pokémon would be there. If there’s a lot of rocks in the park, then you’d have more rock-type Pokémon. So, what you’d find at Hueco Tanks is going to be very different than what you’d find at McKinney Falls.

Parks can harbor some rare Pokémon, but that’s not all.

More than that, going to the park lets you encounter non-virtual creatures who are stunning and beautiful in their own right, and are not pixilated. My children refer to it as Pokémon IRL—or Pokémon in real life. Where suddenly it’s like: ‘Hey, Dad—what is that?’ And it’s caused them to look at other things. It’s caused them to be outside more.

Download the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine Pokémon APP for free from the Texas Parks and Wildlife website…and get outside.

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

Even Pokémon love Texas Wildlife

Hunting for Pokémon in State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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When Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine art director, Nathan Adams’, tech-obsessed sons started to willingly spend time outdoors, he grew curious about their uncharacteristic behavior.

The kids are going outside. They’re going on long walks. And I’m like—what are we doing? ‘Oh, we’re catching Pokémon.’ And I was thinking the card game. But it’s this new video experience.

The Pokémon GO APP by Niantic Inc., became an overnight sensation upon its release in early July. App users search for Pokémon characters in “augmented reality”. This gave Adams an idea.

Because they [his sons] were doing lots of walks and lots of outdoor activities, I thought, ‘Do these exist in parks?’ And lo and behold they did! Hence the idea: can we tie our existing magazine app and our existing parks content to this new phenomena that’s bubbling through the zeitgeist of Pokémon GO?

Under his direction, Adams’ unleased two twenty-something interns on the project, and they created a new digital guide in the magazine’s free mobile app that offers tips and tricks for Pokémon hunting adventures in Texas State Parks.

And so, if you download the APP, which is free, you’ll find maps of over 25 parks—and we’re adding to it regularly—where you can find poke stops, poke gyms and Pokémon that have been seen or captured in that park.

Download the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine Pokémon APP for free from the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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

Scary fun is in store during the Halloween season in Texas State Parks

2016 Halloween Hijinks in State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Make plans to visit state parks this month for a wide range of Halloween activities for the whole family.

On Friday, October 21, Galveston Island SP hosts a Zombie Apocalypse Hike. Rangers weave in scary fun with real life survival skills during an hour-long hike.

On Saturday, October 22, South Llano River SP in the Hill Country, where owls, bats, snakes and spiders take center stage for two-hours of show and tell with these kinda creepy, but very beneficial, critters.

Also on Saturday, October 22, Estero Llano Grande SP in the Rio Grande Valley celebrates its 10th Annual Spooky Science Fest. This year’s theme is Jurassic Estero; complete with a dinosaur program for the kids, as well as hayrides, costume contests, food vendors, and more.

And on Thursday, October 27th, it’s Halloween at the Hatchery at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. Local businesses and organizations will hand out candy, and the center will be decorated throughout with a Halloween theme.

Find details for these and other events in the calendar 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.

Fishing at Cooper lake State Park

Cooper Lake State Park: Two Parks in One Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Midway between Dallas and Texarkana, Cooper Lake State Park is two parks in one.

We’ve got two different units. We’ve got the Doctor’s Creek unit on the north side of the Lake, and then we have the South Sulphur Unit on the south side of the lake.

Together, the units encompass just over 3,000 acres. Kody Waters, Complex Superintendent, says visitors enjoy hiking, biking and horseback riding on the trail systems found on both sides of the lake.

One of them is fairly flat at the Doctor’s Creek Unit, but then the other trail system—you have to have a little more experience on riding that. But, both trails are great during the fall. As we’re coming into this fall, it’s going to be great to be able to go on the trail and see the change in the colors on the trail.

Visitors can reserve camping sites, RV sites with water and electricity, shelters, and fully loaded cabins—some with lake views. Plus, there’s plenty of water recreation and fishing.

At Cooper Lake, a lot of folks will say—in the park system across the state—it’s one of the best kept little secrets. Cooper Lake is truly a great fishery. You’ve got the hybrid striped bass. You’ve got great catfishing, great crappie fishing. And largemouth bass as well. We do struggle with our lake elevation—we have over the years—but we’re at a great level now, and hope to be that way as we continue.

Find more information about Cooper Lake State Park as well as events at the park on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

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