Passport to Texas

Halloween at the Hatchery

State Parks: Fall Activities in Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Time at state parks is made better with great programs. Our State park Guide Bryan Frasier says diverse opportunities await visitors to state parks this autumn.

59—Every fall we always do a series of events to embrace what’s happening with the changing of the seasons. We have everything from the spooky science fest at Estero Llano Grande SP down in the Rio Grande Valley. The superintendent down there does a great job with her staff doing crafts and things about wildlife and tying it into what’s happening with trick or treating. We have trick or treating events in our parks. We have fall festivals like the harvest festival at cedar hill state park, the night hikes – the nature walks at night — at Eisenhower State Park up on lake Texoma. We’ve got the haunted hike and fall festival at dinosaur valley state park. They have a national fossil day celebration in October…so, check the events calendar on state parks and see what’s happening for trick or treating; see what’s happening for fall festivals, and all the other things that happen this time of year. It’s a great time to see what’s happening in nature and a list of events we line up for fall is hard to beat.

Thanks Bryan

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Spanish Moss at Government Canyon State Natural Area

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This is Passport to Texas

For the first time since it opened in 2005, Government Canyon State Natural Area will allow overnight camping in its front country, walk-in tent campground

03—October fifth and sixth will be our first opening weekend for camping.

Chris Holm is site superintendent, and says camping sites have been in the works for years.

12—Actually, before they even opened, it’s been master planned that they site has a basic primitive campground. We’re not talking about ones with the big RVs and the motor homes. We’re talking about a fairly rustic experience – tents only.

The campground will be open Friday and Saturday nights only.

13—And, we’ll have 25 walk-in tent sites. We’ll have water at central locations; we’ll have basic self-composting toilets, no showers. But, it is going to be more of the ‘get back to nature’ kind of campsites. And those are going to be hot ticket items.

Nature enthusiasts, scouting groups and families will be able to enjoy an evening of star-gazing and more.

21—We’ll have interpretive education programs available; coming pretty soon, the next step is to have two camp host sites at our campground. And so, they will be able to be available there to the campers there as well. If there are any kinds of issues, they’ll be able to educate our campers about what to do what not to do. Don’t collect that firewood kind of thing. Especially at a natural area. We’re pretty concerned about our resources disappearing and being picked away.

Make online reservations at texasstateparks.org.

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

Government Canyon SNA

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Government Canyon State Natural Area is minutes from the bustling urban center of San Antonio.

15—We have about forty miles of hiking and biking trails right on the edge of the Hill Country. So, we have some beautiful area that people just love to come out and visit and hike and bike and do nature watching and it’s just kind of an oasis just right on the outskirts of San Antonio.

Chris Holm is the natural area superintendent. The site is home to threatened and endangered species, like the golden cheeked warbler, and over the recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer. Soon-to-be 12-thousand acres, up from its current eight, Government Canyon offers visitors a wilderness experience close to home.

13—It’s not too, too rustic, though. I mean, you have access to facilities and there is staff around. And that’s one of the neat things about state parks and state natural areas. You have staff available to assist if you need something – and you’re five or ten minutes from home.

Since it opened, Government canyon State Natural Area has been for day use only. But that’s changing.

05—Yes. Starting in October…October fifth and sixth will be our first opening weekend for camping.

We’ll have more about Government Canyon State Natural area and what you can expect from an overnight experience at the site, on tomorrow’s show.

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

Lost Maples Foliage, Photo by Richard Treece

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Fall brings with it new opportunities in State Parks; our State Park Guide Bryan Frasier explains.

62—Fall is one of the most anticipated times of the year, because finally the heat begins to go away, and just about the time everybody gears up for hunting in Texas in the fall, and football season, the fishing gets really good.

And then finally, the foliage and the leaves start to turn. So, whether you’re up in NE Texas around Caddo Lake SP, or Lake Bob Sandlin, or places that have sweet gums and hardwoods, or whether you’re out at Lost Maples SNA, with the traditional big tooth maples that we have…it’s a fantastic time to get out and enjoy nature. And it’s a little easier on all of us because the temperatures are cooler. So, find time during autumn and get out and enjoy state parks and see them in a whole new light.

Thanks Bryan

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Geocaching in state parks

State Parks: Geocache Challenge Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Geocaching is a kind of high-tech treasure hunt. And beginning October first, you, your family, and your friends can take part in the next statewide Geocache Challenge. Our state park guide, Bryan Frazier, has details.

49—We’ve divided up the state of Texas into seven regions; and within each of those regions, the parks that are participating have hidden treasures. You’ll need a handheld GPS, and a lot of people have those on their smart phones. And the coordinates can be downloaded –in fact the only place they can be downloaded is from the parks and Wildlife website – along with the passport booklet to take with you when you find these little geocaches that are hidden throughout the parks. There are tradable trinkets int here that if you take one of them, you leave something in its place. And there’s a log book that you sign. And the first several people from each of those regions that complete a passport fully stamped and log, they can turn that in for a prize. It’s a fun twist on park visitation. So, we encourage people to check out the Geocache challenge on our website.

Thanks Bryan

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.