Passport to Texas

Javelina strolling in the park.

State Park Getaway--Choke Canyon State Park Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

No matter what your outdoor interest, chances are you’ll find it at Choke Canyon State Park. Bryan Frazier is our guide.

Choke Canyon State Park—a great place to go in terms of catfish fishing, which turns on a little later in the spring. Crappie fishing, white bass…Choke Canyon has just risen in the ranks, if you will, in the fishing world as a place to go to really catch lots of different kinds of fish. But, right now, bass fishermen, that’s one of their hot spots to stop and visit on the way. A lot of tournament fishermen show up there.

Another thing about Choke Canyon is, it’s a complete park from a recreational standpoint. You’ve got hike and bike trails, you’ve got a gymnasium, you’ve got screen shelters that have been enclosed with air conditioning, you’ve got lots of different facilities. A group facility, fish cleaning stations—so many different things, depending on what your needs are. Hookups for RVs are good there, with 50 amp service.

It’s far enough south—you’ve got great birding—even some of the things like the green jays and chachalacas…and the wildlife viewing is unmatched. Whether you’re looking for deer, or turkeys or javelina—they’re oftentimes viewable right from the park road in your vehicle. A great place to take the kids to get them familiar with nature. So, Choke Canyon is definitely a place I recommend this time of year to people to visit.

Find more State Park Getaway information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show… with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

This is Passport to Texas

This week’s state park getaway takes us to Falcon Lake State Park, where fishing for bass tops a long list of recreational opportunities. Bryan Frazier is our guide.

Falcon state park—this time of year—is really one of the premier bass fishing destinations in the United States. It’s one of the first ones to be an indicator of the bass fishing season, if you will, as a lot of bass fishermen can note.

There’s a butterfly garden there that the volunteers helped build. You’ve got great camping, you’ve got some enclosed shelters there that are air conditioned. So, Falcon State Park, this time of year especially—but really all year—a great place by yourself, friends, family, check out Falcon State Park.

Find more State Park Getaway information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show… with support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

State Park Getaway: Falcon State Park Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

When satellite global positioning was the domain of the US military, GPS signals were scrambled, limiting their usefulness to civilians. On May 1, 2000, scrambling was turned off, and within days geocaching was born.

I think we’re number two in state parks for having the most number of caches.

That park is San Angelo SP in the Concho Valley, and Kurt Kemp is the superintendent there. Geocaching is an outdoor activity where participants use a GPS to locate hidden caches. And March 12 through 14, the West Texas Geocaching Association hosts their annual Texas Challenge at the park.

Registration starts Friday the 12th; the event actually starts off about nine o’clock on Saturday the 13th. They’re going to have several events—some for the kids. We’re also going to be running a tour to the bison and longhorn herd that morning. And they’re going to have the Dash for Cache that afternoon, in which you try to find as many caches as you can as quickly as possible. And that’ll all end up about five o’clock. It’s about two hours. They’ve got just all kinds of events planned to keep the weekend fun. And then they’re going to en up helping pick up trash and clean up the park on Sunday.

Kemp says he’s expecting four to five hundred people to show up. And as the park is 77-hundred acres—there’s room for everyone and their caches.

Find more information about this and other events at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
_____________________________________________________
March 12–14, 2010 — San Angelo SP — Texas Challenge Weekend 2010 — The West Texas Geocaching Association will host their annual Texas Challenge geocaching event at the park. Approximately 300 plus statewide participants will compete using hand held GPS devices to discover hidden geocaches. Participants will enter through the South Shore Gatehouse.
2-9:30 PM Friday, 8:30 AM-9:30 PM Saturday and 8:30 AM-12:30 PM Sunday (325) 949-4757

San Angelo SP: Texas Geochache Challenge Weekend Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

The Texas Outdoor Family Program is in full swing for 2010.

We’ve got a really aggressive schedule this spring through the end of May, where we’ve actually got thirty workshops all over the state of Texas for people to come and learn about camping and learn about what you can do at a Texas state park.

Chris Holmes is the outdoor education coordinator for Texas state parks. The Outdoor Family program teaches families skills to make tent camping at state parks successful and enjoyable.

We’ve got one special program we’re really looking forward to—it’s over spring break—and its at our biggest State park: Big Bend ranch. And we realize it’s an awful lot of driving for folks to go out there for 12 hours. So, it’s actually a three day program. The families will get to canoe down the Rio Grande, and then go into the interior of the park and do some really fund, adventurous stuff out there.

The Big bend Ranch Outdoor Family event is March 25 through 28, and at the time Chris and I spoke, there were still openings available. This workshop costs $140 for the 3-day weekend, and is limited to 12 families of up to six people…however you define family.

We really don’t have a definition of family. It’s very rarely mom, dad and the two kids.

Find information at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Texas Outdoor Family @ Big Bend Ranch State Park Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Help Texas celebrate its birthday February 27 & 28, where it all started: Washington-on-the-Brazos SHS.

It’s a totally free weekend for visitors that come to the park.

Janice Campbell is an interpreter at Independence Hall, where the general convention convened March 1 through 17, 174 years ago, and set the groundwork for the Republic of Texas. You can get a sense of what life was like then when you visit the site during the anniversary celebration.

We will have demonstrators demonstrating period crafts and skills here in the park; we will have political speeches, music…just a big birthday celebration for Texas.

Texas Independence Day is March, 2—but we’re celebrating early. Campbell says it’s worth the drive.

You will be driving into and visiting an area where some of the fist settlers came into Texas and settled. This event will highlight, of course, the formation of a nation.

Washington-on-the-Brazos SHS is located in a beautiful part of the state, and easy to find.

We are located off highway 105, about eight miles west of Navasota, and that would put us about 18 miles east of Brenham.

The Washington-on-the-Brazos SHS Texas Independence Day Celebration IS February 27 & 28. There’s more information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
______________________________________________________

February 27–28, 2010 — Washington-on-the-Brazos SHS — Texas Independence Day Celebration — Free, two-day historic event celebrating the 174th anniversary of Texas Independence. Visit Independence Hall and hear the story of the 1836 Convention. Also visit Barrington Living History Farm, the recreated 1850s farm of Dr. Anson Jones, last President of the Republic of Texas where costumed interpreters tell the story of life on a mid 19th century cotton farm. The Star of the Republic Museum, which focuses on the times of the Republic of Texas, will also be open during this important weekend. Enjoy the work of various artisans demonstrating their crafts, and on Sunday, enjoy a slice of our Texas-sized birthday cake. Accessible for the mobility and visually impaired. 10 AM-5 PM (936) 878-2214.

Texas Independence Day Celebration Play Now | Play in Popup | Download