TRAVEL - Have you Visited a State Park?

Now that I am now an empty-nester, I recently bought a Scamp Camper and I’m making plans to travel each month, if only for a few days, to visit as many of our Texas State Parks as I can.

Did you know? Texas boasts 89 parks under the care of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and 2023 marks the 100 th Year of State Parks in Texas!

Texas Parks were created in 1923 by Governor Pat Neff when he appointed a Texas State Parks Board and charged them with finding sites for a state parks system. The parks were originally envisioned as a series of road side stops for highway travelers and have grown into a network of parks, historic sites and natural areas with millions of visitors every year.

In the 1930s, Texas utilized President Roosevelt’s New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and put Texans who were out of work into jobs building popular parks such as Palo Duro Canyon, Garner and Balmorhea State Park. This program gave the Texas Parks system a shot in the arm – transforming a handful of underdeveloped properties into a robust system of over fifty state parks.

In the 1980’s the Texas legislature expanded the Texas State parks System by acquiring and allocating resources to manage the state parks. During this time over 30 parks opened as Texans were becoming more aware of the importance public lands played in maintaining a healthy environment.

Today there are over 630,000 acres devoted to State Parks in Texas! Each park is unique and they are full of outdoor activities such as opportunities to hike, bike, fish, boat, view wildlife, camp, swim, and see the dark skies.

In our region, we have two state Parks, which I have recently visited utilizing my $70 State Parks Pass which give me unlimited entry to all parks plus discounts for camping – Those parks are Caprock Canyons State Park and Palo Duro Canyon.

Caprock Canyon State Park is known for its large shaggy, native bison which roam freely throughout the park! Warning -- don’t get too close – which I tell you from experience after cowardly hiding behind a tree! Caprock Canyon has nearly 90 trails for hiking and biking and they range from easy to challenging with lengths from 1 to 15 miles long. We spent two days in the Caprock Canyons hiking trails and enjoying the beautiful scenery with some friends. Offsite we spent the night at Hotel Turkey where we heard live music, ate BBQ at a pop-up BBQ cookoff, biscuits and gravy for breakfast and we had some delicious coffee both days at the Coffee Mill and Mercantile in Quitaque, just minutes from the Park.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park is called the Grand Canyon of Texas because it is the second largest canyon in the United States. You can explore the beautiful canyon on foot, mountain bike, horse or car. We hiked the amazing trails right from my campsite. The Trails were easy to navigate but still challenging. For camping options, the park has tent and RV sites, glamping sites, and cabins for your overnight stay. And you can go see the Outdoor Musical TEXAS. If you want to leave the park for a spell, stop at the Sad Monkey Mercantile for coffee, or an adult beverage or visit one of our favorites BarZWinery – owned by Monty Dixon who is Hansford County raised – which is located just down the road.

Other Parks in the Panhandle Region include Abilene State Park, Big Spring State Park, Copper Breaks State Park, Fort Richardson, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Colorado City, Possum Kingdom and San Angelo. Or you can venture out to another region in Texas! You can https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ for more information.

Go find your Adventure!