Resaca de la Palma Puts Brownsville's Brush and Water in One Park

A resaca is an old cut-off bend of the Rio Grande, a quiet channel of water that loops through Brownsville. Resaca de la Palma State Park protects one of those channels and the thornscrub around it. It is one of the easiest places to see what Cameron County looked like before subdivisions.

More than eight miles of trail thread the brush, and four decks lean over the resaca. Green jays, kiskadees, and butterflies come close. The surprise for first-timers is that cars stay at the gate. You move through by tram, foot, or bike.

The park is part of the World Birding Center network. Spring and fall migration are the liveliest times, and early morning usually beats a hot Valley afternoon.