Topic · Page 11
The Great Outdoors
Local Notes
The Great Outdoors notes
Sabine County · National Forest
Sabine National Forest: Public Land in the Piney Woods
The Sabine National Forest covers more than 160,000 acres across several East Texas counties and gives the public access to camping, fishing, and boat ramps on Toledo Bend.
San Augustine County · Hunting
Deer Hunting in San Augustine County: Public Land and Rules
San Augustine County is in the Texas North Zone for deer and includes parts of the Sabine National Forest where public hunting is allowed with required permits.
San Jacinto County · Fishing & Boating
Lake Livingston Covers Part of San Jacinto County
Lake Livingston, a large reservoir on the Trinity River, spans San Jacinto County and offers fishing, boating, and camping.
San Patricio County · Wildlife Refuge
A 7,800-Acre Private Wildlife Refuge Sits Near Sinton
The Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation runs a 7,800-acre refuge eight miles northeast of Sinton. It is open for public tours and supports major wildlife research.
San Patricio County · Fishing
Lake Corpus Christi Offers Good Fishing Year-Round
Lake Corpus Christi spans parts of San Patricio, Live Oak, and Jim Wells counties and is known for bass, catfish, crappie, and alligator gar.
San Patricio County · State Park
Lake Corpus Christi State Park Has Camping, Swimming, and Over 200 Bird Species
Lake Corpus Christi State Park near Mathis offers camping, water activities, hiking, and exceptional bird watching in one of the last stretches of South Texas brush country.
San Saba County · State Park
Colorado Bend State Park: What to Know Before You Go
Colorado Bend State Park sits in San Saba County along the Colorado River and offers hiking, fishing, caving, and a 70-foot waterfall.
San Saba County · Hunting & Wildlife
Hunting and Wildlife Resources in San Saba County
TPWD has San Saba pages for hunting seasons, wildlife contacts, and landowner help.
Scurry County · Hunting
Hunting in Scurry County: Deer, Quail, and More
For Scurry County hunts, start with TPWD's county season page, then sort out access before you load the truck.
Shelby County · Lakes & Fishing
Fishing Toledo Bend Reservoir from Shelby County
Toledo Bend Reservoir sits on Shelby County's eastern edge and is one of the largest reservoirs in the South, known for bass, crappie, and catfish.
Shelby County · Wildlife Management Area
Hunting and camping at North Toledo Bend WMA
North Toledo Bend WMA is a 3,650-acre public hunting and camping area in Shelby County, managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Shelby County · National Forest
Sabine National Forest: public land in Shelby County
Sabine National Forest covers parts of Shelby County and offers camping, fishing, and hiking on federal land along Toledo Bend Reservoir.
Smith County · Neighborhood park
Bergfeld Park keeps an old Tyler neighborhood gathering place active
Bergfeld Park, in an older part of Tyler off Broadway, pairs an amphitheater and sprayground with tennis, pickleball, and a playground.
Smith County · City park
Faulkner Park mixes ballfields, sprayground, fishing, and nature trails
Faulkner Park in south Tyler packs ballfields, a fishing pond, a sprayground, a skate park, and nine miles of nature trails onto donated land.
Smith County · Fishing
Lake Palestine offers good fishing just outside Tyler
Lake Palestine is a 25,560-acre reservoir on the Neches River with strong populations of bass, catfish, crappie, and striped bass.
Smith County · Local Water Supply
Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East supply water to the city of Tyler
Smith County has two city-owned lakes that serve as Tyler's drinking water source and also provide recreational access.
Smith County · Urban trail
Rose Rudman ties south Tyler parks into a trail system
The paved Rose Rudman trail links up with Southside Park and South Tyler trails to form a connected south-Tyler walking and biking corridor.
Smith County · Timber Land
Smith County sits in the Piney Woods — timber is a major land use
East Texas pine and oak forests cover much of Smith County, and timber production has been a major industry here for over a century.
Smith County · Rivers
Two major rivers border Smith County
The Neches River and the Sabine River border Smith County and feed the county's lakes and wetlands.
Smith County · State park
Tyler State Park gives Smith County a piney lake anchor
Tyler State Park, just north of Tyler, wraps a cool 64-acre spring-fed lake in 100-foot pines, with camping, trails, fishing, and swimming.
Smith County · CCC trails
Tyler State Park trails carry a Civilian Conservation Corps story
Many of Tyler State Park's trails and stonework were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and you can still walk past their handiwork.
Somervell County · State Park
Dinosaur Valley State Park protects real tracks in the Paluxy River
Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose lets visitors walk in actual dinosaur footprints left in the riverbed.
Starr County · Public Land / Wildlife Management Area
Las Palomas is a string of small public-land units, not one park
Las Palomas spreads 18 wildlife units across the lower valley, including Starr County, and access changes by unit and hunt schedule.
Starr County · Fishing
On the Rio Grande, a road end is not an invitation to fish
Use a lawful public access point or landowner permission, then check current license and harvest rules before fishing the river.
Starr County · Hunting
Starr County's hunt list runs from chachalaca to sandhill crane
Starr County sits in several hunting zones, and the required endorsement changes with the bird or animal on the day's list.
Stephens County · Fishing & Recreation
Hubbard Creek Reservoir Sits Just West of Breckenridge
Hubbard Creek Reservoir is a 14,922-acre lake in Stephens County with public boat ramps and fishing for bass, crappie, and catfish.
Stonewall County · Hunting
Hunting Seasons in Stonewall County
Stonewall County hunting rules are not one simple calendar. TPWD splits the county into several zones by species.
Swisher County · Water / Recreation
Mackenzie Reservoir Supplies Water and Recreation Near Tulia
Mackenzie Reservoir on Tule Creek provides municipal water and outdoor recreation for communities in and near Swisher County.
Tarrant County · Lake Recreation
A Water District Quietly Runs Some of Tarrant County's Favorite Outdoors
The same district that moves and stores Tarrant County's water also maintains lake parks, river launches, and much of the Trinity Trails network.
Tarrant County · Lake Levels
Check Tarrant County Lake Levels Anytime on the TRWD Website
TRWD's daily report puts lake elevation, pumping, releases, and evaporation in one place for the reservoirs tied to Tarrant County's water system.
Tarrant County · State Park
Cleburne State Park Wraps Trails Around a Spring-Fed Lake
Southwest of Fort Worth, Cleburne State Park circles a 116-acre lake with wooded trails, a hand-built spillway, and quiet-water paddling.
Tarrant County · Lake Trails
Eagle Mountain Park Adds Lake-View Trails on TRWD Land
Eagle Mountain Park is a 400-acre TRWD park with hiking trails and bluff views over Eagle Mountain Lake on the northwest side of the county.
Tarrant County · Fishing
Fishing at Benbrook Lake in Tarrant County
Benbrook Lake sits about 10 miles southwest of downtown Fort Worth and offers fishing for largemouth bass, catfish, hybrid striped bass, crappie, and white bass.
Tarrant County · Fishing
Fishing at Eagle Mountain Lake in Tarrant County
Eagle Mountain Lake is an 8,738-acre West Fork reservoir where boat docks, reeds, and open water create several different kinds of fishing.
Tarrant County · Garden
Fort Worth Botanic Garden Gives the Cultural District a Living Landmark
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden adds more than 100 acres of themed gardens near the Cultural District, including the Japanese Garden and Rose Garden.
Tarrant County · Nature Refuge
Fort Worth Nature Center Protects Lake Worth Shoreline and Prairie
The Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge gives northwest Tarrant County 3,621 acres of trails, water, woods, and prairie on the north end of Lake Worth.
Tarrant County · River Park
Gateway Park Adds Big Public Space Along the Trinity River
Gateway Park is a large Fort Worth park on the east side, wrapped around the Trinity River, with trails, sports fields, disc golf, and a well-known dog park.
Tarrant County · City Lake
Lake Arlington Gives the County Another Everyday Water Place
Lake Arlington is a city-managed lake with park access, boat ramps, fishing, and shoreline recreation on the county's southwest side.
Tarrant County · Trail Park
Marion Sansom Park Brings Lake Worth Bluffs and Trail Views
Marion Sansom Park is a Fort Worth park on Roberts Cut Off Road near Lake Worth with wooded trails, bluff views, and a rougher outdoor feel than most city parks.
Tarrant County · River Fishing
River Fishing on the Trinity in the Fort Worth Area
The Clear Fork and West Fork of the Trinity River in Tarrant County offer accessible river fishing for catfish and other species.
Tarrant County · Urban Forest
River Legacy Parks Protect Trinity River Woods in Arlington
River Legacy Parks gives Arlington a 1,300-acre Trinity River green space with forest, trails, and a nature science center.
Tarrant County · State Parks
State Parks Near Fort Worth and Tarrant County
Fort Worth sits between several very different state-park landscapes, from Cross Timbers woods to dinosaur tracks and lakeside prairie.
Tarrant County · Downtown Park
The Fort Worth Water Gardens Put a Public Water Feature Downtown
The Fort Worth Water Gardens are a downtown public park of pools, terraces, and moving water at 1502 Commerce Street.
Tarrant County · Trail Network
The Trinity Trails Tie Fort Worth Parks Together
TRWD's Trinity Trails are a 100-plus-mile river-corridor trail system that links Fort Worth's parks, gardens, and landmarks.
Tarrant County · River Park
Trinity Park Is a Classic Fort Worth River Park
Trinity Park sits along the Trinity River on University Drive near the Cultural District and ties together green space, trails, and family recreation.
Taylor County · State Park
Black CCC veterans built Abilene State Park's red-stone heart
Along Elm Creek, Civilian Conservation Corps veterans quarried local stone and built the red sandstone arches that still give Abilene State Park its character.
Taylor County · Geography
Buffalo Gap cuts 400 feet through the Callahan Divide
The Callahan Divide separates the Brazos and Colorado watersheds, but at Buffalo Gap the old travel route sits about 400 feet below the nearby summits.
Taylor County · Freshwater Fishing
Lake Abilene holds bass, crappie, and catfish
Lake Abilene is a 595-acre reservoir inside Abilene State Park where you can fish for largemouth bass, white crappie, and channel catfish.
Taylor County · Hunting
White-tailed deer and quail are both legal to hunt in Taylor County
Taylor County is open for white-tailed deer, quail, dove, turkey, javelina, and several other species under TPWD regulations that change each year.
Terrell County · Hunting Regulations
Deer Hunting in Terrell County: Two Species, Different Rules
Terrell County has both white-tailed and mule deer, and each species has its own season dates and bag limits set by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Terry County · Public Hunting
Huddleston Is Nearby Public Hunting, Not Terry County Land
TPWD's Huddleston Unit 2504 is public hunting land just below Terry County in Dawson County, with daily OSR required for dove and quail.
Terry County · High Plains Landscape
Terry County's Flat Map Is Full of Playas and Draws
The county has no natural rivers or streams, but rain still gathers in shallow playas and slips through draws across the southern High Plains.
Throckmorton County · Public Land Access
Public hunting land is available in Throckmorton County
A TPWD Annual Public Hunting Permit can open public hunting areas around Texas, while a local wildlife association helps Throckmorton-area landowners coordinate habitat and harvest work.
Titus County · TPWD Licenses
Hunting and Fishing Licenses in Titus County
You need a valid Texas hunting or fishing license before you go after game or fish in Titus County, with limited exceptions.
Titus County · Camping and Fishing
Lake Bob Sandlin State Park
Lake Bob Sandlin State Park sits about twelve miles southwest of Mount Pleasant and offers camping, fishing, and hiking on a 9,000-acre lake.
Tom Green County · State Park
Fifty Miles of Trail Meet the Concho at San Angelo State Park
On San Angelo's west side, 50 miles of trail cross reservoir shore, river bottom, grassland, and rocky West Texas ridges.
Tom Green County · Fishing
O.C. Fisher Reservoir Is Inside San Angelo State Park
O.C. Fisher sits inside San Angelo State Park, where shore and pier fishing have a clear license exception but on-water boundaries deserve a check.
Tom Green County · Hunting
One county page, three very different bird hunts
Turkey, dove, and quail use different seasons, zones, endorsements, and reporting rules on Tom Green County's TPWD page.
Tom Green County · Wildlife
Roadrunner Loop Passes San Angelo's Bison and Longhorn Herds
A short South Unit trail passes the viewing area for San Angelo State Park's bison and members of the official State of Texas Longhorn Herd.
Tom Green County · Nature & History
The Dinosaur Trail is older than dinosaurs
A two-mile state-park trail passes tracks left by Permian creatures before dinosaurs appeared.