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The Great Outdoors
Local Notes
The Great Outdoors notes
Borden County · Hunting / TPWD
Borden County Has Good Hunting Including Mule Deer and Pronghorn
Borden County sits in a zone where both white-tailed deer and mule deer can be hunted, and pronghorn antelope permits are available by application for qualifying areas.
Borden County · Weather / Wildfire / Drought
Drought and Wildfire Are Routine Hazards in Borden County
Dry years can make Borden County's grass and mesquite country burn fast, so outdoor-burning rules are worth checking before you light anything.
Borden County · Fishing / Recreation
Lake J.B. Thomas Offers Fishing and Camping in Borden County
Lake J.B. Thomas, a reservoir on the Colorado River straddling Borden and Scurry counties, provides the main public outdoor recreation opportunity in this otherwise remote area.
Bosque County · Outdoors / Fishing
Lake Whitney gives Bosque County residents access to one of Texas's larger reservoirs
Lake Whitney on the Brazos River touches the southeastern edge of Bosque County and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, offering camping, fishing, and boating at multiple public access points.
Bosque County · State park / Outdoors
Meridian State Park offers camping, fishing, and trails near the county seat
Meridian State Park sits just outside the county seat and offers 72-acre Lake Meridian for fishing and paddling, five miles of trails, and overnight camping in historic CCC-built facilities.
Bowie County · Nature area
A 144-acre woods and a two-mile trail hide behind Bringle Lake
Behind the developed Bringle Lake parks sits about 144 acres set aside as a nature area, threaded by a ten-foot-wide trail that runs two miles from the east park to the Waterworks Spillway.
Bowie County · Lake park
Texarkana's lake park sits right at the edge of the A&M campus
Bringle Lake gives Texarkana a working lakefront inside the city. A seven-acre west park and an eight-acre east park are stitched together by a boardwalk, all a short walk from the Texas A&M-Texarkana campus.
Bowie County · Lake trails
Wright Patman is more than boat ramps: there's hiking in the pines
The campgrounds at Wright Patman Lake double as trailheads. Clear Springs, Rocky Point, Piney Point, and Malden Lake parks hold developed trails through the Piney Woods around the reservoir.
Bowie County · Outdoors / Lake
Wright Patman Lake offers camping, fishing, and boating near Texarkana
Wright Patman Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Sulphur River in Bowie and Cass counties, about 10 miles southwest of Texarkana, with camping, fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing.
Brazoria County · Parks / Beach
Brazoria County Parks Offer 14 Miles of Public Beach and Boat Ramp Access
The Brazoria County Parks Department manages 11 parks including beach access near Surfside, 20 public boat ramps, and two RV campgrounds along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Brazoria County · Wildlife refuge / Birding
Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge Offers Free Access to 44,000 Acres of Coastal Habitat
The Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge near Freeport is a free, year-round public refuge with more than 320 bird species, fishing access, hiking trails, and a seasonal auto tour route.
Brazoria County · Paddling Trail
Christmas Bay Has a Marked Coastal Paddling Trail
TPWD's Christmas Bay Paddling Trail gives kayakers and canoeists a marked route through a shallow, oyster-reef bay near San Luis Pass.
Brazoria County · Wildlife Area
Justin Hurst WMA Protects Coastal Prairie Near Freeport
Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area west of Freeport is one of Brazoria County's largest tracts of public coastal prairie, wetland, and marsh — and it just got bigger.
Brazoria County · Birding
Quintana Has a Bird Sanctuary by the Gulf
The little Gulf-side village of Quintana holds a neotropical bird sanctuary that draws birders during spring and fall migration.
Brazoria County · Wildlife refuge
San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge Adds More Coastal Public Land in Brazoria County
The San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge stretches from Gulf beaches into river bottomlands in Brazoria County, offering free public access for birding, fishing, hiking, and seasonal hunting.
Brazoria County · Wildlife Area
Stringfellow WMA Is Bottomland Forest on the San Bernard
The Nannie M. Stringfellow WMA near Brazoria preserves about 3,666 acres of bottomland hardwood forest in the San Bernard River floodplain, a different side of the county than the surf.
Brazoria County · Brazos River
The Stephen F. Austin Paddling Trail Follows the Brazos
TPWD's Stephen F. Austin Paddling Trail runs the Brazos River through Columbia Bottomland forest, the wooded inland counterpart to the county's coast.
Brazos County · City park
Austin's Colony Park: the Bryan park with an archery range
Tucked behind an elementary school on Bryan's east side, Austin's Colony Park is the one with an archery range, a nine-hole disc golf course, and a 1.5-mile trail, most of which sits quiet until the school bell rings.
Brazos County · Birding
College Station is a certified Bird City
On January 9, 2025, College Station joined a short list of Texas towns certified as a Bird City, recognition that birds, and the trouble city lights cause them, are part of how the city plans its parks.
Brazos County · Fishing / Outdoors
Fishing at Lake Bryan
Lake Bryan, a 829-acre reservoir five miles west of downtown Bryan, offers public bank and boat fishing for largemouth bass, catfish, and sunfish.
Brazos County · Inclusive play
Fun for All Playground makes Central Park more inclusive
Fun for All Playground in College Station's Central Park is built so children and adults of all ability levels can play together.
Brazos County · Nature park
Lick Creek Park is College Station's big nature park
Lick Creek Park gives College Station a 523-acre nature preserve with trails, birding, and rare native habitat.
Brazos County · Flood / River
The Brazos River and flooding in Brazos County
The Brazos River has a long history of major floods near Bryan and College Station, and USGS monitors the river's level in real time at a gauging station on SH 21.
Brazos County · Campus garden
The Gardens at Texas A&M are a public garden classroom
The Gardens at Texas A&M are a 27-acre public teaching garden along White Creek, free for anyone to walk.
Brazos County · Greenway trail
The Lick Creek Greenway links neighborhoods to the park
The Lick Creek Greenway gives south College Station a paved route from Westfield Park to Lick Creek Park, past homes and schools.
Brazos County · City park
Travis Bryan Midtown Park remakes an old golf course
Travis Bryan Midtown Park is Bryan's 150-acre remake of a former municipal golf course and lake into a sports and entertainment district.
Brazos County · Sports park
Veterans Park has fields and a memorial
Veterans Park gives College Station a large athletic complex wrapped around a 12-acre veterans memorial.
Brazos County · Wildlife / Outdoors
Wildlife watching and the Brazos Valley Loop trail
The TPWD Brazos Valley Wildlife Trail connects viewing sites across the area, and Lick Creek Park in College Station offers 515 acres of Post Oak Savannah habitat for hiking, biking, and birding.
Brazos County · City park
Wolf Pen Creek is a trail and event park
Wolf Pen Creek Park mixes a creekside trail, disc golf, and a playground with an amphitheater built for big crowds.
Brewster County · National Park
Big Bend National Park occupies a large part of Brewster County
Big Bend National Park covers 801,163 acres entirely within Brewster County and protects the largest stretch of Chihuahuan Desert in the United States.
Brewster County · State Park
Big Bend Ranch State Park: Texas's largest state park straddles two counties
Big Bend Ranch State Park covers roughly 310,000 acres across southwestern Brewster County and southeastern Presidio County, with 238 miles of trails and International Dark Sky Park status.
Briscoe County · State park / Wildlife
Caprock Canyons State Park: Canyons, Bison, and Dark Skies
Caprock Canyons State Park in Quitaque sits along the eastern edge of the High Plains and is home to the official Texas State Bison Herd, nearly 90 miles of trails, a designated Dark Sky area, and a bat colony in a historic railroad tunnel.
Brooks County · Hunting / Wildlife
Hunting in Brooks County: South Texas Brush Country Rules
Brooks County is prime South Texas hunting land. Seasons for white-tailed deer, turkey, dove, and quail are set by TPWD and should be checked every year.
Brown County · State park
Lake Brownwood State Park: CCC History and Three Ecosystems
Lake Brownwood State Park sits where three Texas ecosystems meet on the shore of a 7,300-acre lake, with cabins and trails built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
Burleson County · State park / Outdoor recreation
Lake Somerville State Park offers camping, hiking, and birding on two units near Caldwell
Lake Somerville State Park sits on the Burleson County-Washington County border. It offers camping, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails close to home.
Burnet County · State Park
Inks Lake tucks blue water between pink-granite hills
The park pairs nearly 200 campsites and nine trail miles with Devil's Waterhole, CCC work, and direct access to an infested Highland Lake.
Burnet County · State Park
The CCC cleared Longhorn Cavern and built the road into the hill
The day-use park pairs a guided limestone cavern with hand-built 1930s stairs, walls, buildings, and a scenic approach.
Caldwell County · Hunting Regulations
Caldwell deer rules change with the license year
Caldwell County uses county-specific deer limits, antler rules, antlerless dates, and reporting requirements that must be checked for the current license year.
Caldwell County · State Park
Lockhart State Park offers camping, fishing, and a nine-hole golf course
Lockhart State Park pairs creekside camping and trails with the last remaining golf course in the Texas State Parks system.
Calhoun County · Public lands / Fishing / Hunting
Matagorda Island WMA: Fishing, Hunting, and Camping by Boat Only
Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area, accessible only by boat from Port O'Connor, offers 56,688 acres of barrier island for fishing, hunting, camping, and wildlife watching with no motorized vehicles allowed.
Calhoun County · Wildlife area
Powderhorn Keeps a Big Piece of Coastal Prairie in Public Hands
Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area protects coastal prairie, wetlands, oak mottes, and bayfront habitat near Port O'Connor.
Calhoun County · Birding trail
The Calhoun Birding Loop Turns Bay Stops Into a County Tour
The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail links Calhoun County stops from Port Lavaca and Magnolia Beach to Seadrift and Port O'Connor.
Calhoun County · Delta wildlife
The Guadalupe Delta Spreads Into Calhoun's Marsh Country
The Guadalupe Delta WMA reaches into Calhoun, Victoria, and Refugio counties where the Guadalupe River fans toward San Antonio Bay.
Calhoun County · Paddling
The Powderhorn Paddling Trail Puts You at Water Level
The Powderhorn Paddling Trails trace shoreline and marsh routes around Powderhorn Lake, Matagorda Bay, Boggy Bayou, and Coloma Creek.
Calhoun County · Bay marsh
Welder Flats Is Marsh, Water, and Boat Sense
Welder Flats WMA sits on the San Antonio Bay system, where much of the public-land experience happens by boat.
Callahan County · Hunting
Deer and turkey hunting seasons in Callahan County
This is North Zone country. The rolling mesquite and oak around Baird and Cross Plains holds whitetail and Rio Grande turkey, but nearly all of it is private.
Cameron County · Arroyo Park
Adolph Thomae Jr. Park Puts You on the Arroyo Colorado
Adolph Thomae Jr. County Park, near Arroyo City on the Arroyo Colorado, gives boaters, anglers, campers, and birders public access where fresh water meets the Lower Laguna Madre.
Cameron County · County Beach Park
Andy Bowie Park Anchors the North End of South Padre Island
Andy Bowie Park is Cameron County's beach park on the north end of South Padre Island, with RV camping, pavilions, showers, and beach access across from the convention center.
Cameron County · State Park
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park Anchors Valley Birding
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission is the headquarters of the World Birding Center and draws visitors from around the world.
Cameron County · Beach Access
E.K. Atwood Park Is Cameron County's Quieter Beach Access #5
Edwin King Atwood Park, the county's Beach Access #5 north of Andy Bowie on South Padre Island, offers dune walkovers, pavilions, and drive-on beach access away from the crowds.
Cameron County · Hunting
Hunting in Cameron County: Seasons and Bag Limits
Cameron County has deer, turkey, dove, duck, and quail hunting seasons, each with its own license and bag limit rules.
Cameron County · County Beach Park
Isla Blanca Park Is the Busy South End of South Padre Island
Isla Blanca Park, the county's beach park at the south tip of South Padre Island, packs Gulf and bay access, fishing, a boat ramp, and RV camping into one spot.
Cameron County · Wildlife Refuge
Laguna Atascosa Is Cameron County's Big Federal Wildlife Refuge
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge protects coastal prairie and thornscrub north of the Laguna Madre, with more than 60 miles of trails and one of the last U.S. homes of the ocelot.
Cameron County · Bike Trails
Monte Bella Gives West Brownsville a Beginner Bike Loop
Monte Bella Trails Park in west Brownsville offers a beginner-friendly 6.2-mile single-track bike loop alongside nature trails, picnic areas, a playground, and an outdoor fitness court.
Cameron County · Resaca Trail
Paseo de la Resaca Wraps Trails Around Brownsville's Water
Paseo de la Resaca is a Brownsville trail system threading paved paths, parks, and playgrounds around the resacas of a master-planned neighborhood.
Cameron County · State Park
Resaca de la Palma Puts Brownsville's Brush and Water in One Park
Resaca de la Palma State Park in Brownsville is a car-free preserve of South Texas brush and resaca water, with eight-plus miles of trails and decks for watching wildlife.
Cameron County · Birding / Wildlife
South Padre Island Is a Major Bird Migration Hotspot
South Padre Island, in eastern Cameron County, sits along a major flyway where millions of birds cross the Gulf of Mexico each spring and fall.
Cameron County · Water Quality
The Arroyo Colorado Runs Through Cameron County — and Has Water Quality Issues
The Arroyo Colorado flows from Hidalgo County through Cameron County to the Laguna Madre and has had water quality problems from farm runoff and failing septic systems.
Cameron County · Urban Trail
The Historic Battlefield Trail Is Brownsville's Bike Spine
Brownsville's nine-mile Historic Battlefield Trail links Linear Park to Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park and serves as the spine of the city's hike-and-bike network.
Cameron County · Fishing
The Lower Laguna Madre Offers Unique Coastal Fishing
The lower Laguna Madre runs along Cameron County's Gulf coast and holds fish species found almost nowhere else in Texas.