Topic · Page 7
The Great Outdoors
Local Notes
The Great Outdoors notes
Hidalgo County · Urban sanctuary
Quinta Mazatlan Turns a McAllen Mansion Into an Urban Sanctuary
The City of McAllen describes Quinta Mazatlan as a 1935 Spanish Revival mansion and urban sanctuary tied to birds, plants, and environmental education.
Hidalgo County · Natural Features
Resacas Are Old River Channels That Shape Life in the Valley
Resacas are the curved, oxbow-shaped lakes left behind when the Rio Grande shifted course. They provide wildlife habitat but also carry flood risk.
Hidalgo County · Wildlife refuge
Santa Ana Refuge Sits Where Major Bird Routes Meet
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1943 to protect migratory birds at a major route junction.
Hidalgo County · Climate
The County Has a Subtropical Climate With Intense Summer Heat
Hidalgo County has a subtropical climate with July highs near 96°F, about 23 inches of annual rain, and a risk of severe tropical weather.
Hidalgo County · Hunting
The Plain Chachalaca Is a Legal Game Bird Only in South Texas
The plain chachalaca is a native bird of the lower Rio Grande brush country and can be hunted in Hidalgo County during a designated season.
Hidalgo County · Hunting
White-Winged Dove Hunting Is a Big Draw in the Valley
The Rio Grande Valley is one of Texas's most productive dove hunting areas, and Hidalgo County falls in the South Zone with early special white-winged dove days.
Hill County · Wildlife Resources
Hill County has a named TPWD wildlife biologist you can call about land and habitat
Texas Parks and Wildlife assigns a wildlife biologist to Hill County who helps landowners for free with habitat, deer management, and ag-valuation questions.
Hill County · Lake Whitney
Lake Whitney offers public fishing and hunting on Hill County land
Lake Whitney, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, sits partly in Hill County and offers public fishing, hunting, and camping.
Hood County · Hunting Regulations
Hood's deer page needs a new license-year heading
TPWD's Hood County page carries local antler rules, but its dates and limits should not be reused after the displayed license year ends.
Hood County · Fishing
On Lake Granbury, Boat Docks Double as Fish Habitat
Lake Granbury's built-up shoreline shapes the fishing: boat houses and piers are the lake's main cover, joined by habitat structures placed below the water.
Hopkins County · Lakes and Water
Cooper Lake became Jim Chapman Lake, but both names still work
The South Sulphur River reservoir has carried two familiar names while serving water, flood-control, wildlife, and recreation roles.
Hopkins County · Public Land Access
Cooper WMA stays open, but rain can close its back roads
The 14,480-acre public area offers year-round outdoor access, with a few practical limits worth knowing before the drive.
Houston County · Public Land
Hunting and Outdoor Access in Davy Crockett National Forest
Most of Davy Crockett National Forest sits in Houston County, giving residents and visitors open access for hunting, hiking, and fishing.
Howard County · State Park
Big Spring State Park Is Inside City Limits and Free to Enter
Big Spring State Park is a 382-acre park within Big Spring city limits, open daily with no entrance fee and several miles of trails.
Hudspeth County · Hunting
Mule deer and pronghorn require specific permits here
Hudspeth County is in the Trans-Pecos hunting zone for mule deer. Pronghorn hunting requires a special permit issued to landowners.
Hunt County · Fishing
Lake Tawakoni offers year-round fishing near Greenville
Lake Tawakoni, a 37,879-acre reservoir partly in Hunt County, is known for blue catfish, striped bass, and crappie.
Hunt County · State Park
Lake Tawakoni State Park has camping and hiking
Lake Tawakoni State Park sits on the southern shore of the reservoir and offers camping, hiking, boating, and birding.
Hunt County · Public Fishing
Public fishing access at Tawakoni WMA is managed by TPWD
The Tawakoni Wildlife Management Area provides public fishing access along Lake Tawakoni under TPWD rules.
Hunt County · Public Hunting
Tawakoni WMA allows public hunting with a permit
Tawakoni WMA gives Hunt County hunters public access, with strict rules for weapons, shot, permits, and the waterfowl area.
Hutchinson County · Canadian River
Lake Meredith Cuts a Blue Line Through the Canadian River Breaks
Sanford Dam turned the Canadian River into a working reservoir where red-rock breaks, city water, and Panhandle recreation meet.
Hutchinson County · Fishing & Recreation
Lake Meredith: Fishing and Recreation Near Hutchinson County
Lake Meredith, managed by the National Park Service, is near Fritch in Hutchinson County and is known for some of the best walleye fishing in Texas.
Irion County · Hunting
Deer Hunting in Irion County Has a Generous Bag Limit
Irion County falls in the Texas North Zone for white-tailed deer, which allows up to five deer per season with a two-buck limit.
Jack County · State Park
Fort Richardson's Hospital Tells the Harder Frontier Story
Fort Richardson's post hospital carries a sobering detail: disease killed more soldiers there than battle wounds did.
Jackson County · Fishing & Recreation
Lake Texana offers fishing and camping near Edna
Lake Texana, about eight miles east of Edna on the Navidad River, is a 9,727-acre reservoir managed for water supply and public recreation.
Jasper County · State park
Martin Dies Jr. State Park sits on a reservoir at the edge of the Big Thicket
Martin Dies Jr. State Park on B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir in Jasper County offers camping, fishing, paddling, and hiking in a bottomland forest setting.
Jasper County · Fishing
Sam Rayburn Reservoir offers public fishing near Jasper
Sam Rayburn Reservoir, a 114,500-acre lake with its dam about 15 miles north of Jasper, is one of Texas's top public fishing lakes for bass, crappie, and catfish.
Jeff Davis County · State Park
Davis Mountains State Park offers hiking, camping, and stargazing
Davis Mountains State Park sits at high elevation in Fort Davis and offers outdoor activities year-round, including a historic lodge and some of the darkest night skies in Texas.
Jefferson County · Wetlands
Cattail Marsh Turns a Beaumont Wastewater Project Into Bird Country
Beaumont's Cattail Marsh pairs a 900-acre wetland with a boardwalk and education center inside the Tyrrell Park area.
Jefferson County · Paddling
Collier's Ferry Opens a Quiet Big Thicket Paddle
The Collier's Ferry to Lake Bayou paddling trail starts at a Beaumont city park and follows the Neches River into a remote backwater of Big Thicket National Preserve.
Jefferson County · Paddling
Cooks Lake to Scatterman Is a Marked Paddle From a Beaumont Boat Ramp
TPWD's Cooks Lake to Scatterman is a 4.8-mile loop paddling trail that launches from the LNVA Saltwater Barrier boat ramp in Beaumont into cypress-tupelo sloughs.
Jefferson County · Hunting Regulations
Deer Hunting in Jefferson County Has Antler Restrictions
Jefferson County falls in the North Deer Zone with a bag limit of four deer per season, but only one buck may have an inside antler spread of 13 inches or more.
Jefferson County · Wildlife Management Area
J.D. Murphree WMA Is a Major Coastal Marsh Near Port Arthur
J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area covers roughly 25,000 acres of coastal marsh near Port Arthur and is open for hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching with the right TPWD permit.
Jefferson County · Wildlife Refuge
McFaddin Refuge Keeps Tens of Thousands of Marsh Acres Public
McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge protects 58,861 acres of Gulf-edge marsh in Jefferson County, open free of charge by day for fishing, crabbing, birding, photography, and waterfowl hunting.
Jefferson County · National Wildlife Refuge
Neches River National Wildlife Refuge Protects Bottomland Habitat
The Neches River National Wildlife Refuge protects forests and wetlands along the Neches River. It is open for some public hunting, fishing, and hiking.
Jefferson County · Waterfront
Pleasure Island Gives Port Arthur a Front Porch on Sabine Lake
Port Arthur's Pleasure Island offers lakefront parks, disc golf, an RV park, and about a mile of public piers along Sabine Lake.
Jefferson County · Riverfront Park
Riverfront Park Is Port Neches's Window on the Neches
Port Neches Riverfront Park, the city's largest at about 27 acres, gives residents a public stretch of Neches River frontage with boat ramps, a splash park, and a pavilion.
Jefferson County · State Park
Sea Rim State Park Offers Beach and Marsh at the Same Spot
Sea Rim State Park in southeastern Jefferson County has nearly two miles of Gulf beach next to thousands of acres of coastal marsh. It's a rare combination for camping, fishing, and birding.
Jefferson County · Wildlife Refuge
Texas Point Refuge Marks the County's Southeast Corner
Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge protects roughly 8,900 acres of cordgrass marsh at Sabine Pass, open for wildlife watching and waterfowl hunting.
Jefferson County · Big Thicket
The Big Thicket Reaches the Edge of Beaumont
The Beaumont Unit of Big Thicket National Preserve puts more than 14,000 acres of cypress bottomland and bayou paddling right up against the city.
Jefferson County · Playground
Tugboat Island Is the Playground a Town Built Itself
Port Neches's Tugboat Island playground was designed by local children, built by more than 1,000 volunteers, and funded entirely by donations.
Jefferson County · City Park
Tyrrell Park Stacks Beaumont's Outdoor Life in One Place
Beaumont's Tyrrell Park bundles Cattail Marsh, a free disc golf course and archery range, nature programs, and the historic Henry Homberg municipal golf course into one park.
Jim Hogg County · Hunting
Deer Hunting: South Zone Rules Apply Here
Jim Hogg County is in the Texas South Zone for deer hunting, with a season that runs into January and a bag limit of five deer.
Jim Wells County · Hunting Seasons
Jim Wells hunting rules need two live calendars
Deer and dove use South Zone dates, but the county deer table and statewide season calendar may not update at the same time.
Johnson County · State Park
Cleburne State Park Surrounds a Spring-Fed Lake Near Town
Cleburne State Park sits about 30 minutes southwest of Fort Worth and offers camping, fishing, hiking, and swimming on 116-acre Cedar Lake.
Johnson County · Hunting
Johnson County Falls in the North Zone for Deer and Turkey
If you hunt in Johnson County, know your zone, because deer, turkey, and duck seasons all have specific rules for this part of Texas.
Johnson County · Land & Habitat
Johnson County Spans Three Distinct Natural Regions
Johnson County's landscape shifts from open prairie in the west to wooded Cross Timbers in the center to dark Blackland Prairie soil in the east.
Johnson County · Fishing
Lake Pat Cleburne Is a City Reservoir Open for Fishing
Lake Pat Cleburne on the Nolan River holds catfish, bass, and white bass, and it is open to the public with a Texas fishing license.
Johnson County · Rivers & Water
The Brazos River Borders Johnson County to the Southwest
Johnson County has two main waterways — the Brazos River on its southwestern edge and the Nolan River running through the middle of the county.
Karnes County · Hunting
Deer Hunting in Karnes County Has Specific Buck Restrictions
You can take four deer a season in Karnes County, but the antler-restriction rules decide which bucks count.
Kaufman County · Freshwater Fishing
Cedar Creek Reservoir gives eastern Kaufman County a big-water edge
The 32,623-acre reservoir crosses the Kaufman-Henderson county line and supports bass, catfish, crappie, and open-water fishing.
Kaufman County · Weather Hazards
Kaufman County tornado planning starts with a room, not a shelter list
NWS records show a long local tornado history, while Kaufman County says it does not provide public tornado shelters.
Kaufman County · Hunting Seasons
Kaufman deer hunters need the statewide dates and county table
Statewide season dates may update before Kaufman County bag and antler details, so both TPWD pages need the same season label.
Kaufman County · Waterways
The East Fork ties Lake Ray Hubbard to western Kaufman County
The East Fork leaves Lake Ray Hubbard near Forney and helps explain the county's western water geography.
Kendall County · Hunting
Deer hunting in Kendall County follows North Zone rules
Kendall County is in the TPWD North Zone, where hunters may take up to five deer per season with no more than two bucks.
Kendall County · Public Hunting Access
Most hunting in Kendall County is on private land
Kendall County has little public hunting land. Most access requires a lease or written permission from a private landowner.
Kenedy County · Hunting
Kenedy County Hunting Depends on Seasons and Access
Kenedy County has South Texas deer, turkey, dove, quail, and waterfowl seasons, but hunting here usually starts with private ranch access.
Kerr County · Hunting Seasons
Kerr County has strong deer and turkey hunting seasons
Kerr County falls in TPWD's North Zone for deer and turkey, with general deer season running November through early January.
Kerr County · City Park
Kerrville-Schreiner Park Has Both River Shade and Hill Country Trail Dust
Kerrville-Schreiner Park is the city's 517-acre municipal park, with Guadalupe River access on one side and natural-surface trails on the other.
Kerr County · River Trail
Kerrville's River Trail Turns the Guadalupe Into a Front Porch
The Kerrville River Trail follows the Guadalupe as a concrete walking and biking route through the city's river parks.
Kerr County · Public Hunting
The Kerr Wildlife Management Area offers public hunting by draw
The 6,459-acre Kerr WMA near Hunt allows public hunting for deer and turkey, but you must win a spot through TPWD's public draw system.