Into the wild!

Texan parks entice with adventure and pure nature

Berkel en Rodenrijs, July 22, 2019: Untouched nature, a rough wilderness and numerous outdoor activities await adventurers and those who want to become adventurers in the 90 State Parks and five National Parks of the Lone Star States. Whether hiking along impressive gorges, fishing on one of the many lakes or surfing on sand hills – each park has its own charm and is just waiting to be explored. A day trip can often quickly turn into a longer holiday – after all, many of them fall for the beauty of the parks …

Big Bend National Park: Between Cacti and Waterfalls

In the southwest of Texas, one of the largest national parks in the United States – the Big Bend National Park – takes visitors from the banks of the Rio Grande up to 2,450 metres to the summit of Emory Peak, where all are rewarded with a spectacular view as far as Mexico. Surrounded by desert canyons, waterfalls and impressive cactus formations as well as an impressive animal world with eagles, coyotes, black bears and mountain lions, every adventurer will get an adrenalin kick. But also bird lovers get their money’s worth here: Along the Lost Mine Trail with its juniper, oak and pine forests as well as colourful wildflowers you can observe numerous native bird species. The park offers its overnight guests an impressive starry sky and has been officially considered as a dark sky area since 2012.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park: The Grand Canyon of Texas

The Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon of the United States and offers a 193 km long landscape of red sandstone rocks – especially the impressive Lighthouse Rock. The canyon, about 40 kilometres from Amarillo, can be explored comfortably on foot, by mountain bike, by car or even on horseback. From the visitor centre, guests have a spectacular view of the canyon and can at the same time learn about its history – archaeological exhibits, Indian ceramics and jewellery as well as historical film footage take them back in time. After a typical barbecue, the best way to end the day is to relax at the Texas Outdoor Musical in the Pioneer Amphitheatre, while the history of the Texas Panhandle Plains is recreated with singing, dancing and a lot of Texas humour. Under the clear starry sky, the guests then vanish into their well-deserved sleep.

Caprock Canyons State Park: Together with bisons

Not quite as big as the neighbouring parks, but no less impressive is the Caprock Canyons State Park in the northeast of the Lone Star State. It is home to the official bison herd of the State of Texas, which does not contain cattle DNA – and is therefore a genetic source for many other bison herds – on the 700 hectare grass landscape. Every year in September, the city of Quitaque hosts the Texas State Bison Herd Music Festival with performances by local country singers, with the proceeds helping to preserve the herd. The park is also home to opossums, raccoons, coyotes, snakes, lizards and golden eagles. On the shore of the big Lake Theo you can picknick – the great thing about it is that you can fish your own dinner directly.

Monahans Sandhills State Park: The Sandbox for Adults

If you’ve always wanted to experience the sunrise in the desert, you’ve come to the right place in Texas: In the midst of 20-meter-high sand dunes, visitors here probably think they’re more in the Sahara than in Texas – the Monahans Sandhills Park is part of a dune landscape that spreads over 320 kilometers in the west of the state. Where once Indian tribes settled, today passionate sandboarders, surfers and lugers skilfully glide down the hills. But the desert is busier than it seems, with a wide variety of trees and wildflowers growing in the midst of an unreal environment that can best be admired from the back of a horse.

Lake Bob Sandlin State Park: Romanticism on the water and on land

Gigantic trees, waist-high grass and a 3,642-hectare lake: Lake Bob Sandlin State Park in the north-east of the state is home to two ecosystems that provide ideal conditions for fishing, kayaking, boating, water skiing and hiking along the lake. During the autumn months, the forest around the lake with its maple trees shines in warm reds and yellows, giving the park its romantic character. The sunset is also spectacular: before the day ends, the sun slowly sinks to the horizon and makes the lake glow optically.