Choke Canyon State Parks

Choke Canyon consists of two branches: South Shore (day-use only) and Calliham (full-service side of the park). We planned our visit as part of a Labor Day extended weekend trip since the area is nowhere near close to where we live in North Texas. We arrived midday. In August. It was a blistering 97 degrees by the time we arrived – the kind of heat that makes the very air itself feel like it’s suffocating you. Because the weather wasn’t working in its favor, Choke Canyon State Park was a hard sell while we were there. Nevertheless, we pushed ourselves to experience a sampling of what CCSP offered and here’s what we found.

Cons: Let’s just go ahead and get them out of the way.

Heat. Hot as Hades comes to mind. Seriously. With no breeze. Stifling hot. The kind of hot that makes you keenly aware that even the environment is thirsty for water and your body is the current source of this precious commodity. But we were there in August, so that’s on us. Can’t really fault the park for the weather. Just a consideration when timing your visit.

Drought. The effects were pretty dramatic as there were concrete jetties that were clearly meant as walkways “into the water” that were a whopping 29 feet above the actual water level at the time of our visit. Everywhere you looked the land was parched. Dry. Thirsty. Brown was the predominant color of the landscape. The sound of dead vegetation crunching under your footfalls was part of the soundtrack of the day. But again, you cannot fault CCSP for natural disasters.

Pros: On to the Good Stuff!

Fishing. Apparently Choke Canyon Reservoir is great for fishing – especially if you have a boat. Catfish Marv, whom we met at the HQ, routinely takes groups out on his 24′ pontoon boat between 7am-1pm, and his latest expedition at the time of our introduction yielded a whopping 125 fish! We met a married couple at the fish cleaning station in the early afternoon of our visit that had caught 26 crappie in the span of 4 hours, also from their boat.

Bird Center. Many species of birds can be spotted at CCSP. In fact, one thing we appreciated about our visit was our songbird soundtrack. We heard the beautiful songs of birds during our entire visit. In addition, we crossed paths with a couple of roadrunners on the South Shore side of the park, our first up-close encounter with that speedy species.

Rec Hall. Tennis anyone? How about basketball? Are you more into soccer? CCSP has you covered as it has the facilities for all of these in or around the Rec Hall. Didn’t bring equipment? No problem! They have loaners you can borrow during your visit.

Shaded Parking. This is a serious consideration when the temps are soaring, yet not many Texas State Parks have much of it. CCSP has it in spades and you will appreciate it if you time your visit during the hottest months of the year like we did.

Shelters. CCSP offers screened shelters and shelters with air conditioning, a must-have in the summer in Texas. Situated on their own street within the park, these shelters look like a community of adorable Tiny Houses complete with front porches.

Insects. I think it’s worth noting that CCSP wasn’t buggy. We didn’t experience a single mosquito, which is unusual for us! In fact, the place appeared delightfully bug-free (though we know this is unrealistic).

Trails. They were wide. Well-maintained. Clearly marked. Level. Teeming with deer.

Alligators. There are signs, which is why we didn’t fish on the shore. We were told that alligators sunned in this spot, or that spot. The Manling even heard one enter the water, saw the splash, but just missed actually sighting one. The fact that they are there and that we didn’t have a dangerous close encounter is a Pro. (A Park Staffer pointed out that they have never had a visitor experience a disastrous encounter with one of their resident reptiles, and I am happy we were able to continue that streak on our visit.)

Why We Love Choke Canyon State Park

Wildlife. Amazingly, even during a drought, CCSP is home to deer, alligators, many species of birds, javelina, and many more!
Water. Summer in Texas = Water. Bring or rent a boat and enjoy a day on the Choke Canyon Reservoir. We hear the fishing is amazing! (And if you hire out Catfish Marv, tell him Texans Travel says hello!)

Must Do’s

Water. Look, with Catfish Marv willing and able, there’s no reason not to enjoy some time on the reservoir, especially with a rod in hand. Give the man a call (Capt. Marvin “Catfish Marv” Elledge at 210-365-7967).
Tiny House Community. There is no more affordable way to stay in the area than CCSP, and since they have accommodations with a/c, you can even enjoy a summer visit! Come on. You know you want to.