By the time we visited Stephen F. Austin State Park, we knew the drill. There would be closures in the park due to Hurricane Harvey. We were prepped for that. We adjusted our expectations prior to arrival. We were ready to embrace whatever opportunities awaited us, and with that cranial approach, our visit to SFASP was a surprisingly pleasant experience!
I say surprisingly because the river portion of the park was closed, which meant no fishing, and like I have stated before, The Manling is happiest when he can drop a line in the water. But…
After talking with the most outgoing Park Ranger we’ve encountered to date – seriously, Bryan was super enthusiastic, a lover of birds and edible plants, and just so happened to know his park backwards and forwards, so he completely hooked us up with some stellar hikes in his breathtakingly beautiful park – we headed to our first stop.
I’ll never look at trees “dripping” with something in the same romantic way. Ever again. Seriously.
The Barred Owl Trail was a compact dirt trail through towering trees draped with what The Manling thought was called Grandfather’s Beard (which he pointed out was Tick Paradise, which maybe wasn’t what I especially wanted to hear in the moment. “And it’s good as a fire starter, too.” Okay, then. That info will come in handy if we need to send smoke signals once the ticks descend upon us en masse.) Within the first five minutes on the Barred Owl Trail, we heard a massive flutter overhead. Looking up, we were shocked to see an actual Barred Owl taking flight! Owls being a favorite of The Manling, he thrilled at being able to see one so up close while my prevailing thought was What an aptly named trail! closely followed by We’re definitely not going on the Copperhead Trail then!
We continued on that wide trail to the Scenic Overlook, which was the closest we got to the Brazos River. It was both beautiful to behold and sobering to see the destructive potential that rivers bear on the areas surrounding them.
Our next stop was the Amphitheater, where we parked the car for our hike on the Opossum Loop, which sounded like a way less sinister trail than the aforementioned Copperhead Trail (which Bryan suggested would be a great hike for us to explore, but I was not having that name in the HQ, and even less so once we encountered the Barred Owl on the Barred Owl Trail). Park Ranger Bryan pointed out that the Opossum Trail featured 100′ tall cottonwood trees draped in vines that were a definite must-see, and he was right. They were magnificent and majestic and exquisite and stunning. I got a little turned around with the map and directions in general while we were on that looped trail, but thankfully I had an Eagle Scout with me so I was able to just enjoy the sights and sounds while he navigated us back to the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside).
Look how utterly inviting the path looks as The Manling directs our steps into the blessed shade of those towering trees. Delightful!I’m pretty sure this guy was stalking us.
Seriously the most serene, easy to follow trails through beautiful towering trees. SFASP knows how to do trails.
One more thing I want to point out is the fact that SFASP has the most adorable log cabin-type shelters in the existence of log cabin-type shelters. It totally looked like something out of pioneer America and if, by chance or plan, you find yourself in the area, I would highly recommend staying in their Log Cabin-inspired Tiny House Community. They would make such an adorable addition to your memory-making moments. Trust me.
See what I mean?They are so adorable it almost hurts!
Why We Love Stephen F. Austin State Park
Log Cabin Tiny House Village. Go back and look at the pics. Adorable, right? You can’t help but want to make those a part of your memories at SFASP.
Aptly Named Trails. How often have you hiked a trail and thought, Why’d they name the trail that? I didn’t see anything but this. Amiright? We saw a Barred Owl on the Barred Owl Trail. Which leads me to believe the Sycamore Trail has Sycamore Trees; the Opossum Trail has opossum; and that Copperhead Trail has (gulp!) copperheads. There are maybe about 6 miles of trail in the park, broken down into very doable loops or one-ways that are very well maintained. Enjoy exploring them!
Bryan. This guy has information in spades stored in his noggin. Use him. He was a wealth of information, super friendly, and he made our adventure sound like so much fun I asked him to join us! (He actually wished he could, but he was training a new recruit that day.)
Must Do’s
Stay. Tiny Log Cabin Village. How can you not?! They also have camping, RV spots, a cabin, and group barracks. I’m partial to the pioneering-type shelters, but you do you.
Hike. The trails are all manageable lengths for most anybody. The longest trail is only 1.25 miles and it’s marked as Easy. Get out there and explore, especially the Barred Owl Trail and the Opossum Loop.
Talk to Bryan. He’s your man for all things SFASP-related. And if you really want to speak his language, ask him about birds or edible plants.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Stephen F. Austin State Park! Please share your thoughts on this magnificent park in the comments.
*In all natural areas, you are a guest. Educate yourself on what lives in the areas before your visits, always talk to the Park Rangers upon arrival and take precautions so that your experiences end as positively as ours.
I have been mulling over how I would share our visit to Brazos Bend State Park since we visited in August 2018. Honestly, when we first arrived, I wasn’t feelin’ it. I was completely over sitting in the car; the older gentleman that was registering his RV took exactly forever; I felt on the verge of literal starvation; the entrance to the park featured an alligator, which gave me a deplorable sinking feeling; and quite frankly after visiting 44 state parks over the course of just a few months, I wondered if this one located roughly in the middle of Nowhere, TX, could offer anything worth the drive. This was the lovely frame of mind I was in when the older gentleman {finally} finished checking in and it was our turn. I have no doubt that the two Park Staffers wondered what my deal was when I less-than-half-heartedly asked for suggestions on what to see and do during our stay only to shoot down their suggestions one-by-one because, like I said, I wasn’t feelin’ it. I remember a lot of talk about alligators “here” and “there” (as spots were pointed out on the Park Map); there was some mention of birds around dusk (yawn – We’d already visited 3 bona fide birding centers, man! You can’t top that here!); yada-yada. Oh yeah, I was a delight.
As the Manling and I headed to our little tiny house (aka a screened shelter) to unpack, inflate, and introvert before we gave thought to what we felt like doing, my inner-toddler began whimpering for home, her bed, and some much needed solitude. After unloading our gear (basically our air mattresses, a camping toilet, and two portable mini-fans), The Manling (in the prime of his life) fell asleep with the sun still high in the sky. Not in the prime of my life, I can manage a quick nap maybe once a year, and today was to be my day. I fell asleep, too. Apparently, we were both road weary.
Isn’t our tiny home-away-from-home absolutely adorable with that little porch?! LOVE it!Just because I’d be interested to see inside the tiny house, here ya go. This is right before our accidental naps, mere minutes into our introverting.
About forty-five minutes later, I jerked awake and thought, “We’d better do something about my imminent starvation.” I remembered one of the Park Staff saying something that sounded like “J-Cafe” and it being roughly 30 minutes away, but worth the drive for the “best food around.” I Yelped it, woke The Manling, and we headed toward our dinner with fingers crossed. Thirty minutes later, sitting unassumingly beside a two lane country road in Needville, TX, we pulled into the parking lot of “The Jay Cafe.” Within a minute, we found ourselves seated at the best seat in the house with our server attending to our every need.
Don’t beat around the bush. Order the chicken fried steak dinner. And treat yourself to a slice of their chocolate sheet cake because life is short. Live a little.Our table was next to the only picture window in the room and overlooked a sweet little garden area. Peaceful, just like the doctor ordered.
An hour later, we were fat and happy from tried-and-true Texas favorites and we headed back to BBSP. This time, as we passed by the alligator sign, I felt cheerier and ready for an adventure. We headed for Hale Lake for some fishing and photography, both of which ended up being rewarding!
The Manling didn’t catch anything he’d consider worth mentioning, but I was impressed that he kept catching little guys off this really tall pier. That’s gotta take skill.While The Manling fished, I walked part of the Hale Lake Loop Trail. Until I came across this sign. And like The Man says, they choose the wording on warnings for a reason, so I guess at some point in the past an alligator was…molested?
Next, we decided to drive around to explore the park, which eventually led us to Elm Lake. We decided to park and walk around this beautiful area on foot, which is how we stumbled across the wildlife viewing area on the water – and the first of two truly unforgettable encounters with nature we experienced firsthand at BBSP.
This needs to be attached to my house – the covered porch AND the view.We saw lots of alligator trails through the water. No alligators though.
While we were enjoying the setting sun through the trees, the calm serenity of the lake, the shade of the wildlife viewing area, and the few birds enjoying this lush paradise, we were startled out of our moment of peace by quite a racket overhead as hundreds (if not thousands!) of birds entered BBSP to roost for the evening. SERIOUSLY. Hundreds (or possibly thousands!) of birds flew just over our heads, continuing past our perch on the wildlife viewing deck in search of their own for the night. Never has either of us seen such an awesome spectacle! “This must be what the Park Staff was talking about when they mentioned the birds,” I commented to The Manling with due awe infusing my words. Dear reader, put this on the top of your To-Do list for Brazos Bend State Park. Trust me.
Next we drove to 40 Acre Lake with just enough sunset left for The Manling to fish a little before we called it a night. I don’t remember if he caught anything off of the pier. What I do remember is this:
These are sobering signs. Especially at dusk. We, however, didn’t cross any alligators. Thankfully.
Fast-forward past showers in some of the most incredible State Park bathrooms you’ve ever used.
Past this guy enjoying our tiny house’s porch as much as we did…
We almost walked into this guy (about the size of my palm) while we were unloading the car). He was still there when we left the following day.
Past a great night’s sleep (once we got used to the bright lights our neighbor was using. He had hung white sheets around his porch and had bright lights atop tripods to attract bugs so that he could photograph them, which I guess was kind of cool. At least he was quiet. And in the end, better his porch than ours. Have all the bugs, neighbor. They’re yours.).
We awakened just as the sky began turning from the black of night to the gray of pre-dawn when our phone’s alarms simultaneously pulled us from sound sleep. After the obligatory stretches and yawns, we pulled on shoes, nodded our Good morning’s, and drove the car back to 40 Acre Lake to catch the sun’s rise from the Observation Tower. By the time we arrived, there was enough light to justify walking the 40 Acre Lake Trail (a loop around the lake), the Observation Tower being located on the other side of the lake from the parking lot. This early morning hike was the second of those two truly extraordinary wildlife encounters, for The Manling and I saw dozens of alligators in the water on either side of that trail by the time we finished the loop! And lest this doesn’t fill you with some kind of emotional response, let me share that there is nothing between you and the alligators. Nada. The trail is raised a few feet above the water, so that is something. But these are not the safe encounters you are used to in a zoo setting where safety precautions abound. Here is your safety precaution at BBSP –
Back to our sunrise walk. The Manling and I were making our way to the halfway point of the loop so that we could climb the Observation Tower, him all fearless and me all jumpy, when S P L A S H !
“What was that?!” whispered I.
“That was probably just a bird, Mom,” said he.
Yes, he really did reply that the huge splash! we’d just heard was probably a bird. I was all, “How big a bird do you think that was???” Seriously?? A bird?! Then we saw this swimming our way –
The Manling said oh-so-nonchalantly, “It was probably that alligator getting into the water.” And let me tell you, friend, we didn’t see it until it had gotten into the water from the trail we were on. Sobering. Like those signs posted every 50 feet or so. It just got real all up in here.
We continued on the trail, more vigilant than ever, both of the trail and the water. By the time we made it to the Observation Tower, we had already seen almost 10 alligators in the water, most so inanimate that the one who spotted it had to point it out to the other.
Our reward for getting up so early and braving a sunrise hike around a lake known to contain alligators was this view.We saw plenty of fishing birds on the other side of the Observation Tower.
After this early morning “hike” surrounded by dozens of alligators (big. small. everything in-between.), The Manling and and I returned to our tiny house to load up the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside), sweep out our digs, and bid Brazos Bend State Park a very reluctant Goodbye. As we were exiting the park, we had one last interaction with one of the local ‘gators who came out to bid us adieu.
Cute. Seems like a missed opportunity, tho. Just a little.
Until next time, Brazos Bend State Park. We most assuredly will be back. Guaranteed.
Why We Love Brazos Bend State Park
Facilities. Having used the facilities in over 56 Texas State Parks, I feel I am becoming a subject matter expert on the subject. Trust me when I say Brazos Bend State Park has some of the nicest I’ve had the pleasure to use!
Alligators. Go on an alligator hike. The Park Staff can tell you where they’ve been spotted recently. Mind the signage. (Be safe, not sorry.) And have an awesome firsthand experience like we did. (P.S. Don’t molest the alligators. And hold on to your dogs. Just sayin’.)
Birds. IDK if this is a year-round occurrence, but during late summer the birds flock there by the hundreds (nay, thousands!) to roost for the night. It is a spectacle not to be missed. It was awesome!
Tiny Houses. You’ve simply got to live tiny while you’re there. The little tiny house ‘hood is adorable! Private. Quiet. And you can bring your fans to keep you cool.
Trails. Thirty-seven miles of trails to explore and enjoy! It’s quiet. Peaceful. Beautifully lush.
Sunrise/Sunset. Both are incredible! We recommend the Wildlife Viewing Area for sunset and the Observation Tower for sunrise. Or vice versa.
Must Do’s
Observation Tower. You truly cannot get a firm grip on the terrain of BBSP without seeing it from this bird’s eye view. Totally worth the mini-hike to climb this tower. Incredible 360 degree views of beautiful.
Fish. I believe The Manling caught somewhere every place he dropped a line. Nothing terribly large, but big enough to feel on your line. And anytime you can catch something, it’s better than not.
Stay. Camp. RV. Shelter. Cabin with amenities. Whatever your preference, BBSP has you covered. (Get it?)
Explore the Trails. There are lots of them through some of the most lush parts of Texas. It’s beautiful, serene, and filled with wildlife. Hike ’em. Bike ’em. You can even ride ’em (on your horse). Go make a memory!
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Brazos Bend State Park! Please share your experiences at this phenomenal {if a little fearful} wildlife retreat in the comments.
*In all natural areas, you are a guest. Educate yourself on what lives in the areas before your visits, always talk to the Park Rangers upon arrival and take precautions so that your experiences end as positively as ours.
We first met Mater when we visited Lake Colorado City State Park about four years ago, chillin’ in the field across from the park entrance. We waved a friendly “hello” as we headed home after a few hours at the park, glad that he’d come to see us off that uneventful day. Uneventful in the truest sense because our first visit to this self-proclaimed desert oasis was kind of a dud. Not only was the park desolate in an eerily creepy kind of way, the park was in the deep, dark part of a severe drought at the time and what was left in it’s wake looked to our eyes like the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. Mangled docks looked like a shockwave had rendered them completely unusable and almost unidentifiable had they not been standing so tall on parched ground that was, in former days, the lake.
Imagine our surprise when we saw Mater again during our revisit mid-July 2018, sitting in the same spot across from the entrance to the park, reminiscent of the good ole days when hard working folks sat a spell on the porch, sipping sweet tea, enjoying the gentle breeze of the summer evening after a long day of sweaty labor on their land. Love.
Kinder Frau, The Manling, and me – circa 2014
But there ends any similarity between our first visit and our second.
On our second trip to LCCSP, what we happily discovered was a park slowly, but surely, recovering from the devastating effects of years of drought. The fishing piers that were formerly disfigured and damaged by the drought were replaced with sturdy, robust piers that hosted a small, but continual rotation of anglers eager to drop a line in the water, which now delightedly covered the ground under them once again.
Where the park was desolate years before, we now encountered a handful of families both in the RV camping area and using the lakefront, air conditioned shelters, all of which look like newly build tiny homes complete with shaded front porches.
On our first visit, the lake was deserted, unused. On our more recent visit, we crossed paths with a family setting up a canopy in preparation for a day in the sun and surf once again available at Lake Colorado City State Park.
On our first visit, our imaginations were stirred for hours, imagining various scenarios that could have caused the undisclosed apocalyptic event. On our revisit, our minds were engaged geocaching. The park has a couple of great finds, by the way. And this is a great way to explore the park on foot for singles, couples, or the whole family.
While we restricted our explorations to the main roads on our first visit, this second time around Park Ranger Sky encouraged us to discover the roughly 1.5 mile (round trip) of bike trail they have been working to clear.
This park that was once fodder to spark conversation and creativity, is slowly becoming one that we can imagine will again hosts hoards of West Texans seeking to escape the heat in the cool waters of Lake Colorado City, on the cusp of becoming a desert oasis once more.
Why We Love Lake Colorado City State Park
Mater. I know he’s not technically a part of the park, but he has been a part of our park experience both visits and we love him. Make sure to wave a friendly “hello” to him when you see him.
Water. It’s hard to not hit a home run during the Texas summer heat when water is part of the equation. Thankfully, LCCSP is making a comeback in that department.
Fishing. Boat docks and fishing piers in the early morning and evening are the best times to drop a line.
Geocaching. There are one or two in some pretty ferrel areas, but there is one that is hidden in a truly spectacular location. Let the treasure hunting begin!
Trails. The trails were still under construction while we were there, but they are already taking shape and I think they will be pretty awesome either on foot or by bike in the near future.
A/C Shelters. I’m a sucker for tiny homes and these cute little shelters with a/c look like a newly built community of them, all lakeside. Bonus!
Must Do’s
Geocache. Hands-down, I think this is the absolute best way to get up close and personal with a new area. State Parks included.
Fish. The Manling wasn’t able to catch much on our visit, but we were there during the middle of the day. He will definitely try again the next time we are at LCCSP. You can count on it.
Swim. The water is making a comeback. A family was enjoying their floats on the water when we were there. Dip a toe in.
Stay. Tiny homes. RV’s. Even tent camping (in a more hospitable time of year). LCCSP can accommodate all budgets and preferences.
Explore. The trails look like they will be nice, wide, level trails for mountain biking…or exploring on foot. I’m especially psyched to try the one that runs adjacent to the lake. That promises to have some pretty great views.
Texas is big. Colossal. Massive. Ginormous. YUGE (as President Trump would say). As a resident of North Texas, you have to get up early and ride like the wind if you want to visit South Texas – because geography. (Or go halfsies, spend the night in an airbnb RV on a rural ranchette in Llano, TX, and drive the rest of the way the next day so that you’re not all Hunchback of Notre Dame from hours on end in the car once you reach your faraway destination.)
Father’s Day weekend 2018, we went the halfsies route.
Being unfamiliar with the South Texas Plains, I took to the internet and researched the area we’d call home over the extended weekend prior to our visit. I was specifically interested in two things: 1) What slithery neighbors we might encounter of the zero-legged nature; and 2) Is human trafficking a concern (because since I first saw Taken with Liam Neeson, this has been a back-burner concern of mine, being a mom of two attractive daughters). I researched, read, and then reached out to Texas Parks and Wildlife a couple of weeks before our trip because my diligence uncovered an incident involving drugs and pirates and kidnapping and I tend to obsess about such things. I was assured repeatedly (because I repeatedly asked the same question in varying detail about the aforementioned drugs, piracy and kidnapping – don’t judge) that they have had no incidents within their boundaries. That being the case, we booked a shelter with air conditioning (because, hello, it’s June in Texas) and prayed begging prayers that the no-incidents-within-the-park streak would continue through our visit. Because we’re myopic that way.
I called Falcon State Park on the road the day we arrived because we knew we would arrive after the HQ closed and we needed to know how to get into our locked shelter after business hours. Two things happened that were complete surprises upon our arrival: 1) We were greeted by State Park Police at the gate who were checking every single car entering the park; and 2) When we arrived at Shelter #9 – our home sweet home for the weekend – we discovered that the Park Staff not only left the light on for us by the door, but they had also turned on the a/c so that it would be cool upon our arrival. <3 The FSP Staff could not have offered a better welcome to their park for us – a feeling of safety and chill.
You served us well, air conditioned shelter #9 with the locked door.
Once we unpacked the Jeep, set up our beds, and ate our Fry-day dinner (Smith family camping tradition dictates deep fried food on our first night camping, which usually falls on Friday/Fry-day.), we headed toward the beach for some fishing. We parked at the boat launch parking lot, planning to do some shoreline fishing only to discover the water level wasn’t quite up to snuff. We prepped ourselves for some hiking to actually get to the water when a Park Ranger entered the parking lot. He explained that if we just drove through those trees there, we would be able to reach the beach in our Jeep.
Me: Um, really??? We’re allowed to drive our vehicle off road?!?!
At this point, I should probably point out that there are always, always, always taboo roads or paths at Texas State Parks and while your first instinct may be to explore them, the signage clearly indicates that it would be a no-no. This is the first time we have been invited to be “naughty” and explore off road and I’ve gotta tell you, we were having it!!
We navigated the Jeep past trees and deep ruts in the combo sand/dirt path, smiling and squealing like school girls as we were tossed about the interior of the car on our first off-road adventure in the Jeep. Not too far away, we saw several extra-large pick up trucks attached to boat trailers in what appeared to be the make-shift boat launch/parking area. We parked the Jeep beside one of the behemoth trucks and just as we were beginning to feel some size-related issues, the same friendly Park Ranger drove by and suggested we go further.
Friendly Park Ranger: Keep driving until you get to the beach. You can park over there.
Me: Are you for real?
Friendly Park Ranger: Yes, ma’am.
And we did just that, dear reader. We drove further off road. We parked on the beach. Like rule breakers. Like rebellious fisher-people.
And then, giddy and completely feeling ourselves, we fished. And photographed. And explored the beach. And watched as other awesome people did the same, but with jet skiis, kayaks and boats, too! It was the magic moment during our weekend spent shelter camping on the border of Mexico. Sure, we enjoyed the bat show in the evening and the peccaries that came to see us off at 6:30am, but that off road fishing adventure? That was epic.
Breathtaking beauty at the borderLike Father……like son.
Why We Love Falcon State Park
Air Conditioned Shelters. No need to let the Texas summer heat keep you from enjoying camping. Staying in an air conditioned shelter was a new experience for us and we loved it! The a/c worked so well in our beloved Shelter #9 that we felt like we needed more blankets. Awesome problem to have when it’s 100* outside! (Note: The outlets are very high on the walls, so bring an extension cord for electronics.)
Off-roading. The fact that you can drive onto the beach is priceless! Seriously awesome! (Just make sure you have a vehicle that can take the beating of the uneven, deeply rutted sand/dirt paths.)
Water. Fishing, kayaking, boating, jet skiing, swimming, wading…Falcon State Park offers it all!!
Wildlife. Fish. Butterflies. Bats. Scorpions. Peccary. We had some pretty amazing encounters, and all of them ended positively. Awesome!
Safe. Initially I was afraid, but this park takes safety seriously. Not only do they have Park Rangers, but they also have State Park Police and Border Patrol. Oh, and those bolted locks on the screened shelters are a nice addition.
Must Do’s
Camp. FSP’s peak season is winter when all the northerners head south for a milder winter. Take advantage of that during the summer months. We felt like we had the whole park to ourselves and we loved that! And with the Shelters with A/C, there’s no reason not to enjoy all that Falcon State Park has to offer, year-round.
Beach. Look for shells. Build a sand castle. Go off-roading (in an appropriate vehicle). Swim. Kayak. Jet ski. Fish. Boat. The water is where it’s at in the summertime in Texas, but FSP takes it one further and has a genuine beach! Felt like we were at the Gulf of Mexico for a fraction of the cost of vacationing there! You’re welcome.
Photograph. It’s too beautiful not to point out – the beach at sunset was gorgeous. The lighting, divine. The scenery, dreamy.
Explore. There are almost 3 miles of trails to explore, but there is a lot of beach, as well! The park has geocaching, which is one of my favorite ways to explore because it’s exercise with a purpose!
As The Man walked back to the car from the garbage, Kinder Frau pointed out the locals coming to say good bye.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Falcon State Park! Please share your thoughts on this awesome border beauty in the comments.
*In all natural areas, you are a guest. Educate yourself on what lives in the areas before your visits, always talk to the Park Rangers upon arrival and take precautions so that your experiences end as positively as ours.
