Lone Star Travelers Blog » Texas State Parks

Hurricane Gustav, Texas State Park Closures and Free Camping, Update

joanie7 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:53:31 +0000

By late Monday 10 Texas State Parks had closed in Southeast, East and Northeast Texas due to threats from Hurricane Gustav. Lake Livingston in Southeast Texas reopened Tuesday morning. Martin Dies Jr and Village Creek State Parks are expected to reop;en Wednesday morning. In Northeast Texas Daingerfield, Atlanta, Caddo Lake, Martin Creek Lake, Tyler, Lake Bob Sandlin and Mission Tejas State Parks are expected to reopen Thursday morning. By Tuesday Texas State Parks had provided shelter to 500 hurricane evacuees. Cooper Lake State Park hosted the most with 99 people occupying 22 sites at the South Sulphur Unit and 6 occupying 2 shelters at Doctor’s Creek. Lake Tawakoni reported 31 people in 13 campsites and Purtis Creek 23 people in 5 campsites. Additionally in central Texas Garner State Park reported 43 evacuees and Inks Lake State Park 45 evacuees. Sea Rim State Park near Port Arthur Texas remains closed from damage due to Hurricane Rita.

Hurricane Gustav, Texas State Park Closures and Free Camping

joanie7 — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 19:58:28 +0000

Due to Hurricane Gustav on September 01, 2008 Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has announced the closure of some southeastern Texas State Parks while other parks outside the area affected by the storm will accept evacuees. The following Texas State Parks will be closed until further notice. Village Creek State Park, Martin Dies State Park, Lake Livingston State Park and Sea Rim State Park which remains closed from Hurricane Rita. Galveston Island State Park remains open but is not accepting evacuees and is on standby for possible evacuation. Free tent camping will be offered to evacuees from storm damaged areas at other Texas State Parks. Cabins and screen shelters will be available at discounted rates. The reservation center for Texas State Parks will open Tuesday morning at 9A.M. 512-389-8900. In the meantime call each park directly for more information.

Conservation License Plates Program by Texas Parks & Wildlife

joanie7 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:00:02 +0000

Show your support for Texas State Parks with a Texas Conservation License Plate. The price of the license plate is $30 with $22 of that going to help conservation efforts in Texas. Texan residents may fill out an on-line application, pay by Visa or Master Card and pick up their conservation plate at their local County Tax Office in 2 to 3 weeks. Choose from one of five designs. The Bluebonnet Plate features the Texas state flower and it’s purchase goes towards preserving the beauty of more than 90 Texas State Parks. The Horned Lizard Plate features the state official reptile and it’s purchase helps fund the Texas wildlife action plan which in part conserves wildlife diversity. The White Tailed Deer Plate supports big game public hunting opportunities in Texas. The Bass Plate supports bass fishing in Texas. The Ducks Unlimited Plate provides funding for wetlands habitat and waterfowl. http://www.conservation-plate.org/index.phtml

Texas Parks & Wildlife TV Program

joanie7 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:46:49 +0000

Texas Parks & Wildlife airs a weekly program on Texas State Parks and Texas Outdoors. The week of August 3rd-10th, 2008 the program will include a segment on Lake Brownwood State Park in Central Texas. This is a fairly small park (537.5 acres) set on a large reservoir, the 7,300 surface acres of Lake Brownwood. Activities include picnicking, camping, hiking, boating and fishing. Possible catches include large mouth bass, small mouth bass, white bass, stripers, white crappie, yellow cat, flathead cat, perch and gar. Lake Brownwood State Park is located near the geographical center of Texas and is 16 miles northwest of the city of Brownwood. We plan to visit this park later this year and will post a photo gallery. The Texas Parks & Wildlife TV Program is made possible by a grant from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/tv/tvwhere.phtml for time, date and station info.

Texas State Park Closures

joanie7 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:48:39 +0000

Effective July 23, 2008, due to Hurricane Dolly, the World Birding Center located in far south Texas and the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Estero Llano Grande State Park and Reseca de la Palma State Park all part of the World Birding Center will be closed until further notice. Sea Rim State Park located south of Port Arthur, Texas remains closed due to Hurricane Rita in 2005. Hurricane Rita was the 4th most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. The Battleship Texas State Historic Site on the Gulf Coast at La Porte, Texas has closed it’s engine rooms for restoration.

Big Spring State Park, Big Spring Texas

joanie7 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:43:42 +0000

Big Spring State Park is just outside the town of Big Spring Texas, overlooking the town from Scenic Mountain, a series of bluffs rising to a scenic vantage point of 200 feet above the plains. This is the northern limit of the Edwards Plateau, a vast upland area that stretches to the Southeast as far as San Antonio and Austin. Open every day from 8A.M. to sunset for day use only, no entrance fee is collected. A 3 mile scenic drive curves along the limestone rim of the rock ledge around Scenic Mountain, well used by joggers, walkers and cyclists. A variety of birds live in the park. A short nature trail (2/3 mile each way) affords the opportunity to spot a cottontail, jackrabbit or the occasional road runner. An interpretive center is open seasonally displaying fossils and Indian artifacts. 100 miles west of Abilene or 36 miles east of Midland Exit #174 off I-20 will take you to Big Spring State Park.

Free Fishing in Texas State Parks

joanie7 — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:59:20 +0000

This popular program was initiated for one year and has now been changed to ongoing. Your fishing license requirement and any accompanying stamp is waived once you have paid the entrance fee if you fish inside the property boundary of a Texas State Park. This applies to adults and children in either fresh waters or salt waters. You may fish from the banks of the lake, a pier, a river or creek as well as from a boat if the body of water is fully contained with the state park boundary. You may even wade fish from a coastal park. Special fishing events will be held at various state parks throughout the year. Check www.tpwd.state.us/family fish for more information.