Texas State & National Parks

Looking for something to do over the holiday break? Perhaps you should explore the beautiful scenery available at one of the state or national parks in Texas. There's also plenty of outdoor activities (hiking, camping, and more) to enjoy in Texas' national forests and grasslands and national wildlife refuges.

Enchanted Rock - Enchanted Rock State Natural Area.
Joshua Wallace, photographer and copyright holder, 2010.

The Big Tree - Goose Island State Park.
Joshua Wallace, photographer and copyright holder, 2013. 

Pedernales Falls State Park
Joshua Wallace, photographer and copyright holder, 2017. 

Dinosaur Tracks - Dinosaur Valley State Park.
Joshua Wallace, photographer and copyright holder, 2017.

Monkey Rock - Lost Maples State Natural Area.

Joshua Wallace, photographer and copyright holder, 2018.

Before planning a trip to the great outdoors you should check out these resources from the library:

Border Sanctuary: The Conservation Legacy of the Santa Ana Land Grant by M.J. Morgan.
Dinosaur Highway: A History of Dinosaur Valley State Park by Laurie E. Jasinski
Enchanted Rock: A Natural and Human History by Lance Allred
Enjoying Big Bend National Park: A Friendly Guide to Adventures for Everyone by Gary Clark
Guided with a Steady Hand: The Cultural Landscape of a Rural Texas Park by Dan K. Utley
Hiking Big Bend National Park by Laurence Parent
Making Camp: The Complete Guide for Hikers, Mountain Bikers, Paddlers & Skiers by Steve Howe
Official Guide to Texas State Parks & Historical Sites by Laurence Parent

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Great Texas Places to Get Away From it All

With summer upon us many people think of just getting away to a cooler place. Others want to just get away from all of the connectivity that surrounds us. This is a list from Texas Highways of where in Texas you can go to get disconnected.
1. Padre Island National Seashore
2. Big Bend National Park
3. Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area
4. Hill Country State Natural Area Wilderness Primitive Camp
5. Palo Duro Canyon State Park
6. Lost Maples Natural Area
7. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
8. Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area
9. Matagorda Bay Nature Park
10. Devils River State Natural Area
http://www.texashighways.com/index.php/component/content/article/98-roadtrip-archive/3733-ten-great-places-to-%28really%29-get-away-from-it-all

11. My favorite place to get away: Mo Ranch