Greeting From Texas State Parks

By Judy Truesdell

Can’t Decide What to do This Summer? Put it in Park!

Summer is almost here, and If your family is like mine, you’re ready to get the heck outta the house and preferably outta town. That winter storm demoralized us, but it’s warming up now, and, though COVID is still raging, many of us are vaccinated, and it’s always been safer to be outdoors. But what to do? Get on a plane? Head for a theme park?

How about visiting one of the 89 Texas State Parks?

We asked around and found that many local families have already discovered the fun these parks can provide. What better way to be outside and safe while making some new happy memories?

It would take the whole issue to hit the high points of all 89, but here’s the low down on four that seemed to pop up on everybody’s list of favorites. (All parks have their own website; be sure to do your research before you go to learn about COVID restrictions as well as all the amenities each park has to offer.)

Eisenhower State Park

50 Park Road 20, Denison, TX 75020-4878

Located just an hour north of Dallas on the shores of Lake Texoma, this park features a sandy swimming cove, 4 miles of trails to explore along high bluffs, and excellent fishing for striped bass, crappie and catfish – you can borrow rods, reels and tackle boxes with hooks, sinkers and bobbers for park use. (No fishing license is required when you fish from shore in a Texas State Park!) Look for native wildflowers or fossils left from an ancient ocean, play horseshoes, or take part in rangerled activities like stargazing and Dutch oven cooking. You can make it there and back in a day, but if you’d like to stay overnight, campsites are available, including basic tent sites and pull-through sites for large RVs. There are also screen shelters and “Ike’s Cabin,” which features window unit AC and heat and bunk beds.

Tyler State Park

789 Park Road 16, Tyler, TX 75706-9141

Another favorite, this park features a 64-acre springfed lake and 100-foot-tall trees. Visitors can boat or swim in the lake, take a hike or mountain bike trek on 13 miles of trails in the piney woods, including the Whispering Pines Nature Trail, laid out 70 years ago by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Fish for crappie, perch, catfish or bass on three fishing piers and a boat ramp. Fishermen and -women can borrow gear from this park also, as part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Tackle Loaner Program. There are boats for rent or you can bring your own. Camping accommodations are available here as well, including campsites, cabins, and screened shelters. Kids can borrow a Junior Ranger Explorer Pack, and btw, teachers – this is a Texas Aquatic Science Certified Field Site.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park and Trailway

100 Park Road 71, Mineral Wells, TX 76067

This park is in the heart of cattle country, one hour west of Fort Worth. Although it features many of the same amenities as other parks – fishing, swimming, geocaching, bike and horseback riding – unique to Lake Mineral Wells is Penitentiary Hollow, one of the few natural rock-climbing venues in North Texas. Be sure to check with the park before planning to climb; it is sometimes closed under wet conditions due to safety concerns. If you’d like a guide, contact Rock- About Climbing Adventures, the approved guide to lead climbers. Go to the website, https://rock-about. com/climbing-locations/mineral-wells-state-park/, email Adam@Rock-About.com, or call 512-415-0804 for more information. Reserve the park’s amphitheater or group hall for a family reunion (if everyone has been vaccinated), or rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, rowboats or flat-bottom boats with trolling motors.

Cooper Lake State Park

Doctors Creek Unit - 1664 FM 1529 South, Cooper, TX 75432

South Sulphur Unit - 1690 FM 3505, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482

Cooper Lake State Park offers two “park units,” so there’s plenty of room to spread out and avoid crowds of campers. Your family can fish, picnic, swim, hike, bird watch, study nature, stargaze, ride horses or geocache. Rent a boat or kayak or bring your own. Camping is also available at both units, including sites with water and electricity, or walk-in campsites. There are equestrian campsites at the South Sulphur Unit; you and your steed can explore the 10.5-mile Buggy Whip Equestrian Trail that crosses 600 acres of shaded forest and thick vegetation and includes hillsides and creek gulches. (Some parts of the trail will be best tackled by experienced horsemen and -women who are up to a challenge.) Both Doctors and South Sulphur offer screened shelters and cabins, and South Sulphur has 14 cabins with kitchens and bathrooms. (Let’s face it; not all of us are rugged outdoors people.)

Local Families Share Park Memories

Wylie’s Julie and Mike Taylor and their kids, Breanna, 19, James, 17, Sabrina, 16, and Olivia, 14, escape to Eisenhower State Park every chance they get. “It’s become one of our favorite parks to visit,” Julie said, “because it’s so close and it’s beautiful and there’s lots to do.” The family tent camps at one of the campsites on a cliff, overlooking the beach area, where they swim. There are caves and rocks near the beach, which the kids also love exploring.

They always bring a hammock in which to swing and relax, and they enjoy sitting around the campfire and making their own meals. One of their favorites is a tinfoil dessert called a banana boat – you slice the banana horizontally, see, and put marshmallows and chocolate chips in between the slices. Cover it in foil and place it in the hot coals of the fire. (Sounds like a combination banana split and s’more.) They also prepare foil dinners at home in advance of the trip, cutting up chicken or ground beef and packing it in foil with seasonings, butter, and cut-up veggies. They cook the dinners on hot coals after the fire has been going for a while. Julie suggests marking the outside to keep track of whose dinner is whose.

The trip has become one of their traditions for another reason. “We like to go camping over Easter weekend to have a special place to ponder the meaning of Easter and be in nature and appreciate the world a little more,” Julie said.

Justin and Lauren Falcone and their family live in Josephine, and they think Tyler State Park is a “pretty cool place,” but they also visit Eisenhower State Park and Cooper State Park. In fact, they visited Cooper in April. The Falcones have two sons, Hudson, age 3, and Cooper, age 2. “Our family loves to be outdoors,” Justin said. “We purchased a State Park Pass, which gives us access to all state parks in Texas and provides discounted rates for overnight stays in our camper.”

He said there is something for everyone when they visit state parks. “Our family loves to fish, hike, ride bikes, and just hang outdoors.” Sometimes they take day trips, but most of the time now, they take the camper and stay overnight.

Desiree and Dre Sosa of Wylie, together with their kids, Barrett, 13, and Bailey, 11, don’t just have one favorite park – they have four. The Sosas visit Eisenhower, Tyler, Cooper, and Lake Mineral Wells, all of which they call “great state parks.” They love the beaches, paddle board and kayak rentals, hiking trails and fishing. “Enjoying the outdoors with the family cannot be beat,” Desiree said.

Sachse’s Elwart family – Michele and David and their kids David, 13, Bryce, 11, and Madison, 11 – haven’t been to a state park in over a year due to COVID concerns, but they are “super sad” about that and look forward to visiting when they feel safe. When the kids were younger, the family made the decision to invest in a 35-foot RV instead of incurring the expense of a big vacation every summer. Although they take camping trips all over Texas and other states, they always enjoy Tyler and Eisenhower. “My kids really like to fish,” Michele said. “Tyler State Park has the best shore fishing in my opinion. Eisenhower has a nice pier to fish from, as does Daingerfield.”

The family loves to hike, and Tyler has abeautiful trail around the lake. “All the state parks have some trail system, where you can get out into the woods and feel that connection with nature and the quietness that you can only get through camping,” she said. “Tyler also has mountain bike trails, so if your family wants to spice it up and add in some other fun activities, they are available too.”

The Elwart kids participated in Junior Ranger activities when they were little; they would go on walks with park rangers, then go out and complete different activities to get their Junior Ranger badge, learning about different plants and animals that are native to that park’s region.

They don’t necessarily camp each time; day trips are fun and cost effective, Michele says, especially for those looking for some water fun or light hiking – more affordable than pricey water parks and more interesting than the neighborhood sidewalks! “I love Daingerfield for a nice day trip; they have a great swim beach and picnic area, and it’s a little closer than Tyler State Park.” She also mentioned Fort Richardson in Jacksboro, which has some interesting historic buildings and tours providing insight into Texas history.

Wherever they go, “great family memories are made every time.”

So if you’re not quite ready to risk a packed plane or rock a roller coaster – or the outdoors is calling – visit the Texas State Parks website and choose your own adventure. Peace, quiet, and priceless family experiences await. •

Find the Perfect Park

Did you know that Texas has 89 state parks? Visit the Texas State Parks website for a map of all of them, descriptions of their amenities, calendars of events, and other information to plan the perfect get-away. Find information about purchasing Texas State Parks Passes, which provide unlimited entry; Texas Parklands Passports that are free to certain groups, such as seniors and disabled veterans; and Youth Group Annual Passes.

Visit tpwd.texas.gov to get the whole parks picture!

Although the idea of keeping an eye to your screens may not seem compatible with a weekend in the wild, here are some apps that can actually enhance the experience.

Texas State Parks Official Guide tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/app

This free mobile guide to all 89 Texas parks can point you toward those with swimming, fishing, kayaking, and other activities, as well as cabins, lodges, shelters, RV sites, and tent camping sites. Discover which parks feature boat ramps, dump stations, showers, hiking, biking and equestrian trails, and use the in-app map to locate parks near you. Operating hours, pictures and virtual tours are also available. Use the in-app dialing to make reservations or call, get driving directions, discover park programs and happenings, and get up-to-date info such as burn bans.

AllTrails - www.alltrails.com/mobile

Download this app to plan your hike, bike ride, or trail run and make the most of the experience. Search by length, rating, and difficulty level, which trails are kid (and dog) friendly, and view handcurated maps and reviews by other hikers. Once you’ve arrived, this app prevents you from, well, getting lost if you have a less-than-perfect sense of direction. One click gives you directions back to the rail head. Use the app to keep track of trails you want to explore and create custom maps of the ones you’ve tackled.

iNaturalist - www.inaturalist.org

Upload a picture of any wild plant, animal, or fungus, and iNaturalist’s community, together with image recognition software, will help you identify it. Record and organize nature findings while making connections with other nature enthusiasts, including hikers, hunters, birders, beach combers, mushroom foragers, park rangers, ecologists and fishermen! Share observations, see what other fans of nature have found, keep a life list. Over 31 million observations of over 250,000 species have been recorded.

Geocaching - www.geocaching.com

Join the world’s largest treasure hunt with this app. Find hidden objects using GPS coordinates. Once you’ve discovered the treasure and taken a token, sign the logbooks and log your find online.

Picture This - www.picturethisai.com

Take or upload a photo of any plant and get instant and accurate plant ID with artificial intelligence technology. •