Many people ask me, what's there in Texas to visit? What are some of the scenic places in Texas? I have many suggestions. As a travel blogger, I do a lot of research on places, history, state parks, lakes, mountains, scenic drives , blah blah.
September 27th is World Tourism Day. On this occasion, here is a post about some destinations that I visited in Texas, which are worth a visit. Also, here is my wishlist of Texas State Parks.
Now, coming to my bucket list destinations in Texas.
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Here are some of the scenic places to visit in Texas:
1. Big Bend National Park
2. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
3. Padre Island National Sea shore
4. Waco Mammoth National Monument
5. San Antonio
6. Caprock Canyon State park
7. Palo Duro Canyon State Park
8. Caddo Lake State Park
9. Lost Maples State Park
10. Davis Mountains State Park
Big Bend National Park:
Big Bend National Park is South-Western Texas's most underrated and isolated national park. Due to its remoteness, it is not easily accessible. But, trust me when I say, it is as beautiful as the other national parks we visited.
There are some great places to hike, with beautiful scenery of rivers, mountains, and canyons. The park is vast and it takes a minimum of 2 days to cover the best places.
Here is my travelogue.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park:
Gaudalupe Mountain National Park in Chihuahuan desert is known for its rich wildlife, fossilized reef mountains and the highest peak in Texas - El Capitan.
- The trail from dog canyon campground to Marcus Overlook
- McKittrick Canyon to Pratt's cabin and on to Grotto
Padre Island National Seashore:
Waco Mammoth National Monument:
Waco, TX 76708
San Antonio:
Japanese Tea Garden is a wonderful place for a family.
If you have time, check out The Natural Bridge caverns as well.
Here is my travelogue. This is 1.5 hrs from Austin.
Caprock Canyon State Park and Trailway:
Caprock Canyon State Park is around 100 miles(2 hrs) from Amarillo. It is a long drive from Austin (6.5 hrs) and it takes 5hrs to reach from Dallas. This park has 90 miles of hiking trails and is home to Texas Bisons.
Entry is $5 per person.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthigh/12299824726 |
Clarity Tunnel is home to a large colony of Mexican free tailed bats. The Texas Bison herd will be roaming all through the park. Haynes Ridge overlook is a famous view point with incredible views and it can be reached by 5.6 miles hike. You can see rock formations with different colors and layers and multiple creeks on the trail.
You can take a scenic drive of 5.5 miles through the park if you cannot do lengthy hikes.
This park is a nice stop when you are visiting Palo Duro Canyon State Park or Amarillo.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park:
This is definitely a must visit if you love hiking and enjoy beautiful mountain views. This is called 'Grand Canyon of Texas' as it's the second largest canyon in USA.
The Lighthouse rock is the most famous point which can be reached by 5.7 miles round trip trail. The Juniper riverside trail and The Big Cave are other points of interest.
PC: Wikipedia |
Another way to see this park is through horse riding. There is a scenic drive that is around 16 miles long with multiple viewpoints.
Hours: 7 am to 9 pm
While visiting these 2 parks, don't miss stopping at Amarillo. Cadillac ranch, and road side art installations in Combine City are great.
Caddo Lake State Park:
The scenery and photos of this park look amazing. The bald cypress trees and Spanish moss make this lake look misty and surreal. There are boating tours as well. We can fish, paddle, hike, or stay in a cabin. The park is around 5 hrs from Austin.
245 Park Road 2
Karnack, TX 75661
Lost Maples State Natural Area:
37221 F.M. 187
Vanderpool, TX 78885
Davis Mountains State Park:
TX-118 N., Park Rd. 3
Fort Davis, TX 79734