Picturesque

PLACES IN TEXAS YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS

BY CHRISTINA GARCIA

Big Bend

Remote and vast. At Big Bend in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, those two adjectives are accurate but insufﬁ cient to describe the beauty that draws backpackers, hikers, motorcyclists, mountain bikers, boaters, and aviators to the area to bask in the beautiful scenery and maybe even explore some petroglyphs. Horseback trips are also common in this lovely wilderness.

The Chisos Mountains offer some beautiful hikes to peaks more than 7,000 feet above sea level for those looking to get plenty of exercise. If a car ride sounds better, enjoy the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to the

Sotol Vista and Santa Elena Canyon trailhead, both famous for their excellent views.

Navigable by kayak and canoe, the Rio Grande is often traversed by people on day-long trips, which you can reserve online with local guides. The views from the canyons, including Santa Elena, Mariscal, Colorado, and others, make for unforgettable journeys on the border with Mexico.

Summer days are incredibly hot, so visit during milder seasons. Don’t miss the small natural hot springs, Boquillas Hot Springs, for a healing soak. To stay in the park, camp, park an RV, or book a room in the Chisos Mountain Lodge.

Natural Bridge Caverns

Go underground. Discover the enchanting Natural Bridge Caverns, Texas’ hidden subterranean gem nestled just outside San Antonio. As you journey through its awe-inspiring chambers, marvel at stunning stalactites and stalagmites that have formed over millennia.

The Discovery Tour offers a family-friendly path, guiding visitors 180 feet below the earth’s surface, while the new Hidden Wonders Tour takes visitors through the expansion of their spectacular hidden cavern with state-of-the-art lighting, newly open rooms, a sound and light show, and conveyor ride back to the surface. Adventure Tours include climbing and crawling through undeveloped passages, and the Lantern Tour leads you with only the light of lanterns, allowing you to experience the cave through the eyes of the original discoverers in the 1960s.

Above ground, the lush parkland provides perfect spots for picnicking and hiking, with breathtaking views of the iconic natural bridge along with playgrounds with ropes, ladders, mazes, and gem mining. Whether you’re a geology enthusiast or seeking a unique family outing, Natural Bridge Caverns promises an unforgettable adventure beneath the Texas sky.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Think Dr. Seuss. When tall rock spires have been eroded into interesting shapes, they’re called hoodoos. These striking formations are close to something you might have seen in kids’ books. At Palo Duro Canyon State Park, the Lighthouse hoodoo stands in stunning shades of red and ochre, framing beautiful vistas. All around the canyon, unique cliff faces, secluded caves, and hidden arches offer exciting areas to explore in the Panhandle region of Texas.

As the second largest canyon in the United States, this spectacular area of 20,000 acres welcomes sightseers and outdoor explorers for activities as serene as birdwatching and as adrenaline packed as mountain biking. Horseback trail rides and scenic tours are available too.

Take it all in by car on a scenic drive down Park Road 5 to enjoy views from the rim to the canyon ﬂoor or reserve a Jeep tour from Palo Duro Creek Ranch to explore with a knowledgeable guide. For a shorter hike, take the one-anda-half-mile trek on the Lighthouse Trail or the one-hour horseback tour from Old West Stables, located inside the park. Luxury overnight accommodations are available at the nearby Doves Rest Cabins.

MONAHANS SANDHILLS STATE PARK

Grab your goggles. Texas isn’t always blessed with enough snow to sled across, but Monahans Sandhills in the Permian Basin of West Texas are a great alternative. The 3,840 acres of sand dunes include both ﬁ xed and active dunes of pale orange quartz sands. Fit for a toboggan or board any time of year, the dunes shift and blow. Visitors can rent boards from park headquarters, but we’ve heard that some even bring skis. Horseback riding trails add an extra avenue for exploration in these dunes, which stretch into New Mexico.

CADDO LAKE

Don’t feed the alligators. At Caddo Lake, alligators, alligator gar, and alligator turtles are right at home, but that doesn’t stop this area from being a favorite destination for travelers. Flooded bald cypress trees navigable by boat are some of the most jaw-dropping parts of the landscape. Caddo Lake State Park boasts the largest cypress forest in the world and is a fantastic area to visit for paddling, ﬁ shing, hiking, or camping. Crossing into Louisiana from the Piney Woods of East Texas, the freshwater area stretches 25,000 acres into bayous and canals with trees picturesquely draped in Spanish moss and lots of natural wildlife. Just don’t go swimming unless you’ve found a clearly designated area.

To explore this otherworldly territory, hop aboard a sunset tour or cruise through on a privately operated boat tour from nearby Karnack or Uncertain. For those with an interest in the haunting ruins of the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant, the Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge will satisfy.