National Parks / Refuges

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Attwater Prairie Chicken

The words endangered species generally bring to mind visions of exotic animals in faraway places. Animals like the black rhinoceros or the Asian elephant or the bandicoot of Australia. However, unbeknownst to many, the Lone Star State has its own critically endangered species — the humble Attwater prairie chicken.

What is a prairie chicken, you ask?
Attwater Prairie Chicken ImageThe Attwater prairie chicken is one of the most endangered birds in North America. A member of the grouse family, this barred brown and tan bird is unique to the coastal prairies of Texas and Louisiana. A hundred years ago they numbered up to an estimated one million birds. Today, the few remaining birds are protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
Attwater Refuge SignThe Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge is home to the remaining population of this ground-dwelling grouse. The prairie chicken is a fascinating bird. Each spring, the males of the species gather to perform an elaborate courtship ritual that includes inflating their yellow air sacs and emitting a strange, booming sound. Rangers at the refuge can tell you the best seasons and times to catch a glimpse of these remarkable birds.
Attwater ViewDevelopment along the Gulf Coast over the years has claimed almost six-million acres of prairie, pushing the prairie chicken to the edge of extinction. The survival of this endangered species depends on the faithful stewardship and careful management of the prairie chicken’s declining ecosystem. Today, less than 200,000 fragmented acres of prairie remain, including the 10,339-acre Attwater Wildlife Refuge.
Attwater BirdhousePlaces like the Attwater Wildlife Refuge are important because they are a haven for native and migratory birds. The Attwater Refuge is one of a few refuges managed specifically for an endangered species. Intentional efforts to protect prairie chicken hatchlings, for example, increases the likelihood that their numbers will continue to steadily rise and once again grace our remaining prairies with their courtship dance.
Attwater HeadquartersThe Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge is located southwest of Sealy and northeast of Eagle Lake. The refuge is easily accessible and offers a car route, hiking trails, wildlife viewing stands, and acres of beautiful vistas in every direction. The headquarters features a remarkable display of birds native to the region and a brief orientation video.
Attwater Observation BlindIf you are looking for a day trip near Houston, check out the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge. You will enjoy the vistas, the fresh air, and learning about the birds and plants native to our remaining gulf coast prairies.

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McKittrick Canyon

The most beautiful spot in Texas. These are the words that piqued my interest in McKittrick Canyon. Located near the eastern edge of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the canyon has the most breathtaking display of fall colors in the Lone Star State. These spectacular fall colors attract thousands of visitors to the park in late October and early November.
Cold Guadalupe PlantsAlthough I visited the canyon in late November, I was not disappointed. Friends and I camped at the Pine Springs Campground under overcast skies and freezing rain. The morning of our planned hike to McKittrick greeted us with 20-something degree temperatures and a world of ice. Through the night, the freezing rain had turned the plants and trees in the park into beautiful ice sculptures. We all felt privileged to see the park as few others have the opportunity to see it.
McKittrick SignMcKittrick Canyon is located about seven miles from the Pine Springs Visitor Center — the headquarters for Guadalupe Mountains National Park. We paid our entrance fee at the visitor center and then drove to the canyon. The freezing temperatures kept most sane folks away so we had the canyon pretty much to ourselves. Once we arrived, we wasted no time in setting off down McKittrick Trail toward the Grotto and the Hunter Line Shack (a round-trip hike of about eight miles).
McKittrick Trail ColorMcKittrick Canyon has a beauty all its own. It did not take long for us to realize that we were indeed in one of the most beautiful spots in the Lone Star State. We hiked through a striking palette of fall colors made even more dramatic by the cold, overcast skies. Colorful big-tooth maples, deep-green alligator juniper, bark-shedding manzanita trees, and other native plants each contributed to the beauty of the canyon.
McKittrick Hike RandyThe McKittrick Trail is the most popular in the park and a relatively easy trail to hike. The path is well-maintained and marked, making it almost impossible to get lost. The trail also crosses the only year-round stream found in the park. This stream is home to Texas’ only reproducing stock of rainbow trout. We hiked this trail to the Grotto, a tiny limestone cave filled with stalagmites and stalactites.
McKittrick Grotto GroupJust past the Grotto is a beautiful picnic area with rock tables and benches. We lingered a while at this peaceful spot and just soaked in the beauty of the place. After enjoying a few snacks, we wandered down the trail to the Hunter Line Shack, built in 1924. You can’t visit a place like this without letting your imagination run wild — wondering about the people who built and used it. What an amazing setting for a cabin! The stars at night must have indeed seemed big and bright to the guys who built this cabin deep in the heart of the canyon.
McKittrick Hunter CabinMcKittrick Canyon is just one of the gems that makes a trip to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park worth the drive from anywhere in Texas. In addition to this amazing place that boasts the best fall colors in the state, the park is also home to Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas, and El Capitan, the most dramatic landmark in the Lone Star State. I’m glad my friends and I visited the canyon in the fall. I look forward to returning again soon to enjoy the beauty of the canyon in the Spring or Summer.
McKittrick Hike w Jonathan

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Guadalupe Peak

Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas, is located where the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert meets the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains.

Rising a modest 8,750 feet above sea level, Guadalupe Peak is not high compared to other peaks in the world. And, it’s not even considered the signature peak of the Guadalupe Mountain range. That designation belongs to the massive 8,085-foot high limestone bulwark known as El Capitan.
Omar GP Summit PicGuadalupe Peak is, however, the highest place you can go in the Lone Star State — and that alone makes the strenuous hike to the top worthwhile.
Guadalupe MountainI started my journey to the highest point in Texas long before I packed my gear. Before venturing to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, I read everything I could find on Guadalupe Peak and watched several YouTube videos posted by hikers who had made the trek to the top of the mountain. I also studied trail maps to get a better understanding of the trail and its many switchbacks.

When I arrived at the park I checked in at the park office and chatted with the rangers about the hike. I spent the night at the campground and was up before sunrise the following day. I filled my hydration pack, tossed some Cliff Bars into my pack, grabbed my trekking pole and headed for the trailhead.
On TheTrail to GPThe trail to the top of Guadalupe Peak is just over four miles, but it’s all uphill. The National Park Service has rated this hike as strenuous because the trail steadily rises 3,000 vertical feet along the way. They are not kidding when they say strenuous. It was very strenuous.
Stair Steps to GPThe first mile and a half of the hike is the toughest because of the drastic elevation gain. Hiking this section of the trail is like climbing uneven stairs for a mile and a half. After that point, the trail has lots of switchbacks that steadily take you higher and higher into these mountains that were once the stronghold of Mescalero Apaches.
El Capitan from GPThe trail to the top go Guadalupe Peak is absolutely breathtaking. The final section of the trail offers a fantastic view of the backside of El Capitan and the surrounding country. After 2 hours and 50 minutes, I hiked the final switchback to the top and shouted for joy when I saw the marker at the top of the peak.

There are no words to describe what I felt when I reached the highest point in Texas. I was a kid again. I spent about 30 minutes at the summit — enjoying the view and the solitude.

On the way down I met a guy named Chet, the only other person who hiked to the summit on that day. We had a nice conversation and thought it was cool that he and I were the only two human beings on the face of the earth who stood on the highest point in Texas on December 2, 2014.
GP Summit PicI smiled all the way down the mountain and logged a round-trip time of 5 hours and 40 minutes. Not bad for a 58 year-old guy who is still wild at heart. Standing on the highest point in Texas was an experience I will never forget. Hiking to the highest point in Texas should definitely be on the bucket list of any able-bodied Texas adventurer.