Daffan Nettle is a proud native of the Lone Star State who has an insatiable passion for exploring the natural wonders that Texas has to offer. With a heart deeply rooted in the Texan soil, Daffan W. Nettle is on a perpetual quest to uncover the hidden gems nestled within the vast landscapes of this diverse and captivating state. In the following article, Daffan reviews some of the most popular park locations for visitors and locals alike.
Home to two national parks and 21 wildlife refuges, Texas has plenty of flora and fauna to offer to outdoor lovers. With terrains ranging from deserts to clear blue waters in the lone star state, adventure lovers will get to explore and experience nature like they never did before.
Daffan W. Nettle Discusses the Best Parks to Visit
Texas is home to two national parks which are available for camping, hiking, and more. This section will dive into the beauty of each park and what it offers.
Big Bend National Park
Daffan Nettle reports that Big Bend National Park boasts over 150 miles of mountain and desert trails to hike. The park is home to over
1,200 species of plants and 450 species of birds, allowing nature lovers to bird watch and discover new exotic species.
Visitors who come here often are hiking or camping overnight to stargaze the open, dark skies.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is the highest peak in Texas, allowing visitors to get some of the most stunning views of the state with its elevation.
Daffan W. Nettle explains that, located in West Texas, Guadalupe Mountains National Park also has desert and mountain deserts and currently preserves the world's most extensive Permian fossil reef.
Lone Star Wildlife Refuges
Texas offers 21 wildlife refuges to observe nature in its natural habitat. Unlike the national parks, these wildlife refuges are not open to the public for camping. This section will explore some of Texas' top wildlife refuges.
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is Texas' largest wildlife refuge, consisting of 115,324 acres.
It is home to over 400 different species of birds, including the endangered Whooping Crane, as well as reptiles like sea turtles, and alligators.
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge
Daffan W. Nettle says that Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge is a unique wildlife refuge in its protection of the coastal prairie ecosystem. Here, this wildlife refuge is home to the endangered Attwater's prairie-chicken, a bird only found in two Texas counties.
Here, visitors can spot a prairie chicken as well as other wildlife on the trail such as deer, herons, and alligators.
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
The Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge was specifically made to protect two endangered birds: the black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler. Threatened by the loss of habitat, this wildlife refuge provides these birds with a safe nesting ground to reproduce.
Daffan Nettle also says that in addition to observing wildlife, visitors can also take trails through the refuge for high-elevation landscape views.
Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge
The Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge is an expansive 44,414-acre refuge, with landscapes ranging from salt grass prairies to lakes.
Visitors here get to see different species of birds, reptiles, and butterflies.
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
With 417 species of birds to spot, five bird feeders located around the visitor centers, and plenty of bird viewing areas, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge is a birdwatcher paradise.
The wildlife refuge also has an impressive biodiversity with over 450 plant varieties, 130 types of butterflies, 45 mammal species, and more documented in the 110,000 acres of land. It is also the largest protected land area in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge
Daffan W. Nettle explains that the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge is known for having the largest remaining freshwater marsh on the Texas Coast. With access to water, visitors here commonly enjoy fishing and crabbing.
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge is the oldest wildlife refuge in Texas, established originally as a wintering area for migratory waterfowl and sandhill cranes.
In addition to waterfowl and cranes, visitors may also be able to spot prairie dogs, coyotes, and rattlesnakes.
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge
Deemed the jewel of the National Wildlife Refuge System, this wildlife refuge is small but mighty. Positioned along the migratory routes for many species of birds, visitors here can spot exotic birds and insects unseen in other parts of the U.S. Native birds like green jays, chachalacas and great kiskadees, and rarer birds like the hook-billed kite and gray hawk can be spotted.
Conclusion
For wildlife and outdoor lovers, consider making Texas for the next trip! With an abundance of trails to hike and animals to spot, Texas has plenty to offer.
