Texas is one of the nation's leaders in nature tourism. The state was the first to build wildlife viewing driving trails that provide economic incentives for landowners and communities to conserve habitat, as well as offer recreational opportunities. Many driving trails throughout the state have been developed to allow birders and other wildlife enthusiasts to enjoy the Texas outdoors.
The Lone Star State is arguably the birding capital of America, with more than 600 species of birds to see. Texas lies at the confluence of three major migratory paths, making the state especially rich in variety and a favorite of bird lovers. Seventy-five percent of the bird-watching sites and parks are along the Texas Gulf Coast. The state was the first to create a birding trail. The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, completed in 2000, links 310 premiere bird-watching sites and many communities. Other new trails were modeled after the Great Texas, including the Heart of Texas, Panhandle Plains Wildlife, and Prairies and Pineywoods trails.
Texas pioneered the concept of highway rest areas -- an idea that was adopted nationally. The state boasts more than a thousand rest areas, picnic sites and scenic turnouts along its roadways.
Padre Island National Seashore, one of the last natural seashores in the United States, extends about 80 miles along the Texas coast and encompasses some 131,000 acres of dunes and beaches. The seashore protects rare coastal prairie, as well as the Laguna Madre, one of the few remaining hyper-saline lagoon environments in the world. The seashore is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including rare, threatened or endangered species. Visitors enjoy birding, primitive camping or hiking the Grasslands Nature Trail, a self-guided 3/4-mile loop.
Big Thicket National Preserve, established in October 1974, was the first of its kind in the National Park System. The preserve protects a 97,000-acre area supporting some of the richest biological diversity in North America, at a convergence of eastern hardwood forests, the Gulf coastal plains and the Midwest prairies. Big Thicket is recognized as a Globally Important Bird Area and as an International Biosphere Reserve.
There are 17 national wildlife refuges in Texas, as well as a national marine sanctuary. The majority of refuges are oriented around water, many along the Gulf Coast. In addition, most refuges offer opportunities for bird watching and wildlife viewing, and some offer hiking, scenic driving, fishing and hunting opportunities.
Hiking, horseback riding, camping, rock climbing and mountain biking are popular in the state's four national forests. They are the Angelina, Sabine, Davy Crockett and Sam Houston national forests, all of which are located in the heavily forested "piney woods" of eastern Texas. Primitive camping is allowed in all areas, except where posted. The 20-mile-long Four C National Recreation Trail, located in the Davy Crockett National Forest, follows abandoned tramways. Many of them were built by the Central Coal and Coke Company, after which the trail was named. Texas also has five state forests and two national grasslands.
Texas boasts 123 state parks, historic sites and natural areas comprising more than 600,000 acres and offering a variety of recreational opportunities. Many state parks offer swimming -- in lakes, rivers, creeks, swimming pools, or the ocean. Some state parks provide rock-climbing and bouldering opportunities. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is one of the premier rock-climbing sites in Texas. The area also offers plentiful primitive tent sites. There are several places to climb in and around Austin.
The state's largest body of water, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, is located in the Angelina National Forest of east Texas. The lake comprises 114,500 acres and 560 miles of shoreline. In fact, Texas has more than 150 large reservoirs, as well as community fishing lakes and about 80,000 miles of rivers and streams. Many state parks rent canoes, kayaks, flat-bottom boats, fishing boats and paddlecraft.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department maintains an array of fish hatcheries. The GCCA/CPL Marine Development Center in Corpus Christi is one of the largest marine fish hatcheries in the world and one of the best-kept secrets in Texas. Sea Center Texas is a state-of-the-art marine fish hatchery and aquarium located on 75-acre Lake Jackson. The center features a free aquarium, touch pools, fishing pond, a wetland walkway and the largest red drum hatchery in the world. The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens is an innovative aquatic nature center and hatchery complex featuring a dive show auditorium, a fishing pond, 300,000 gallons of aquariums, a fishing museum, and gift shop.
Recreational hunting and fishing licenses, as well as stamp endorsements, are available at more than 2,000 locations statewide. They include sporting goods stores, gun shops, bait and tackle shops, grocery stores, department/discount stores, and Texas Parks and Wildlife offices. A hunting license is required for any person, regardless of age, who hunts any animal or bird in Texas, and a fishing license is required of any Texas resident over the age of 17 who takes or attempts to take any aquatic life in public waters, including mussels, clams and crayfish. Lifetime hunting and fishing licenses are available. In addition, every hunter born on or after September 2, 1971 must successfully complete a hunter education course.
A variety of hunting opportunities exist in Texas. The state ranks second in the nation for the number of hunters. Since the 1930s, hunters have funded the bulk of wildlife conservations efforts in Texas through the Wildlife Restoration Program. Ninety-seven percent of Texas is privately owned, which means that many hunters opt for private hunting lease agreements. In addition to private hunting leases, two public hunting programs are offered in the state. The Annual Public Hunting Permit provides nearly year-round hunting on approximately 1.2 million acres, including popular dove-hunting areas. The Public Hunt Drawing System allows hunters to apply for a wide range of supervised hunts for Texas' chief game -- white-tailed and mule deer, antelope and wild turkey. Hunters also can include themselves in drawings for exotic wildlife and native animals on managed land and leased private properties.
The Lone Star State offers a variety of parks, RV resorts and campsites that allow visitors to choose between open spaces or lakeside campgrounds. Camping facilities range from primitive tent camping to luxurious cabins with full kitchens.
Texas is a horseback rider's heaven. With an array of trails, outfitters and stables, equestrian lovers are sure to enjoy themselves at many sites throughout the state. State parks offer riders some of the best scenery in Texas. Day-use and overnight equestrian facilities are available. Horse rentals and trail rides are accessible in or near many state parks.
More than 900 18-hole public golf courses exist in Texas, some of which are homes to PGA and LPGA tour events. Waterwood National Resort is ranked by Golf Digest as one of the best golf courses in the state. The Quarry Golf Club in San Antonio has been consistently ranked among the world's finest, and includes a unique back nine that descends into a massive limestone quarry surrounded by 100-foot cliff walls.
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