Texas has some wonderful state parks. The maps of hiking trails and online resources are great, but they don’t include everything. Here are some secrets at three of Texas’ state parks.

McKinney Falls State Park

This park has great camping and hiking trails and the falls can be gorgeous depending on recent rains. Austin is a short drive away if you want to spend the day in the city.

The ranger programs are excellent and among the best we’ve seen at a state park. We’ve been to the courses on geocaching, archery, atlatl use, birding, and edible plants. Even more programs are listed online, such as wildflowers, wildlife, prehistory, and fishing. This started us geocaching and throwing a spear with an atlatl. They are both great fun!

The park map shows the Rock Shelter Interpretive Trail, but it doesn’t mark where the shelter is. I’ve seen people pass it by, not knowing the overhang is the Smith Rock Shelter, which was used by Native Americans from 500 BCE to 1700 CE. It was excavated in the 1950’s.

The map also doesn’t show Old Baldy. This is a 500-plus-year-old, 103-foot-tall bald cypress. It can be found on the trail and is southwest of the rock shelter. Google both before you take this hike to find the locations.

Smith Rock Shelter

The map shows Lower Falls, but it doesn’t mention that you can see ruts in the flat rock area where El Camino Real (The King’s Road) ran in the early 1700s. How many wagons and people passed this area to make these ruts in the rocks?

Choke Canyon State Park

The website for Choke Canyon talks about the fishing and birding. I don’t know about the fishing, but the birding is great.

We’ve seen Audubon orioles, road runners, Mexican eagles (crested caracara), western kingbird, vermillion and scissor-tail sapsuckers, turkey and black vultures, crows, killdeer, grackles, cardinals, owls, green jays, egrets, ibis, doves, red-headed woodpeckers, ducks, coots, herons, swans, and swallows. I’m sure there are more to be seen because we aren’t even birders!

But the thing that brings us back and is not mentioned is the wild animals. A herd of deer and rafter of turkey frequently visit the campground.

Javelina chilling out at the campground

We’ve had a squadron of javelinas and even a couple of bobcats walk through our campsite. On walks, we’ve seen rabbits, armadillos, squirrels, turtles, bats, and coyotes and we hear that alligators can be seen at the lake.

The ranger program here is also great.

Caprock Canyons State Park

Many lists of the top state parks in the country list Palo Duro State Park while nearby Caprock Canyons misses the love. However, the park is terrific with so many things to see and do.

A herd of bison may welcome you as you come into the park. The herd is free to roam throughout the park so you may seem them at your campsite or slowly walking across the road in front of you.

The bison here are genetically pure plains bison while much of the commercial bison you see has been crossbred with domestic cattle. Make sure you do not approach a bison and keep a safe distance from them.

Red sandstone and white gypsum along the trails.

The hiking is tremendous with 90 miles of trails. The red sandstone and white gypsum layers form a stark contrast in the canyon. The trails are along bluffs or in flat prairies. Many of the trails are open to mountain biking or horses.

The Honey Flat Prairie Dog Town is close by to the main campground. The prairie dogs are always fun to watch. You may also see coyotes and road runners at the campgrounds. Many other types of wildlife like deer, bobcats, and grey fox might be seen on your hikes.

From April to October, investigate Clarity Tunnel, which is home to up to half a million bats.

Stars are gorgeous at the park. While not a Dark-Sky-designated park, it is considered Class 2 on the Bortle scale, meaning it has excellent dark skies. Stay up late or get up early to enjoy the view!

Besides all this, camping is good with large campsites with water and electric. Wi-Fi is normally quite good.

Texas state parks are great places to visit. Make sure you talk to the park rangers and investigate the whole park to learn their secrets.