highlight: nature trail
Lajitas/Big Bend Ranch State Park
Devils River
If youre looking for a day trip packed with museums, restaurants, and shopping, then stay away from the Devils River. However, if youre looking for an adventure surrounded by nothing but Gods green earth thats totally off the grid, then a paddling trip down the Devils River might be exactly what you need. To download this episode or purchase it on DVD – CLICK HERE.
This wild, West Texas river snakes its way through some of the roughest country in Texas. It starts in the middle of the desert, and eventually winds its way into Lake Amistad along the Rio Grande and very close to the city of Del Rio. The water is an amazing turquoise blue, but dont let its beauty deceive you. Behind its alluring façade is a myriad of toils and travails. Waterfalls, rapids, snakes, scorpions, and flash floods – not to mention VERY protective land owners that would rather not have you paddling through their giant backyard. Just make sure you know the rules and come prepared to face anything the river may throw at you. Start your trip by contacting Texas Parks and Wildlife to get a list of the rules and a permit. The rules are too long to list here, but the most important one is that you stay within the riverbed and respect private property. You dont want to anger the land owners that keep this river so pristine. Next, I recommend finding an outfitter. There are a number of fishing guides that can set you up on a very nice trip. For for the DIY types, I HIGHLY recommend Amistad Expeditions. They can not only rent you a boat, but also give you a shuttle and valuable insight into the river. Check TPWDs website for a list of other recommended guides. Youll then need to figure out what part of the river you want to paddle. The most popular runs are (1) from Bakers Crossing to the State Parks South Big Satan unit, or (2) the shorter run from the State Parks North Del Norte unit down to Big Satan. Be warned that the stretch from Bakers to Del Norte can be super low, meaning youll be dragging your boat a lot. Until water levels rise, Id stick to option 2. Also be advised that the Big Satan unit is closed to the public, but open to approved guides taking paddlers off the river. This is another reason youll want to stick with one of the guides on TPWDs website. Paddling below Big Satan is tough as the river widens going into the lake and the strong canyon headwinds can be brutal. As you paddle down the river, there are a number of amazing sites and things to do. The fishing on Devils River is epic, especially for largemouth and small mouth bass. So make sure you have a license and a fishing pole. Also, the Dolan Falls waterfall is an amazing natural wonder and super-cool swimming hole. Just be careful, as its owned by the Nature Conservancy. So, enjoy, but respect too. Finally, dont miss the prehistoric pictographs on some of the cave walls. The best one that can be appreciated from the riverbed is on Turkey Bluff and depicts a coyote chasing a turkey a storyline that predates Wylie Coyote by some 4,000 years. The most important thing you must remember is that the Devils River is the most pristine river in Texas for a reason. It is heavily guarded by both the public and private entities that watch over its water. Rivers are meant for public enjoyment, but everyone must be respectful of the land and water. After all, its the rivers beauty that draws you out here, so dont mess it up now.
Tomball, TX
While the lights of Houston shine brightly, don’t let them outshine this small Texas town just 30 miles north. While it’s had a number of names over the years (Peck, TX; Oil Town USA), today it’s named after the man responsible for bringing the railroad to this rural community. A man named Thomas Henry Ball – aka Tom Ball. If you visit, you’ll find a growing city that’s still connected to its historic past. To download this episode or purchase it on DVD – CLICK HERE.
CULTURE
If you’re looking for the history of town, there are two primary places to see. The first is the renovated Railroad Depot. It sits just a stone’s throw from Main Street right on the tracks and takes visitors to the time when the railroad was king. Suddenly this outlying community was connected to the rest of the world and began to boom. The next museum you need to see is the Tomball Museum Center. Rather than one building packed with stuff, this is a collection of historic buildings each filled with artifacts giving visitors a glimpse into an era of Tomball’s history. There is a log cabin, a schoolhouse, a church, and many more. My favorite is the 1940’s oil camp house commemorating the discovery of oil in Tomball which made this city’s population triple in a few short years.
The most popular weekend activity in Tomball is definitely antique shopping. There too many to list. Swing a stick and you’ll hit one. Whatever you do, don’t miss Bob’s Wild West, a small shop packed with antique guns and things killed with guns. You’ll find spurs, knives, and a small Texas Ranger Hall of Fame containing a pistol at the shoot out of Bonnie and Clyde.
If you want to step into a flying museum, then contact the Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing to see “Texas Raiders” a restored B-17 Flying Fortress. Multiple times a year, they take this gal up in the sky giving riders a once in a lifetime experience.
FOOD
When you’ve worked up a giant appetite, Tomball has a number of giant options. For Texas tea room that’s nothing like a grandma-inspired tea party, head to The Whistle Stop Tea Room. Here you’ll find amazing sandwiches (jalapeno pimento cheese anyone?), homemade soups, and a dessert case that’s worth the stop alone. For country cookin’ with a Texas-sized competition, head to Mel’s Country Cafe. It sits out in the country, but that doesn’t stop folks from lining up to partake in the goodness. Both the chicken-fried steak and hamburger are considered the tops by Texas Monthly. But the burger that tops them all is the Mega Mel. A behemoth of meat, cheese, and bacon. It you can eat it in two hours, you get immortal glory on the wall…and a T-shirt.
OUTDOORS
Tomball has a number of great city parks. Spring Creek Park is massive with tall pines and open fields for playing frisbee or having a picnic. In the back corner, you’ll also find a historic marker for a Confederate gun powder mill that exploded on this site killing everyone inside. It left a crater so big that when it filled with rainwater it became a popular swimming hole that many say is haunted. Another important park down the way is New Kentucky Park, the site of Sam Houston’s famous “fork in the road.” During the Texas Revolution, he had to make a decision, turn left and run for safety in Louisiana or turn right and face the Mexican Army. Sam took a right and headed toward San Jacinto…the rest, my friends, is history.
Bryan-College Station, TX
If you arent an Aggie, you might consider a day trip to Aggieland worse than community service. But believe it or not, there is more in College Station than just lots and lots of Aggies. But if you are headed to Aggieland, you might as well make a stop by the campus of Texas A&M University to see Aggie traditions such as the Century Tree, the statue of Sullivan Ross, and Kyle Field. On the north side of Kyle field, youll see the tombs of past Reveillies complete with private score board so that mascots past wont miss a single touchdown. While on campus, visit the George Bush Presidential Library. George Bush 41 wasnt an Aggie, but loved the Aggie tradition so much that he put his Presidential Library on campus.
And one thing every college town has is great grub. College kids need to eat, and BCS provides. Near campus, you might want to grab a burger and beer at the Dixie Chicken, the kind of establishment Aggie legends are made of, complete with full bar, dominos, and rattlesnake cage. Or check out Laynes Chicken Fingers, a place so passionate about its golden fried chicken fingers that all it serves are chicken finger baskets and chicken finger sandwiches. I also highly recommend grabbing a Snuffy burger at the Chicken Oil Company in Bryan (order it Death style if you want to dance with danger), and Mr. Gs Pizzeria in downtown Bryan serves up a mean calzone.
Lovers of class and other fine things might want to head to the renovated Downtown Bryan for some shopping and food, or to the Messina Hof Winery, one of the most-decorated in the state.
And finally, for outdoor lovers, Lake Bryan is a great place to go swimming, or to mountain bike along its 20 miles and miles of well-kept trails.
Goliad, TX
We all Remember the Alamo but so few Remember Goliad, a town that was just as important in securing a Texan victory during the Texas Revolution. Check out why its worth remembering.
The major historical sites in Goliad make this town worth remembering and well worth visiting. Start at Presidio La Bahia, a spanish fort that became the location of the Goliad Massacre when Colonel Fannin and 341 other Texian men were executed within and surrounding the forts walls. While in the area, also check out the Zaragoza House which was the birthplace of the Mexican hero of Cinco de Mayo. And dont miss Mission Espiritu Santo residing just down the road inside of Goliad State Park. The mission will give you a history lesson on why Goliad is considered the Birthplace of Texas Ranching.
When you get hungry, I highly recommend stopping by Blue Quail Deli for a sandwich on homemade bread and a cup of their famous and award-winning Cream of Jalapeno Soup. For home-cooking and a piece of pie, head to The Empresario Restaurant. And for traditional and tasty Tex-Mex, dine at La Bahia Restaurant and Cantina just beyond the Presidio La Bahia.
To explore the great outdoors surrounding Goliad, take a trip down the Goliad Paddling Trail, a 6.6 mile stretch of the San Antonio River starting underneath Highway 59 and finishing up at Goliad State Park. Youll find one of the best rope swings in Texas underneath the iron railroad bridge.
Bastrop, TX
Bastrop is a city tucked away along the winding Colorado River and lost within the Lost Pines.
To appreciate Bastrop, it is mandatory to exit Highway 71. Or else youd miss the three crown jewels of Bastrop: (1) the Colorado River, (2) Bastrops historic downtown, and (3) the Lost Pines.
For a first stop, Id head straight downtown. Grab a giant Chicken Fried Steak and sip sweet tea from a mason jar at Maxine’s on Main. Then head over to Lock Drugs, a old pharmacy , and wash it all down with a hand-dipped Blue Bell milkshake from their old-fashioned soda fountain. Downtown is also a great place to do some shopping, antiquing, and maybe grab an old-fashioned shave from John’s Barber Shop. Also, dont miss the chance to spit off the bridge. Be sure to ask a local for details on this one. For the best food outside of downtown, hit up Roadhouse where I highly recommend diving into a Jalapeno-Cream-Cheeseburger. You wont regret it.
If you seek the natural side of Bastrop, take a trip down the Colorado River along the El Camino Real Paddling Trail, a six mile trail winding around the city and finishing up at the Lost Pines Recreational Trails. Rising Phoenix Adventures would be happy to set you up with a kayak or canoe. You can also head to Bastrop State Park to see the famous Lost Pines a group of Loblolly Pine trees that got separated from East Texas during the ice age and are now permanent residents of Bastrop.
Mineral Wells, TX
For years, people have been CRAZY about Mineral Wells and for good reason too. Whether you stop in to drink some of its healing waters or maybe just take in the gallons of history around each corner, this town will have you satisfied by the end of the day.
CULTURE
To really understand the special kind of crazy surrounding this town, youll want to visit Downtown Mineral Wells where tucked away in a parking lot, youll find the well that started it all. Tired of traveling to other towns for fresh water, James Lynch dug his own well in the 1900s. After drinking from it, he noticed that he felt healthier than he ever had. People traveled from near and far to get a taste of his healing water and so Mineral Wells was built.
Sadly, all of the wells dried up but one. If youre hoping for a taste of the crazy, you can find it at the Famous Mineral Water Co. The company bottles the water from the remaining well and sales this liquid vitamin in water bottles and sodas.
While youre in town, you should also check out the hauntingly beautiful Baker Hotel and Crazy Water Hotel. Both were built during the crazy water hay day to accommodate the massive crowds that flooded into town just for a taste of the healing waters. And both, which are still standing today, were abandoned after all the wells dried up.
Just outside of town, youll find the Fort Wolters which was the largest base for helicopter pilots during the Vietnam War. You can learn about this well-known base just a little further down the road at the National Vietnam Museum. In the museum, you can see the iconic UH1 (or Huey) Helicopters that pilots learned to fly here or pay your respects at the Vietnam Memorial Garden, a half-scale replica of the memorial in Washington D.C.
For some good, clean fun, head over to the Laumdronat Washing Machine Museum to learn about the evolution of the washing machine. You can also do your laundry because it is a full-functioning laundromat as well.
OUTDOORS
If you enjoy climbing, then youll definitely want to take a shot at the Penitentiary Hollow in the Lake Mineral Wells State Park. This is one of the most unique places to climb in Texas because instead of climbing up it, you top-rope down the towering sandstone into the crevices beneath. It is fragile when wet, so it is closed when it rains. Legend has it that this hollow was named after the jail kept in its crevices. For an amazing bike trail, check out the Lake Mineral Wells Trailway in the state park, a 20-mile path on an old railway line that used to connect downtown Mineral Wells and Weatherford. Plus, Garner, TX, is a nice pit-stop along the way!
You can frolic in flowers at Clark Gardens, a 35-acre botanical garden with every kind of flower and greenery you can imagine. And for all the train-fanatics, theres a model train set that includes a mini Mineral Wells and Baker Hotel!
You can time-travel back to the dinosaur days by digging for fossils at Mineral Wells Fossil Park. While you have to supply your own shovels, you can take home any dino bones you find.
FOOD
When the hunger hits, head to Dees Hometown Diner in Cool, TX. Dees may not be your average small town diner, but it is dee-lish. On the front of the menu, youll find the typical cowboy chicken-fried fare, but on the back is a wonderland of Lebanese delights. Dee serves up everything from stuffed grape leaves to falafel.
If you want a meal thats sure to last you for at least two more, head to Marys Café for the biggest chicken fried steak youve ever seen. Seriously, this steak is the size of Texas, and youll want to be sure to wear some comfy pants to devour this dinner.
Beaumont, TX
Beaumont is Texas city of lost gold Black Gold that is. Its also the melting pot between Texas and Louisiana, meaning you dont have to jump the Sabine to visit Cajun Country. Its right here in Beaumont.
Beaumonts history began to boom in 1901 when the Lucas Gusher blew at Spindletop marking the first major oil discovery in the state of Texas. Stop by the Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown to take a stroll through a recreated boomtown. If you love museums, you should also check out the McFaddin-Ward House sitting inside a historic mansion and the Fire Museum of Texas, which boasts the largest working fire hydrant in the world.
If you need to get outside, head to Village Creek State Park just north of Beaumont to bask on its sandy shores. And if you are really feeling up for an adventure, grab a canoe and take a trip down the Village Creek Paddling Trail. The Piney Woods Outfitters would be happy to set you up.
To have a first-hand experience with some of Beaumonts wildlife, head to Gator Country, a wildlife park dedicated to the alligator. You can see Big-Al (the largest captive gator in Texas) and hold the smaller, baby version.
After all this, youll be hungry I GUAR-UN-TEE. So head to the original Jasons Deli in the Gateway Shopping Center to see the humble roots of Texass best sandwich chain. For Bar-B-Q, check out the buffet at Willie Rays BBQ which is ranked as one of the Top 50 in Texas. And finally, to sample the best cajun cookin in Texas, head to Larrys French Market down the highway in Groves.
