Snippets of things to see/do Texas trip tips; places I have on my list of places to visit while in Texas. No particular order. I have not edited these much, just cut/pasted to my list of places to check out...
Bat Watching in Austin - Visit Austin (I have done this, and it is very interesting!)
https://www.austintexas.org › things-to-do › outdoors
Big Bend National Park, Texas The eastern side of Big Bend also offers a chance to hop across borders. Park guests with passports can take a $5 round-trip row boat across the Rio Grande to the tiny Mexican town of Boquillas del Carmen and explore its charming shops and riverfront restaurants. Return to Big Bend in the evening for a spectacular night camping under the stars — the dark skies here contain less light pollution than any other national park in the lower 48 states, making for sublime stargazing.
If you're staying in or around Alpine, TX, consider a night tour of McDonald Observatory just outside Ft Davis. Their Star Parties are great, they have schedules on line.While you're there, you should consider a raft trip down the Santa Elena Canyon. Google it, and you will find a lot of pictures and info. Guadalupe Mountains National Park Franklin Mountains State ParkHueco Tanks State Park & Historic SiteExplore Red Sands near El Paso, TexasGorman Falls at Colorado Bend, Texas
http://brod-trip.com/photography-guide-big-bend/ What ever you do, do not pass up the opportunity to visit The McDonald Observatory! Their tours ($22 total for all three) are fun and very informational and the Milky Way is fantastic with no light pollution. If you decide to go,call and make reservations for the tours now as space is limited and they fill up fairly quickly. You will be there at the tail end of the Milky Way sighting, but Google it and determine whether or not to try to capture it. One of the domes is located on the highest mountain in Texas and the daytime view is worth the trip. Water. This is desert country. Have water bottles or canteens and fill them at every opportunity.Make sure you have reservations where ever you plan to stay. Fort Davis is a good place to base and it's near McDonald Observatory (a great place to shoot the stars). Cibolo Ranch near Marfa late in September. No matter where you go you will be amazed at the beauty. You'll have a great time. If staying in the Chisos Basin Lodges make reservations at least 6 months ahead
BTW an earlier comment on distance to Alpine being 50-60 miles from center of park; more like 90 miles. The roads in that area are not fast roads, so may not be a convenient option if visiting the park itself for more than one day, which is not nearly enough. watch your speed.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bigbend/ Balmorhea State Park
9207 State Highway 17
Balmorhea, Texas
“The World's Largest Spring-fed Pool!”
We all know that "everything is bigger in Texas", but the old saying often proves to be even more true than you might expect. It's not just about big cowboy hats, big hair and giant steaks... you can even find the world's largest spring-fed swimming pool in the Lone Star State at Balmorhea State Park. The pool itself is 1.75 acres big and holds 3.5 million gallons of water-- so it's definitely Texas-sized! It's fed by the San Solomon Springs, which pump 15 million gallons of fresh, pure spring water into the pool every day-- so it's all natural and totally not chlorinated. The pool is up to 25 feet deep in some places, which makes it perfect for snorkeling or skin and scuba diving, if a casual dip in the more shallow parts or doing jack knifes off the diving board isn't quite doing it for you. Plus, since the water stays around 72 to 76 degrees naturally, it's refreshingly cool during the hot summers, but not so cold that you have to worry about it being so frigid that you can't jump right in. The springs have been important to the people of West Texas for years: the Mescalero Apaches watered their horses there, and farmers used it to irrigate their farmlands during the 1800's. The massive pool was built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the organization that employed young men to help rebuild parks and roads when jobs were scarce during the Great Depression. There's a canal that guides the water through the pool and then downstream to Balmorhea Lake, which is about three and a half miles away, watering alfalfa and cotton crops along the way. The park is also home to cienegas (desert wetlands from the spring) which are the perfect habitat for some rare plants and wildlife that you won't find many other places in the world. The park has campsites, if you want to make a weekend of your trip to the pool, as well as a retro, 1930's-inspired motor lodge, San Solomon Springs Court. Check out Fredricksburg, Johnson State Park, Natural Bridge Cave, maybe even Enchanted Rock, all in the Hill Country. Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas
The second-largest canyon in America (after the Grand Canyon, of course) is within Palo Duro State Park. Located in the Texas Panhandle, the Palo Duro Canyon has been a source of wonder for centuries. In fact, the breathtaking views were a frequent subject of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings when she lived in the region and headed the art department at West Texas State Normal College. The canyon, consisting of red-rock scarps and dotted with desert shrubbery, is a whopping 120 miles long and is up to 20 miles wide at certain points.
Palo Duro, which is officially nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of Texas,” is famous for its spectacular sunsets. The park offers 30 miles of trails along steep mesa walls for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.
The Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas regularly makes the round-up posts of the least-visited national parks in the country, with an average attendance of only around 200,000 people each year. It's easy to see why, as summers in this southern Texas park are hot, with highs in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit. But when the summer heat dies down, October is the best month to visit. You’ll find beautiful fall colors in McKittrick Canyon between late October and early November, and cooler temperatures make hiking Guadalupe Peak more enjoyable. Birds at Laguna Seca Ranch and Martin Refuge near Edinburg, TX
Laguna Seca Ranch is made for nature photography. They offer blinds and small ponds that are carefully made to help everyone shoot beautiful photos for a small fee of $125 per day. It is well worth it! Photographing birds in South Texas