A birdwatching industry that generates over $400 million annually for the Rio Grande Valley’s economy is about to add a new wrinkle amidst the nature enthusiasts. The Valley’s first birdwatcher lodge is set to open in late October near Mercedes in the heart of the region. The 10-acre lodge sits on farmland that once grew cabbages and is being returned to its natural state. Tamaulipan thorn forest, mesquite grasslands, and…
Growing up in Harlingen, Javier de Leon like many Rio Grande Valley youth, were warned about straying too far from the safety of a backyard. “People were afraid of the monte (brush),” said de Leon, who today is the park superintendent for the Estero Llano Grande State Park in Mercedes. “There were a lot of negative things attached to the word monte. Things that can bite you. You’re going to…
Hidalgo County Commissioner David Fuentes admired the completed project of a neighboring colleague and knew he wanted the same for his precinct. It was 2020. The Precinct 2 commissioner, Eddie Cantu, invited Fuentes and other county and community leaders to view the finishing touches on his nearly eight-mile-long hike-and-bike trail that connects McAllen, Pharr and San Juan. “I told Eddie, ‘I’m going to figure out a way to connect to…
Joey Lopez took office in 2019 as Cameron County’s Precinct 2 commissioner. He took office with $500,000 for park development as made available from a successful 2012 bond vote. The funds, Lopez said, were just sitting there and not being utilized in his northwest county precinct. Lopez began scouting for landowners who could donate tracts of land to the county for park development. The county commissioner set his focus on…
The walk up to La Sal Del Rey gives hints of what lays ahead in glimpses of white between the thick and thorny green stands of South Texas brush. Then it opens in full view, a stunning expanse of an ancient lakebed with four million-plus tons of salt under shallow waters that reflect like mirrors to the clouds above. In dry months, the water recedes and then is completely gone.…
Alexis Wooderson takes a look up a 40-foot tower that Brownsville’s Camp RIO calls its Treehouse and begins to unpack what it can do. “It can seem like a puzzle,” said Wooderson, who manages the camp’s new ropes course that runs through the tower. “It looks like a daunting course, but once you’re up there, you can feel how secure it is.” With the help of a nearly $600,000 grant,…
The City of McAllen recently earned 49 awards, including an international designation and a coveted industry honor, at the Pinnacle Awards and the World Festival & Event City Awards during the 70th Annual International Festivals & Events Association Convention, Expo and Retreat in Palm Springs, Cali. The awards recognize the outstanding accomplishments, top-quality creative, promotional, operational and community outreach programs produced by events around the world. The professional competition drew…
The City of McAllen held a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 16 for Camp McAllen, a first-of-its-kind public campground offering residents and visitors immersive outdoor experiences, right in the heart of the city. Located at 8701 N. 23rd Street, just north of Frontera Road, the 20-acre site includes fishing docks, kayak launches, an archery range, walking and biking trails, and group camping spaces. Mayor Javier Villalobos, city commissioners and city…
Joe Vega’s family connections to Port Isabel and South Padre Island go back to the early 1900s when his great-grandfather, Jesus Vega, ran and owned a restaurant and hotel on what was then called Tarpon Beach. An old photo the parks director shares shows his forefather amongst a group of men in front of the “Restaurante, Jesus Vega,” with a balcony overhang providing shade from a summer sun. Tarpon Beach…
Summer in Texas means scorching temperatures and the risk of heat-related illness, so Texas State Parks offers seven tips to help parkgoers beat the heat and safely enjoy the beauty that Texas has to offer. Last year, 44 state parks reported a total of 192 heat-related illnesses, with 10 of those incidents involving pets. Texas recorded 36 more heat-related illnesses last year than in 2023. Texans can reduce heat-related incidents…