state park

As warm as October began, it ended on a chilly note, just in time for a weekend trip to Galveston for Patti’s birthday weekend. A front had come through and the weather was overcast as we began our journey. But cold and overcast was not a deterrent. It was a weekend at the beach and we were going to enjoy it. There wasn’t a lot of traffic, not too many people wanted to be on the beach on a chilly day.

Any road trip from this area involves at least one stop at Buc-ee’s. It’s a huge one-stop shop. From breakfast to dinner, snacks to desserts, coffee to wine, Buc-ee’s has something for you. Want to buy gifts for those back home? They’ve got that too. T-shirts, socks, pjs, knick knacks. They have clean restrooms, plenty of them. And, they have a ton of gas pumps. We’ll have to do a post on Buc-ee’s one day just to show everything there. We ended up with some bacon and egg bowls and packs of venison sausage and cheese for lunch.

From there, it was back on the road to Galveston State Park. Galveston State Park opened in 1975. There are two sections, the beach side, and the bay side. Both sides offer camping. Damaged by Tropical Storm Frances in 2008, and Hurricane Ike in 2008, construction began in 2018 to repair the damage and upgrade the facilities. The camping sites were redone, as was the gift shop, and entrance. All the old picnic tables that flooded every time it rained, and the porta potties are gone. The bumpy parking lot is gone. In it’s place is expanded, neatly organized parking at each entrance to the beach. There are restrooms and changing rooms at each entrance, and outdoor showers to rinse off the sand and salt water. The picnic areas have all been redone, all are now on cement pads, with covers and grills at each one. It’s a much prettier area now.

As it was a chilly day, we weren’t going to staying on the beach relaxing, we took a walk to the south edge of the park and back. There were very few people out walking as the breeze was making a damp day rather cold. But it was still beautiful, and some decent pictures were taken.

The birds had the beach almost entirely to themselves.

Except for the Jellyfish, which were everywhere, oblivious to the cold

Most of the Jellyfish were blobs, but one still appeared to have some semblance of life. The colors were more vivid than in the pictures above, the camera does not do them justice.

Although it’s not a shell gathering beach, there were a few pretty ones, so we had to take a few pictures.

And what beach walk would be complete without driftwood. The driftwood was almost non-existent for this trip, but one makes do with what we have.

A few more random pictures to finish up part one of Galveston State Park:

Even on a cold gloomy day, there is beauty in nature.

Texas has over 80 state parks, natural areas, and historic sites. Beaches, lakes, mountains, sand dunes, caves, dinosaur tracks, all of these and more can be found throughout the many state parks. Whether your interests lean to fishing, hiking, swimming, boating, star gazing, geocaching, or more, there’s a park in Texas for everyone. The Texas State Pass only costs $70 for an entire year and gives everyone in the passholder’s car free daily entrance to any state park. It’s an amazing deal for a year of entertainment for a family.

Brazos Bend State Park lies about 30 minutes southwest of Houston. Originally a hunting ranch, the approximately 5,000 acre park was purchased by the state of Texas in 1976 and opened as a state park in 1984. The park offers miles of hiking and biking trails and 13 miles of equestrian trails. There are multiple picnic areas and two playgrounds for children.

If you’re into star gazing, the park is home to George Observatory, which is part of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. There is a separate entry fee to the Observatory, and tickets have to be purchased online through the museum. On any given Saturday night, amateur astronomers gather to view the stars and planets, and the domes and telescopes are open to visitors with tickets.

For many people, it is the nature and wildlife that draw visitors to the park. Bird watching is very popular in the park. If you’re lucky, you might see a wild boar in the distance, and deer often show up at dawn and dusk. The nature center has exhibits on the three ecosystems in the park and, if you’re lucky, they will have alligators and snakes on display. Sometimes the park rangers will even have a snake or baby alligator out to view and pet, should you wish.

And then there are the alligators. There are hundreds of alligators in Brazos Bend State Park. It’s estimated there are around 250 over 6 feet. The biggest known ones are 15-16 feet in length. They mate in May or June, and eggs hatch in late August to early September. The babies, when they hatch, are only about 8 inches long. They stay with their mother for at least a year, sometimes up to two years.

The alligators are the reason I return to the park again and again. The best place to see alligators is 40 acre lake and Elm lake. Spring and Fall, when the weather isn’t too hot or cold, are the best seasons for alligator watching. I’ve seen as many as 40 alligators on a good day, from babies to big ones. You have to be aware of your surroundings as you can come around a corner to find an alligator sunning on the bank. They won’t bother you if you don’t bother them, but it’s always best to cross to the other side of the path and move along so as not to disturb the alligator.

Alligators, stars, birds, fishing, whatever makes you happy, Brazos Bend State Park has something for everyone. It’s a great place for a family picnic, a hike or a bike ride. Make sure to bring your camera to capture the memories.

ROADS MORE TRAVELLED

Finding new adventures, one road at a time!

Galveston Island State Park, Part One

We’ve got Alligators! Brazos Bend State Park