Galveston State Park (GSP)

Over the years we have visited Galveston State Park four or five times. This is a popular, well-funded state park. It is an environmental stronghold in the expanding urban sprawl.

Quiet Bayside

We have camped on the surfside. Even though I fished at Galveston Island years ago, and have camped throughout the state, the GSP campgrounds were new experiences for me. I am used to more trees! Like every other state park we visit, GSP has its own unique attributes/beauty.

Sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico

Winter Sky

Though I normally would not write about a bathroom, the bathroom next to the #1 campsite (beach side) is worth noting. It is fancy! I'll use this as a segueway. Some campers are not into "roughing it." There is no condemnation from us on this, but if you are one who is more urban than otherwise, Galveston State Park is a good potential destination for your pick-nicking or camping pilgrimage. All the museums, restaurants, shopping and sightseeing the island is known for are available to a camper at GSP. One could drive out to Galveston, suddenly decide they wanted to camp and buy everything needed including food, a few minutes from the park. If nothing else it is a quiet place to have a pick-nick and enjoy some solitude and nature. Then you can step back into the mainstream.

Just an afternoon on the shore

To me the parks quieten down after sunset, that is the human activity does. An after-sunset beach stroll reveals birds and crabs feeding on the beach. In the tent the sounds of the surf and the highway mix into a surprisingly pleasant blend of white noise.

Crab at night

When we camped on New Year's Eve 2015, the winds were about 18 mph. You don't need a super-wadoozy tent here, but it does need to be able to stand to some wind. Temperatures stayed in the mid-50s. It was a bit windy to build a fire or cook on a camp stove.

These old camping shelters have made it through several decades of hurricanes/floods, providing a sense of continuity

The night before we enjoyed a seafood feast from an old family restaurant and Christmas lights from Moody Gardens, then instead of fighting traffic home, we just camped together with family at GSP. The next morning, we took the kids on a beach walk and found some pieces of sand dollars. My children enjoyed finding crabs and crunching sea shells with their feet.

Crab catching

Sometimes we visit the bay side of the park. There are places to camp, as well as launch a canoe or kayak. These campgrounds are further from the surf and highway so they are quieter. The winds are less active too. We have canoed from this park and it's a good way to enjoy the bay. There are also some walking trails on the bay side. Both the surf and bay sides of the park are good opportunity to watch and study birds. I have not fished Galveston Bay for many years. As I begin my return to fishing I'll share those experiences.

Enjoying the scenery

For us, GSP is not always destination of pure camping or outdoor motifs. It's an affordable way to stay on the island overnight. While it is not a "quintessential outdoor experience" combining a Galveston Island experience with camping is rarely a bad thing. From time to time I hear or read things decrying Galveston or other Texas coastal environments. These places are not stunning like Coronado Beach in San Diego, but that isn't saying they are not beautiful. If you visit this park, take advantage of the quiet enclave. Without too much effort you can imagine what the place was like for the original Karankawa Indians, Jean Lafitte the pirate/privateer, and others.

Rugged enough for a peaceful escape

Stephen F. Austin State Park

Most of the Texas State Parks are sanctuaries of more than one kind. Stephen F. Austin State Park is not different in that regard. The unique quality of SFASP is its subtle serenity and beauty that belies the rattle and hum of Houston and nearby communities. An alcove in an urban sprawl, evening twilight on this park may find your eyes stretching across the campground. With the falling sun and the glow of campfires, lanterns and flashlights, it's not hard to imagine yourself inside a Thomas Kincade work!

Just your average beautiful SFA campsite in the morning!

This park is set in a large elm grove nestled in to the oaks, sycamores, cottonwoods and willows on the banks of the Brazos River. We visited this park last in March 2016. I am not certain but it seemed the droughts damaged most of the elm trees. Maybe the elms were dormant, it was early March. I intended to return and check the trees but the Brazos flood later in Spring 2016 changed my plans; the park has been closed and will remain so at least until January 1, 2017.

Dottie was 36 weeks pregnant on this last trip in March. We spent two nights in a tent there. The weather was typical of Texas late winter/early spring, pleasant and mild. Lows were in the low to mid fifties, highs about twenty degrees more. We relaxed and read books and cooked in a Dutch oven and on the park grill. I took the kids (then 6 and 4 years old) on a hike down the Barred Owl Trail. The kids used a park map and guided us along the trails. There were several trail intersections and it was fun to watch them look at the map and the trails and make choices. I let them make "mistakes." Once we back tracked and re-evaluated the map and terrain. They did great. We stopped a moment at the Scenic Overlook and enjoyed the elevated view of the Brazos. Along the way we stopped to watch some leaf cutter ants, examine some odd fungi and we even saw some rabbits and squirrels. They enjoyed playing on a gentle slope of the riverbank, caught a small anole lizard and watched turtles swim against the current. An ultralight airplane flew between the river banks. Depending on the wind direction you could hear the highway. It's not bad.

Leaf Cutter Ants

It's not uncommon to see deer in the park in the mornings, especially if you camp midweek. Pileated woodpeckers are park residents. Large Turk's Cap flower bushes draw in hummingbirds. Just after dusk you can hear distant coyotes yipping and howling. Hooting owls call out as the night deepens.

We tent camp, and I guess that's why we notice the park's natural tenants. The night sounds are part of tent camping's best experiences. Dew-drops on the tent with the cawing crows are gentle wake up calls. The camp sites had at the time of our visit (perhaps has changed post-flood) thick Bermuda grass mats, making for reasonably comfortable sleeping. Our experience at SFASP has been that there are few, maybe no mosquitoes. It may be due to the manicured park grounds. The mature elms are left standing with the brush cleared out from beneath them. Grass is allowed to grow high in areas between sites. As it was maintained, it was easy to look across the campground and see your kids in the distance. Sound carries under the elm canopy, fostering a comforting sense of community.

Overall the park has a sense of beauty and calmness that takes a while to recognize. I have been to Stephen F. Austin three times now. There is nothing offensive about the park. I think we are overstimulated in that we fail to notice things that are not extreme. Like many Texas parks there are no stunning mountain views or otherwise calendar-class plates. The charm of SFASP is the tranquil calm and beauty of the place. The hiking trails are not too tough, the environment is not extreme. This park is not a draw for sport fishermen nor is it a bucket list destination for local residents or out-of-town travelers. It takes a while to get to know the place; it may take two to three visits to appreciate the ambiance. This is even though it's a small park. It's not the vastness or intricacies that demand you to become familiar or comfortable; it's the quiet subtleness. The time and effort to acquaint yourself with the park are worthwhile. I think this park is one of the more popular of the Texas State Parks, for good reasons. Reservations usually need to be made months in advance. If you are an individual who is comfortable and at ease with yourself, then Stephen F. Austin is a good place to enjoy an adventure in the gentle and sublime.

River's edge adventures

Packing List

What to do? So much to pack, so little time.

After years of backpacking, hunting, camping, and river trips, we have worked out a master list for our family (you can see the PDF links below.  Over the years I have regrouped this list by room to make packing easier).

The first day I plan, I sit down and decide what meals and what items I will need. I cross off anything we do not plan to take... this saves time/energy, and gives us a chance to decide what kind of activities we hope to do on the trip. There is nothing quite like having unmatched expectations for a weekend off, amirite? ;-)

Then we attack packing room by room. I like to try and pack a few days in advance, and first pack what we don't need access to until the trip.  It makes things easier.  (If I've been sick or tired or busy though, oh well, last-minute packing it is.)

One note: our menu is very simple, and also very paleo (we don't do much substituting or trying to make fancy meals).

MENU Master PDF

PACKING Master PDF

I made these files in Excel so that I could move things around.

When it comes time to pack/unpack the car, let the kids help!

Martin Dies Jr State Park

We enjoyed this park deeply. It is very similar to Huntsville State Park.  There seemed to be minimal traffic (boat, car, and camper). Our children enjoyed riding their bikes up and down the road near our shelter.

It felt like the screened shelters were far apart... although that may have been due to the amount of brush.  Some fireants on the ground did not deter us from letting the kids play in the dirt all day.  We rinsed them off at dinnertime.

This camp, while on the water, is not directly on the Neches river and so it is better to canoe for successful fishing (panfish mainly). If you try to cast from the banks/pier you won't have much luck, though you'll still have fun!  The end result: getting out and enjoying life together, will result no matter what you do.

Watch out for mosquitoes at dusk (bring your bugspray, marshmallows and Christmas lights -- and ENJOY)... It was lovely!

Go to: http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/martin-dies-jr