Natural Playground Ray Roberts Lake | New Post Oak Ridge SP | Parks Best for Birding | New Adaptive Gear | and MORE!
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Road Trip! Ray Roberts Lake

drone shot of Lake Ray Roberts' sandy beach, video link

Scenic Ray Roberts Lake is a huge natural playground located north of Denton – and it has an island! Some of the many things to do here include:

  • Along the shore – play on a sandy beach, admire the view from overlooks, camp on the water's edge.
  • On the trails – explore the beauty of the park on foot, bike or horseback – try the the 20-mile Greenbelt Corridor or go birding on the Bluebird Trail.
  • In the water – swimming, paddling, boating and fishing.
  • Everywhere – watch the wildlife, which includes beavers and otters. See them in our video Watching for Wildlife at Ray Roberts Lake.
  • At the end of the day – pause to take in the sunset over the lake.

Watch a variety of folks enjoying some of their favorite activities in the Texas Parks & Wildlife TV series video A Weekend at Ray Roberts Lake. We'll see you out there! 

Join in the Fun of Birding

gold Altamira Oriole on oranges, with video link


Join the growing community of people that observe and photograph birds. Texas has some of the best birding in the world, and park bird blinds provide easy access to that fascinating world.   

Your parks make birding easy with checklists and activities, and some even loan binoculars. Amp up the fun by playing Bird Bingo

birders on boardwalk trail


A few of your parks with great birding year-round:

Get Ranger John's pro tips in the short video Tips to Start Birdwatching.

Land Purchase for New Post Oak Ridge SP

Hill Country landscape with creek at new parkland acquisition

We recently purchased 1,100 acres of land in Central Texas, the final tract for the new 3,000+ acre Post Oak Ridge State Park.

Your new parkland is across the Colorado River from Colorado Bend State Park and about 10 miles upstream from Lake Buchanan. It includes 1.5 miles of creek, limestone bluffs and natural springs. Find more details in our press release TPWD Completes Phase Two Property Purchase of 1,100 Acres Near Colorado Bend State Park.

Reserve Now for the Upcoming Holidays

Memorial Day weekend is May 23-26 and Father's Day weekend is June 13-15. Make park reservations early for both holidays, even if you only plan to visit for a day. You can reserve day passes up to 30 days in advance. Don't wait – reserve now and avoid disappointment later! 

You can make camping reservations up to 5 months in advance. If your plans change, be sure and cancel your stay so others can enjoy the park. Happy summer!


Teach Your Child to Swim

New Adaptive Gear at Your Parks

Man in adaptive chair with park ranger

An adaptive device is specialized equipment for individuals with disabilities, so they can more easily engage in park activities. You can borrow adaptive devices at no cost at select park sites. Check the list of parks with assistive chairs.  

Some of our latest additions include:

Find out which parks have this new gear in our press release Texas State Parks Roll Out All-Terrain Track Chairs for Ultimate Outdoor Access.


license plate of tent with campfire, benefits Tx State Parks, with link

Chill Out Video: Rock Hills of Hueco Tanks

Hueco Tanks rock and pink cloud, video link

Immerse yourself in the exquisite rock formations and sounds of wind, water and wildlife at an oasis in West Texas. Hueco Tanks is also the site of protected ancient pictographs created by people that have visited this area through the ages. Explore the experience in our short video Hueco Tanks: Postcard From Texas.


A message from our sponsor:

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Messages from Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine advertisers:

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