Summer is the perfect time to escape to the state parks of Texas, so we’ve designed the ten best trips for you to take, from a longtime favorite on the Frio River to a secret spot in West Texas that hasn’t even opened yet. With expert tips on where to camp, what to see, and where to eat—along with five essential skills that will make your family think you were raised in the woods—this is the only guide you’ll need to see how easy it can be to rough it. [Texas Monthly, June 2011]
What possessed me to join about 14,000 people in ninety-degree heat to ride in one of the largest bicycle races in the country? Why the hell not. [Texas Monthly, September 2010]
The course of the Neches River Wilderness Canoe Race is the 22 miles of the Neches in Anderson County between Lake Palestine and U.S. 79, where the muddy channel winds through thick forest. [Texas Monthly, August 2010]
Throw a canoe on the roof or a tube in the trunk and head for the Llano, the Brazos, the Pecos, the Trinity, the Guadalupe, or any of the other rivers on this list of the twenty best trips to take on Texas waterways this summer. [Texas Monthly, May 2010]
Whether you want to ride a horse, bomb down a mountain-bike trail, hike up a hill, relax in a hot springs, scale the face of a giant granite boulder, or just sit on your tailgate and look at a pretty sunset, there’s a lot to do on and around the peaks of West Texas. So strap on your pack and go! [Texas Monthly, October 2009]
On our first-ever quest for the state’s best burgers, we covered more than 12,000 miles, ate at more than 250 restaurants, and gained, collectively, more than 40 pounds. Our dauntless determination (and fearless fat intake) was rewarded with a list of 50 transcendent burgers—and you’ll never guess which one ended up on top. [Texas Monthly, August 2009]
Grab your towel, your sunscreen, and go! Presenting our 25 favorite swimming holes: Barton Springs, Blue Hole, Balmorhea, and other iconic places to lower your core temperature. At least for a couple of hours. [Texas Monthly, August 2008]
Presenting the top ten trails across the state— plus twenty more great routes— covering everything from the Chisos Mountains to the Big Thicket. So grab your backpack, your boots, and your sense of adventure and… [Texas Monthly, October 2006]
A father and daughter save the upper Neches. [Texas Monthly, August 2006]
From kayaking on Town Lake to mountain biking around Joe Pool Lake, from bass fishing on Lake Fork to horseback riding on the shores of Lake Whitney, here are some of our favorite things to do in, on, and around Texas lakes. [Texas Monthly, June 2006]
Bluebonnets? Check. Enchanted Rock? Yup. Barton Springs? Duh. You probably guessed those. But what about buckle bunnies? Or goat barbecue? Or Thong Island? From Texas trademarks to personal favorites to the just plain weird, you’ll find everything here. And we do mean everything. [Texas Monthly, April 2006]
These ten bike routes, some easy and some hard, will help you channel your inner Lance. [Texas Monthly, October 2005]
Fourteen of them, actually. From kayaking the Colorado and rock climbing along the Pecos to tubing the Pedernales and birding on the Rio Grande, here are the most enjoyable and exciting things to do on some of our favorite Texas waterways. [Texas Monthly, June 2005]
North from Lufkin to Nacogdoches, east to San Augustine, southwest to Zavalla, west to Diboll, and north to Lufkin. [Texas Monthly, April 2005]
A story about Austin's yoga studios for the Om pages in Yoga Journal. [Yoga Journal, January/February 2005]
Musician Ian McLagan survived the British rock explosion of the sixties. Now he lives in Austin, a place he loves to call home. [Texas Monthly, August 2004]
With more than 600,000 acres of state parks, historic sites, and natural areas, Texas can be a perfect playground for every type of outdoor adventurer—if you know where to go. We do. [Texas Monthly, March 2004]
The flat-as-a-mouse-pad landscape bordering the Laguna Madre contains one of the greatest wildlife-viewing regions in North America—and that's not all. [Texas Monthly, February 2004 Great Outdoors]
Riding a camel across the West Texas sand dunes, I got in touch with my inner O'Toole— and left the modern world far behind. [Texas Monthly, November 2003 Great Outdoors]
To the long list of reasons to visit Fort Worth these days, add this: outstanding bike trails. [Texas Monthly, April 2003 Great Outdoors]
Actress Candy Clark, who played Debbie Dunham in the movie American Graffiti, will be in Dallas February 14-16 for the Autorama show at Dallas Market Center. [Texas Monthly, February 2003]
There are rivers in Texas—some of the most beautiful places on earth—where the fly-fishing is great and you don't have to battle the crowds. Now, tell me again why I should vacation in Montana? [Texas Monthly, January 2003 Great Outdoors]
A kayaking trip offers close encounters with the ecosystem of the wetlands near Port Aransas, where still waters run shallow. [Texas Monthly, October 2002 Great Outdoors]
Black-chinned hummingbirds, rusting tractors, chuckwagon breakfasts— and a restored brothel. [Texas Monthly, May 2002]
Summer's blast furnace is firing up. Luckily, Texas is a paradise of spring-fed pools, sparkling beaches, and more. [Texas Monthly, June 2001]
You don't have to travel far to see treasures in the sea. They're right here. [Texas Monthly, June 2001]