| The Texas Rio Grande Valley, a fertile deep-southern | | | | week, closed Christmas Day; daily vehicle pass-$3. |
| delta noted for its agricultural wealth (cotton, maize, | | | | Free admission to those having national park pass. |
| sorghum, sugarcane, in-and-above-ground vegetables, | | | | 2. Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge - |
| and citrus fruit), has another sizeable wealth: well over | | | | Boca-Chica Tract. |
| 100,000 acres of national wildlife refuges that follow | | | | Refuge is 17,000 total acres located 25-miles east of |
| the lower 275-miles of the winding Rio Grande River. In | | | | Brownsville via Route 4. 10,680 of it acres are |
| fact, it was the rapid growth of the above | | | | accessible to the public. |
| agribusinesses and the subsequent urbanization of the | | | | Facilities. Tract has no restroom facilities or visitor |
| valley that compelled a major need for preserving its | | | | center; has 22-mile drive-through (avoid driving into |
| wealth of natural plants and animals. | | | | gated areas even if open) to the beach where |
| The general name, Lower Rio Grande Valley National | | | | motorized vehicles are allowed for combing, shelling, |
| Wildlife Refuge (LRGV NWR), refers to several | | | | birding, photography, and other beach activity; |
| fish-and-wildlife-managed tracks of land between the | | | | remainder of tract is for foot traffic only. Overall tract |
| west and east ends of the valley (about 150-miles | | | | has thorn scrub. forest edge, wetlands, coastal prairie, |
| apart via U.S.-83 expressway) from the Falcon Lake | | | | tidal flats, and sandy beach. Carry drinking water, insect |
| on the west end to Padre Island on the east. Among | | | | repellents, and sun protection. |
| these tracts are three fairly large open-to-the-public | | | | Sightings. Numerous plants and shore-loving and other |
| habitats having 1,200 types of plants, 700 species of | | | | birds, like, pelicans, gulls, falcons, plovers, egrets, |
| vertebrates (including birds), and 300 kinds of butterflies | | | | gannets, oystercatchers, warblers and many other |
| living in them at one time or another. | | | | species; shells and sea-life washed onto shoreline. |
| Some of these wildlife include bobcats, javelina, ocelots | | | | Hours/admission. Office is combined with the one at |
| (miniature 20-lb leopard/jaguar-like cats, elusive and | | | | the Santa Ana NWR below if needed; open |
| rare), jaguarundi (9-lb brown or grey cats), armadillo, | | | | sunrise-sunset; free to the public. |
| snakes, lizards, chameleons, amphibians, alligators, sea | | | | 3. Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. |
| turtles, rodents, coyotes, rabbits, deer, beaver, flora, | | | | Refuge is 2088-acres of riparian forest (thick brush |
| trees, sage, shrubs, wildflower, insects, parrots, | | | | and subtropical trees). Park is 7-miles south of the |
| butterflies, subtropical trees, cacti of all kinds and sizes, | | | | town of Alamo on the Rio Grande River via FM-907. |
| and about 500 species of local, migratory, and | | | | Facilities. Large visitor center with indoor museum and |
| subtropical birds. The three main tracts are listed | | | | innovative above-ground cisterns, limited weekend |
| below. | | | | 7-mile self-drive-through to the remote sections of |
| 1. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. | | | | refuge, 12-miles of walking paths, daily guided tram |
| Refuge is 88,000 total acres separated into four | | | | tours-$3, bicycling passage on the main wildlife drives, |
| sections along the Gulf Coast and in the northern part | | | | plus towers, bridges, overlooks, several feeding |
| of Padre Island. A 45,000-acre public-accessible | | | | photo-stations. |
| section is located about 25-miles northeast of Harlingen | | | | Sightings. Numerous wildlife, including the bobcat, |
| via Routes 106 and 510. | | | | coyote, armadillo, javelina, weasel, Mexican ground |
| Facilities. Indoor museum at visitor center, outdoor | | | | squirrel, green jays, chachalaca, and butterflies among |
| walking/bicycling paths, feeding/photo-stations near the | | | | others. |
| center, drive-to alligator pond and large lakeside | | | | Hours/admission. Visitor center open 8am-4pm 7-days |
| overlook, and 15-mile drive-through wilderness loop. | | | | week year-round, closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and |
| Sightings. Raptors, osprey, hawks, birds of all kinds, | | | | New-Year holidays; daily vehicle pass at gate-$3, |
| alligators during warm weather, bobcats and other | | | | annual pass-$10. Free admission to those having |
| mammals, numerous plants, and cacti galore. | | | | national park pass. For more information on these |
| Hours/admission. Visitor center open 9am-5pm 7-days | | | | refuges, see these sites. |