5 cool facts you need to know about Garner State Park
Would your ideal vacation spot be a perfect natural retreat full of hiking, canoeing, tubing, geocaching and even dancing? For many, the answer is yes, and every year many outdoor enthusiasts choose Garner State Park as their ideal summer destination. Full of numerous nature activities, loaded with the wonders of Mother Nature and highlighting the beauty of the Frio River, this state park can be your go-to spot for summer outdoor adventures as well. Not familiar with this amazing state park in Uvalde County? Here are 5 cool facts you should know about Garner State Park.
1. Location
This beautiful state park is located in Concan, Texas on the southwest edge of what is known as the Edwards Plateau in the Balcones Canyonlands. It was created during the Cretaceous period due to fault line activity. Deep cliffs and rolling hills define this scenic canyon land and surround clear rivers and streams perfect for fishing, canoeing and tubing. The place, although visited by many people year after year, remains almost unchanged by human activity. Natural changes that occur due to weathering, flooding, or plant growth can permanently redefine the landscape without human intervention.
2. Wildlife
Since the naturalness of this park has been preserved as much as possible, many wild animals live and thrive there. Visitors to the park will often spot this wild life around them. The most common are squirrels, raccoons and white-tailed deer, but there are also more exotic animals. Look for Rio Grande turkeys and mourning doves among a whole selection of different birds. If you are a bird watcher then you are in for a treat. From spring to summer, the golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo, both endangered species, nest in the park.
3. Frio River
Rising from headwaters as the West Frio River, it immediately joins 2 other tributaries and flows southeast for 200 miles before emptying into the Nueces River. The name Frio means cold in Spanish, and the name perfectly describes the fresh cool waters that lure swimmers and hikers up and down its shores. This river is famous in the song “All my Ex’s live in Texas” by George Strait, who grew up in Frio County.
4. Geocaching
Combine the joy of hiking and exploring with a scavenger hunt and you have geocaching. Hundreds of geocaches are hidden throughout the park and can be found using a GPS device or a GPS-capable smartphone app. The GPS device tells you how far away the geocache is and you have to start looking for it. They can be hidden in trees, under rocks or even placed behind signs and landmarks. Often a geocache contains a journal so you can write in your name and claim victory over that treasure forever.
5. Dance
In the 1940s, on summer evenings, people would gather at the park’s concession building and have dances. This tradition has survived to this day and the park hosts dances every night. They are very popular and require early arrival as they fill up quickly.
As you can see, this national park is a wonderful holiday destination filled with wildlife and natural beauty.
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