Texas

January 22, 2019 by Guest Post 2 Comments

Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)

If you’re looking for a great campground near Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, you’re going to love Maverick Ranch RV Park. This wonderful RV park is the perfect launching point for your Big Bend adventures! We stayed at this campground for two weeks and felt like we only scratched the surface of all the area had to offer.

Watch the short video below to see the highlights.

RV Park and Golf Resort

Maverick Ranch RV Park offers 100 full hook-up sites, including 60 pull-through sites, as well as a swimming pool, community center, and laundry room. On the main road in front of the resort is a General Store. Guests of the Maverick Ranch RV Park also have access to all of the Lajitas Golf Resort amenities and activities including a fitness room, small shopping area, restaurant, and golf course.

Location

Maverick Ranch RV Park and the Lajitas Golf Resort are situated on Highway FM 170 between Big Bend Ranch State Park and Big Bend National Park on the banks of the Rio Grande.

Big Bend Ranch State Park

Big Bend Ranch is the largest state park in Texas. Portions of it border the resort. The park has 238 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. You can walk straight from your campsite to some of its trails.

Big Bend National Park

You have to drive about 40 minutes to reach the national park’s visitor centers and most of the trails. However, you can access the Mesa de Anguilla trail directly across the street from Maverick Ranch. We really enjoyed this trail that provides a view of the “big bend” of the Rio Grande.

Within the national park, there are more than 150 miles of trails. Elevations range from 1,800 feet along the Rio Grande to 7,832 feet on Emory Peak in the Chisos Mountains. Elevation changes produce an exceptional variety of plants, animals, and scenic vistas.

Within in Big Bend National Park, there are more than 150 miles of trails. Elevations range from 1,800 feet along the Rio Grande to 7,832 feet on Emory Peak in the Chisos Mountains. Elevation changes produce an exception variety of plants, animals, and scenic vistas.

Camping in Big Bend

If you don’t need hookups, you can also camp inside Big Bend National Park at one of three campgrounds.

The Rio Grande Village Campground is the largest and has 100 campsites that range in size from small tent sites to large pull-through sites that can fit RVs up to 40′.

Another option for tent campers, trailers under 19′, or RVs under 24′ is the Chisos Basin Campground. It is located high in the rugged Chisos Mountains at an altitude of 5,400 ft. Please note: The road to the campground is steep and winding with sharp hairpin turns. Trailers over 19 feet and RVs over 24 feet are not recommended.

The Cottonwood Campground is a quiet, shady desert oasis located between the Castolon Historic District and scenic Santa Elena Canyon. It has 24 sites for RVs under 24′.

Star Gazing Opportunities

Both parks have earned the International Dark Sky designation. We were able to view the Milky Way almost every evening right from our campsite.

Situated in an International Dark Sky community, the star gazing at Maverick Ranch RV Park is not to be missed! We could see the Milky Way right from our picnic table.

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Learn about the best places to camp near Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. We enjoyed the full hook ups and swimming pool at Maverick Ranch RV Park, but there is also primitive camping within the national park. No mater what type of RV, motorhome, fifth wheel, or camper you have, there is a spot for you.

Located between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, Maverick Ranch RV Park offers 100 full hook-up sites, including 60 pull-through sites, as well as a swimming pool, community center, and laundry room.

May 10, 2018 by Julie 1 Comment

Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)

We just spent two months at the Alsatian RV Resort in Castroville, and we loved it so much we already have reservations to return in the fall! If you are looking for a nice, quiet RV resort close enough to San Antonio to enjoy a bit of sightseeing, this place should be at the top of your list.

RV Resort Basics

Located just outside of San Antonio, Texas, this is a perfect spot to stay while visiting the area. The RV resort has 60 level, paved RV sites with beautiful landscaping, full hook-ups (water, sewer, electric), Wi-Fi, propane delivery, and trash pick-up.

If you have a motorhome, you can even stay on what I call ‘Casita Row.’ This is a section where motorhomes can rent both RV sites and casitas overlooking a fishing pond and the 18-hole golf course.

Don’t have an RV? Don’t Worry! They’ve got you covered. Right at the campground they have a few park models (aka cabins) for rent.

Amenities

Not every campground that bills itself as a “resort” lives up to its name—but this one sure does! They have a fitness room, and beautiful outdoor area with a huge covered pavilion and a pool & hot tub.

There’s also a lovely nature trail which surrounds a large dog walk. When we were there, the cactus and wildflowers were in full bloom! Watch the video above for a great tour of the resort and the nature trail.

Local Area

This RV Resort is located in historic Castroville and only 30 miles from the heart of San Antonio, Texas with so many options for outstanding dining and must-see attractions in the local area.

You can’t go to San Antonio without visiting the River Walk! It is exactly what it sounds like, a series of walking paths along the San Antonio River with numerous shops and restaurants along the way.

Follow the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park’s Hike & Bike Trail along the San Antonio River to five missions: The Alamo, Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. Each mission is about 2.5 miles from the next.

If you’re looking for more traditional hiking trails, we recommend the Texas Hill Country State Natural Area. There are several ranging from easy to challenging.

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March 12, 2018 by Julie 5 Comments

Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country

Known for its beautiful displays of spring wildflowers, scenic vistas, the Hill Country is perhaps the best-loved region in Texas. But why just view it from the ground like everyone else, when there are two great ways to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Texas Hill Country? On a recent trip to the area, we climbed to the top of the ancient dome known as Enchanted Rock and soared on zip lines with Cypress Valley Canopy Tours.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

The massive pink granite dome rises rises 425 feet above the base elevation of the park. Its high point is 1,825 feet above sea level, and the entire dome covers 640 acres. Climbing the rock is like climbing the stairs of a 30- or 40-story building, but you can’t beat the views!

There is actually more than one dome in the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Others include Little Dome and Turkey Peak. The domes are a small and visible part of a huge underground area of granite, called a batholith. The Enchanted Rock Batholith stretches 62 square miles; most of it is underground.

You can easily spend a day (or more) at Enchanted Rock. For starters, there are nearly 11 miles of hiking trails to explore. Take a virtual tour with their Interactive Trails Map. You can also geocache, picnic, rock climb, and stargaze. And if you want to stay awhile, you can even camp.

Cypress Valley Canopy Tours

If you’re looking for a new way to experience the beauty of the Texas Hill Country, Cypress Valley Canopy Tours is for you! This tour consists of a series of 5 zip lines that traverse from tree to tree with 2 sky bridges added into the mix. Named for the old-growth cypress trees, some over 100 years old, Cypress Valley offers the exhilaration of flying just 30 miles west of downtown Austin, Texas.

Safety First

Don’t worry if you’ve never zip lined before, every participant is outfitted with safety gear including a harness, helmet, and gloves. After your gear is checked for fit and function, you’ll head over to ground school to lean the course rules, hand signals, and techniques. Plenty of time is spent on ensuring everyone knows how to safely stop at the end of each zip line. This was my biggest concern. I’m not afraid of heights, but I am afraid of smashing into a tree at 35 MPH! Our patient guides made sure every single one of us took a turn practicing on a small zip line just a few feet off the ground to gain confidence before beginning the course.

Zip Line Adventure

Most of Cypress Valley is a working farm and ranch owned by a family that is dedicated to conservation and natural preservation. The guides took time to share their knowledge of the local flora and fauna as we enjoyed the natural beauty of the ravine and surrounding area.

The first platform begins above a lake, and offers a short and easy flight into the valley. After that first zip, you’ll traverse the first sky bridge and experience nature as you never have before. By this time, you should feel confident enough to continue the course zipping over forty feet in the air, across lines that span up to 350 feet.

Each zip line has something to offer: the fastest, the longest, one that goes between two tall trees. The last zip even has two lines so you can race one of your friends. After about an hour and half of high flying fun, the tour concludes with a final adventure: rappelling off the last platform.

Fuel Your Fun

Don’t forget to fuel up before and after your adventures at one of our favorite restaurants in Fredericksburg.

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