Hey all,
So here is the pertinent information I’ve gotten so far.
It appears that no-one really knows for sure on the national parks (Big Bend
and Guadalupe Mountains) when they will reopen. Big Bend
https://www.nps.gov/bibe/learn/news/big-bend-national-park-closed.htm is closed ;
for now. No specific date for re-open. Guadalupe
https://www.nps.gov/gumo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm also closed and no dates ;
for re-opening.
The state parks are open for day use if you reserve online before-hand, and
will start opening up for camping by May 18, 2020
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20200506a but unclear how easy ;
it will be to get a reservation - apparently only existing registrations are
honored and you can’t make new ones “for now.” Not sure when that ends.
Suzanne Kho showed me a cool website that tracks privately owned camping
options: https://www.hipcamp.com ;
The Red Feather Ranch looks like a cool possible 6000’ camping option:
https://www.hipcamp.com/texas/america-b-s-land-1/red-feather but apparently is ;
only accessible with 4-wheel drive.
There are some birding areas that are open/public or are private that you can
visit (I think). These include:
-The post in Marathon
-Christmas Mountains Oasis https://cmoasis.blogspot.com looks like you can ;
contact Carolyn Ohl-Johnson for visiting instructions if you’re a birder or
naturalist!
-Balmorhea State Park
-Lawrence E Wood Picnic area
-a few roadside eBird hotspots easily accessible by car-birding
There are also private areas in the Davis Mountains, which appear to be wholly
inaccessible unless you know someone who lives there. Also the TNC Preserve,
but that is only open for several weekends out of the year.
So… it appears that Lawrence E Wood Picnic area may be the only accessible
highish-elevation habitat in the state right now??? May just go out to the
Davis Mountains for a few days and spend the rest of my time in Arizona -
everything is open out there including camping and Portal is only 6 hours from
Fort Davis...
Also, made a very quick stop at Mills Pond at Wells Branch in North Austin this
morning on the way down to see the family for the first time in two months… had
13 warblers species, 29 individuals in 33 minutes, almost 1 warbler/minute!
Pretty cool. No new county birds unfortunately but the Blackburnian and
Bay-breasted and Ovenbird were cool.
Good birding,
Christian Walker
Irving, TX currently in Austin
On May 8, 2020, at 9:53 AM, Lora Render <lorarend@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Yes, please share, leaving on May 21st, there is a known location for the
Black-chinned Sparrow within BBNP and since they are closed, could anyone
recommend another location?
Lora Render
On Fri, May 8, 2020 at 9:25 AM Patricia Wight <pcwight@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:pcwight@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Yes, please share. I was looking forward to reading the responses because we
hoped to make a trip to Big Bend this spring. The first week of June is what
we were thinking/hoping for.
Pat Wight
Rockport area
On Thu, May 7, 2020 at 9:57 PM Gary Hodne <garyhodne@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:garyhodne@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi Christian,
Please share your feedback with Texbirds. I also had a trip to Big Bend NP
planned for this week but the park remains closed as are all NPs I believe
and I’ll bet there are many others interested in knowing the situation.
Thanks
Gary Hodne
The Woodlands, TX
Sent from my iPhone
On May 7, 2020, at 8:12 PM, Christian Walker
<christian.icapadjuster@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:christian.icapadjuster@xxxxxxxxx>>
wrote:
Many thanks to the many replies to my query! I appreciate all of them.
On May 7, 2020, at 8:14 AM, Walker ChristianChristian Walker
<christian.icapadjuster@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:christian.icapadjuster@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hey there,
I’m trying to plan a trip to west Texas the first week of June but am
having a hard time finding info on the National and state parks
availability, other than ‘currently closed.’ Could anyone point me in the
right direction about finding when the parks will reopen?
Or if there are privately owned areas that I may be able to contact and
access?
You can reply to me directly
Thanks,
Christian Walker
Irving, TX
--
Christian Walker
512 431 2495
christian.icapadjuster@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:christian.icapadjuster@xxxxxxxxx>
christian.icapadjuster@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:christian.icapadjuster@xxxxxxxxx>
Independent Adjuster
Irving, Texas
(512) 745-3227
