Photographing in South Texas

[claudiocambon]

Hi folks,

I expect to cross the border at Matamoros/Brownsville in the next 3 days or so, and will head back to LA from there. I was curious to know if anyone has any special recommendations for things that are interesting and beautiful and quirky and worth photographing that may not meet the eye along that whole stretch of Texas up to New Mexico. I hear great things about Big Bend, but any and all other tips are always greatly appreciated. Cheers from Xico, Veracruz!

Claudio

[Barry Thelen]

Just past the Big Bend National Park are the Davis Mountains. One close town is Fort Davis with a slightly restored late 1800s style Army base (Fort Davis National Historic site). Along with scenic rocky, grassy hills in the Davis Mountains there is the McDonald Observatory and a large radio telescope just down the hill from the observatory. The observatory has some good evening viewing/programs, if you enjoy astronomy, and scenery is quite nice.

Barry

[Darren H]

Claudio-

Lots of stuff to see depending on what you like to photograph.

San Antonio has the Missions. NW of there you can goto Luckenbach for Willie Nelson country.

For the landscape photographer I would take US-90 as the more scenic way west. It will take you past Uvalde where you could detour to Rio Frio State Park. Going west past Del Rio is Seminole Canyon for pictographs and Langtry for the judge Roy Bean (law west of the Pecos) site. 90 takes you close to Big Bend, it is south of Marathon-you could spend weeks there. A loop through Big Bend you could do is south on 385 to Park HQ, west out the Ross Mexwell drive to Santa Elena Canyon, Old Maverick Rd to Study Butte, and then up 118 to Alpine and back to US90 (that is easy a full day). Past Marathon/Alpine you can go to the above referenced Davis Mountains, Fort Davis and Marfa. Marfa is where Giant, Dancer Texas, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood were all filmed. US 90 will then take you to Van Horn from which you could goto the Guadalupe Mountains (big landscapes) and nearby Carlsbad Caverns NP.

That only gets you to El Paso and there is alot more to see past that. In New Mexico go through Silver City to the Gila Nat Mon, or Bosque Del Apache for birds.

Just drive and look at what is around.

You can see some images from Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains on my blog (see link below).

Have fun!

-Darren

[bigdog]

It will take you past Uvalde where you could detour to Rio Frio State Park.

Just for the record, that would be Garner State Park.

[Mike Castles]

Just for the record, that would be Garner State Park.

Thanks for that, thought Garner had been replaced for a minute

[Valerie]

No one has mentioned the coastal areas yet.... miles and miles of shoreline. Padre Island National Seashore, Port Aransas, Mustang Island (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/f...ustang_island/) Rockport/Fulton (take Rt 35) are all wonderful places.

[Darren H]

Just for the record, that would be Garner State Park.

DOH! My bad. It is Garner State Park. Named for US Vice President "Cactus Jack" Garner (VP under FDR) of Uvalde.

Garner is a great park on the Rio Frio and a frequent stop to swim on trips home from Big Bend. I jst always think Rio Frio as the destination and didnt bat an eye when I typed that instead of Garner. :-)

[Monty McCutchen]

Devils River State Natural Area is outstanding and is virtually uninhabited for quiet and peaceful LF photography. Here is the link

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/f.../devils_river/

Dolan Falls is within that Natural Area but it takes some work to get up to. If you can manage it though it is a spectacular part of the park.

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/no...s/art6399.html

Hope you enjoy the trip wherever you end up.

Monty