Greensheet (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 38, No. 40, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 28, 2007 Page: 6 of 56
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Page 6
February 28-March 6, 2007
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Recreation
Camping Across Texas
Looking for the best places to pitch a tent? Read-on for tips that
every camper should know.
By: Christie Bohra Chase, Staff Writer
If you've ever been on a camping trip, then
you probably vividly remember the glow of the
crackling fire, the smell of pine needles, and
the sound of crickets chirping as you slowly
drifted off to sleep Although most campers
often tell tall tales of the adventures they had-
the bears they saw, the hills they climbed, and
the fish they caught, often it is the quiet,
peaceful, surroundings that make for the most
vivid and lasting memories. Make no mistake,
between pitching a tent, building a fire and
strolling through the woods, camping involves
plenty of physical activity; however, it can also
be one of the most relaxing vacations that you
ever take. Camping brings family and friends
together in a peaceful and quiet setting far from
the normal routine of day to day life. Avid
campers swear that frequent camping trips will
give you a longer, happier, healthier life.
One of the most popular forms of outdoor
recreation in North America, camping offers a
wide variety of degrees of roughing it. You can
either hike deep into the wilderness with
everything you need strapped to your back, or
you can camp in a recreational vehicle
equipped with all of the luxuries of home. Car
camping is one of the most popular forms of
camping today. Campers pack everything they
need into their car, and then they camp within
easy access of the car. Whether you try
backpacking, bike camping, car camping or
motor home camping, you are sure to enjoy the
open skies and fresh air.
Before planning your camping trip, you need
to consider your financial resources. Although
camping is very economical, it is not free. Cost
will depend on the length of the trip and the
number of people going. Most campgrounds
charge a fee for campsite use and most
national parks require reservations. Depending
on what season you are wanting to go, you
may need to make reservations and pay a
deposit months in advance. Other expenses
will include; gasoline, food and personal items.
When deciding where to go camping, search
for campgrounds or parks" that offer* activities
that your family enjoys such as, hiking, biking,
swimming, or rock climbing.
Camping Gear
In the future, campers can expect gear to get
better and better. Here are a few of the many
trends that are revolutionizing the camping
equipment industry.
• Newer tent designs feature large
pockets for gear storage, large mesh
panels for visibility, lightweight
aluminum shock-corded poles and full
coverage polyester rain covers.
• In lieu of the traditional sleeping bag,
sleep systems are the thing of the
future. Sleep systems feature light
bags and bag liners that can be used
in a variety of ways. Sleep systems
can be used inside a sleeping bag for
added warmth, alone for hot weather
camping or zipped with another bag or
liner to make a comforter. Most of
these systems are made of
lightweight, moisture absorbing fleece
or silk.
• in backpacks, the trend is lots of easy
access side pockets, so that campers
don't have to unpack their entire bag
to find sunglasses, bug repellent, or
sunscreen. Many newer bags also
feature an internal slot to hold a water
reservoir bag.
• Campsites of the future will be more
comfortable because of the newly
popular inflatable furniture. The
Coleman company currently sells an
inflatable camping sofa that doubles
as an air mattress.
Texas Treasures
With its warm climate and vast geography,
Texas is one of the best states fo? camping.
Depending where in Texas you choose to
camp, you'll find roiling hills, vast plains, fishing
lakes and dense woods. When choosing a
campground, it is wise to do a little research
first, and call ahead to find out what is offered
at each spot. Following are a few of the many
popular camping spots in Texas. For more
information on these and many other Lone Star
campgrounds contact the:
Texas Association of Campground Owners
www. campingfriend. com/taco/
Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Located only a few miles from the New
Mexico border, this national park features deep
canyons, unusual desert plants and animal iife,
and mountainous terrain, including the highest
point in Texas. Most visitors access the park by
hiking and backpacking along the 80 miles of
marked trails. Permits are required for
overnight trips and camping is permitted in
designated areas. The park's visitor center is
located on U.S. 62/180 near Pine Springs,
Texas along with a few other campsites that
feature running water and fuel stoves. For
more information call (915) 828-3251.
Quintana Beach County Park
Campers will enjoy splashing in the Gulf of
Mexico at Qunitana Beach County 'ark,
located on a tiny island in Freeport, Texas
along the southeastern coast of the state.
Boardwalks, museums and pavilions speckle
the beach, and camping facilities include RV
sites. Reservations are recommended for
camping. For more information call (800)-872-
7578.
Enchanted Rock State Park
A massive dome of solid granite is the main
attraction of Enchanted Rock State Park. The
dome is famous in indian legend and draws
thousands of visitors each year who like to
hike, rock climb, rappel, picnic and camp.
Because of the park's popularity, the number of
daily visitors is limited; so, call ahead to make
camping reservations. For more information
call (915) 247-3903.
Piney-Woods Region
Unlike the barren deserts found in West
Texas, East Texas is filled with millions of acres
of pine forests. Texas' four national forests,
which offer wonderful camping, hiking and
fishing are all located in this densely wooded
area of the state. For more information contact
the visitor's bureau or Chamber of Commerce
of one of the many historic towns in this region.
Big Bend National Park
In the big wilderness of Texas, southeast of
El Paso, brushing on the Mexican border, lies
Big Bend National Park. Named so because
the land encompassing Big Bend, does just
that - bends around the Rio Grand River and
the Mexican border. Over 800,000 acres of
land encompasses Big Bend National Park
making it the state's largest park. Big Bend
encompasses such a unique diversity of plant,
animal and land forms that the United Nations
has designated Big Bend National Park an
International Biosphere Reserve. Big Bend
offers extensive hiking trails, scenic driving
tours, river rafting, and camping adventures.
For more information contact Big Bend
National Park, TX 79834, or call (915) 477-
2251.
Outdoor Adventures
Camping is the perfect way to get away
from daily distractions like television,
video games, and telephone to spend time
with your children and spouse. Spice-up
your camping trip with games and
adventures for the whole family.
Plan a campground scavenger hunt. Give
each camper a piece of paper with a list of
five or ten items. To complete the hunt,
each has to draw a picture or name the
campground location that each item can
be found.
• Take a close look at your campground
surroundings. Bring a small plastic
magnifying glass for each camper to use
when exploring. Puzzy caterpillars, twigs,
plants and even rocks are much more
interesting when magnified.
• Release your energy with a few old
favorites like hide 'n' seek, tag, and
capture the flag. Bring a Frisbee or a ball
for games of catch.
Innerloop Houston Greensheet
Visit us at thegreensheet.com
Business 713-371 -3500 Personal 713-371 -3600
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Greensheet (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 38, No. 40, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 28, 2007, newspaper, February 28, 2007; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth440325/m1/6/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .