Land of
The Rio Grande Valley’s tropical landscape is ripe for exploration
Subtropical jungles filled with the calls of migratory birds and brilliant flashes of butterfly wings. Thornscrub patrolled by indigo snakes and ocelots. Gulf Coast marshes where seabirds wheel and alligators scull beneath the boardwalks. In a state that prizes its slices of wilderness, the Rio Grande Valley stands supreme. The region sits at the crossroads of continent-spanning flyways and North American and Latin American faunas providing a patchwork of ecosystems and the winding border river that binds them all.
It is also an ecosystem under threat from the vast forces of agricultural and real estate development. “When I began working here in 2016, we had 5% left of our native thornscrub,” says Stephanie Lopez, interim executive director of the National Butterfly Center in Mission. “These areas have been destroyed, cleared for development without planting more native shrubs and habitat.”
But over several decades, governments and conservationists have attempted to preserve slices of the region for the fauna and flora that live there. A string of natural attractions line the curves of the Rio Grande, from a tiny western preserve in Roma to the expansive plains at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.
“The goal for these areas is to maintain the habitat that’s needed for our native species, which are directly connected to these native plants and shrubs,” Lopez says.
Some of these stunning sites are part of the World Birding Center network, a collection of nine places dedicated to native habitat. But all offer the chance to witness plants and animals unlike any to be found in the rest of the state.
Estero Llano Grande State Park
On a hot spring day, the dry ponds at Estero Llano Grande look desolate and empty. But when the park receives its seasonal water allotment from the Rio Grande, the 230-acre expanse of scrub forest, marshland, and open water becomes the largest wetland environment protected in the World Birding Center network. Here, former agricultural fields have transformed into seasonal wetlands and are a particularly good spot for waterbirds. Visit in late summer for a decent chance of seeing endangered wood storks, red-crowned parrots, and orioles. Alligators can be seen at the park, too, particularly around Alligator Lake—so watch your step. 3301 S. International Blvd., Weslaco. Admission is $5. tpwd.texas.gov
Sabal Palm Sanctuary
Blue shadows lie beneath the whispering fronds and drifts of Spanish moss at the 557-acre Sabal Palm Sanctuary, a nonprofit that preserves some of the last slivers of a tropical forest that once stretched across the Valley. Three miles of nature trails lead to the shores of the Rio Grande, around seasonally filled resacas and bird blinds and through open meadows where nilgai graze. But the real attraction is the sabal palm forest, one of the last large stands of the handsome palm tree left after its local range was cleared for agricultural development. In addition to a wealth of Valley birds like golden-fronted woodpeckers and the rare tropical gray hawk, the preserve is the only place in the country where a keen-eyed snake enthusiast can glimpse the spectacular speckled racer, with its pattern of blue-green stars on a black background. For overnight visitors, rooms in the preserve’s visitors center, a handsome plantation house established in 1892, are available for rent on Airbnb for $80/night. 8435 Sabal Palm Grove Road, Brownsville. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for children. sabalpalmsanctuary.org
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La Sal del Rey
Amid the scrublands of South Texas, a glistening white shoreline surrounds a glassy baby blue lake. The beach isn’t sand, however: It’s salt. The site—called La Sal del Rey, or “The King’s Salt”—is one of few publicly accessible salt lakes in South Texas, all located within the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The bitterness of the lake grows as the water evaporates: Toward the end of summer, it can be 10 times saltier than seawater, and the crust surrounding it is stained red by brine-loving bacteria. Humans have visited the site since prehistoric times to gather the precious mineral, and it has been utilized by Native Americans and Spanish and Anglo settlers. Today, the 6,000-acre property is a popular hiking destination—the water feels slick and gel-like to walk through. Keep a particular eye out for whiptail lizards prowling the thornscrub, and check the shorelines for animal tracks. Access from parking lot on Brushline Road in Linn. Free entry. fws.gov
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge
The suspension bridge, two stories off the ground, sways amid the treetops as dragonflies dart and shimmer past hikers. It’s one of several attractions at the 2,088-acre Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, including a birding tower and bird blinds scattered around seasonal resacas. Established in 1943 as a haven for migrating birds, the reserve sits along the southernmost stretch of the Rio Grande, smack-dab in the middle of two major migration routes. In spring and fall, the reserve plays host to migrating raptors like broad-winged hawks and peregrine falcons. Local species include pack-hunting Harris’s hawks, the bumbling, honking chachalaca bird, and tropical butterflies like the zebra longwing. 3325 Green Jay Road, Alamo. Admission is $5 per vehicle. fws.gov
South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center
South Padre Island is known for its beachfront bars and nightlife. But the real wild things are on display amid the tidal flats of the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, a nonprofit that protects a chunk of the barrier island’s native habitat. More than 3,300 feet of boardwalks stretch over the coastal wetlands, complete with a tower and bird blinds that offer spectacular views of year-round waterfowl such as spoonbills, South Texas natives like the great kiskadee, and the occasional wild alligator. The center contains quite a few of the large reptiles as part of a sanctuary for nuisance gators rescued from more developed parts of the Valley. Be sure to visit the enclosure housing Big Padre, a nearly 13-foot-long, 56-year-old bull alligator. The center also offers guided birding tours. 6801 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children. spibirding.com
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
Originally established in 1946 to accommodate migratory waterfowl like redhead ducks, the 110,000-acre refuge now includes 60 miles of hiking and biking trails surrounding a 3,500-acre freshwater lake. 22817 Ocelot Road, Los Fresnos. Admission is $2.50. fws.gov
National Butterfly Center
The native plant gardens and forest trails of the National Butterfly Center attract 246 species of wild butterflies, making it one of the most diverse such refuges in the country. The preserve hosts The National Butterfly Festival every fall—the height of butterfly migration season. 3333 Butterfly Park, Mission. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children. nationalbutterflycenter.com
Roma Bluffs
From the balcony atop the Roma Bluffs, look out over the river and the marshy islands home to kingfishers, egrets, and other waterbirds. A 3-acre preserve includes a sliver of woodland on the banks, home to local species like the red-billed pigeon and white-collared seedeater, both of which visit a feeding station near the balcony. 612 Portscheller St., Roma. Entry is free. naturerocksrgv.org
Resaca De La Palma State Park
This 1,200-acre park is the largest tract of native habitat in the World Birding Center network. When there’s enough water, the pools are filled to provide habitat for migrating birds, including the summer tanager, American redstart, and long-billed thrasher. 1000 New Carmen Ave., Brownsville. Admission is $4. tpwd.texas.gov
