2022 in Photos

Revisit some of our favorite pictures from the past year

From all over Texas, our photographers captured the natural beauty and cultural wonders that make Texas travel so exciting. Take a visual journey through some of our favorite photos from 2022.

Above: A busy Saturday night outside of the iconic M.L. Leddy store in Fort Worth. Photo by Dave Shafer

By TH Staff

January

"A Sacred Refuge"

Quanah Parker's great-grandson, Don Parker, sings a sorrowful Comanche song, "Adobe Walls," with his late brother Ron sitting beside him on the Big Mound. Photo by Dave Shafer

February

"The Ultimate Guide to Traveling With Your Pet in Texas"

Dogs can experience the spectacular beauty of Monahans Sandhills State Park—as long as they remain on a 6-foot leash and are accompanied by a human at all times. Photo by Kenny Braun

March

"How to Find Wildflowers Year-Round Across the State"

A brilliant orange Monarch butterfly rests on an equally brilliant yellow-orange marigold. Photo by Theresa DiMenno

April

"9 Caves in Texas You Can Tour for a Day of Pure Exploration"

Our April issue, "Altitudes," was all about high and low points across the state. This photo captures depth on a new level beneath the surface of Horsehoe Lake at Caverns of Sonoroa. Photo by Erich Schlegel

May

"10 Hidden and Iconic Hill Country Destinations You'll Want to Visit"

This view from Hill Country State Natural Area captures the timeless appeal and rugged beauty of the region. Photo by Kenny Braun

May

"Texas and Louisiana Find Neutral Ground Along Toledo Bend Reservoir"

Light through the pines at North Toledo Bend State Park, on the Texas and Lousiana border. Photo by Kenny Braun

July

"The Sun Shines on the Swamps of Caddo Lake"

Navigating Caddo Lake in a jon boat, photographer Sean Fitzgerald stopped to wade through waist-deep water and floating vegetation to capture this beautiful East Texas scene.

August

"15 Small Town Mom and Pop Shops Worth the Trip"

For our August issue, we went all-in on highlighting the mom and pop shops in the business of making travel convenient. Dave Shafer's picture of Johnson’s Ranch Marina—with boats, trucks, ice, firewood, and more—says it all.

September

"A West Texas Photographer Chases Nature's Constant Change Through Art and Photography"

A mosaic comprising a series of harvest moon photographs taken in Marathon. The band Explosions in the Sky selected the image for the cover of its 2021 album, Big Bend. Photo by E. Dan Klepper

October

"There's Never Been a Better Time To Visit Fort Worth"

A mural by Juan Velázquez, “Dancing with you,” adorns The Original Del Norte on Main Street. Photo by Dave Shafer

November

"A Bird's-Eye View of Laguna Madre"

McAllen-based photographer Jason Garza used a drone to capture this aerial photograph of a string of islands in Laguna Madre, the hypersaline lagoon separating North Padre Island from mainland Texas.

December

"A Fresh Angle on Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park"

Dallas-based photographer Sean Fitzgerald was hiking the Santa Elena Canyon Trail in Big Bend, exploring the end of the canyon near Terlingua Creek on a sunny late December day, when he captured this image.

Two men dressed in traditional Native American attire sit on a rock playing a drum under blue sky A woman in a large hat stands with a dog on a leash on top of a large golden sand dune An orange butterfly sits on top of a bright orange Marigold in a field of marigolds Crystal-clear blue water inside of a cave with large mineral outcroppings Short hills with rocks and shrubs dot the landscape of a hill country scene Tall trees with green tops gently filter light with an orange tone Writer Sarah Bird soaks up the nature in her backyard A store with a large dock on a smooth lake next to a rolling green hill mosaic of moonrises in the Texas desert in front of dark blue, warm blue, and pink sky A person in a cowboy hat leans against a mural of two people dancing, painted on a brick wall An overhead view of clear blue water, lush greenery and rock formations Tall rock canyons are reflected in blue water

Get the Magazine

Save up to 62% off the cover price

Subscribe

Sign Up for Our Newsletters

Sign up for magazine extras, upcoming events, Mercantile specials, subscription offers, and more.