Page 49 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2023-2024 Golf Nature Trails Community Come Visit...Stay Forever! TM Now Open: South Texas Eco Tourism Center www.stec-lv.org (956) 943 -1793 • www.lvtexas.us Fall Festival • Oct 27, 2023 Holiday Tree Lighting • December 8, 2023 Duathlon • January 27, 2024 Easter Color Run • March 23, 2024 Independence Day Celebration • July 2024 Anzalduas Park Anzalduas Park, located on 96 acres of land fronting the Rio Grande River, is a favorite spot for picnickers. A boat-loading ramp and pier make water sports and fishing easily accessible. This is a good place for bird watchers, as there is a gray hawk that nests there all year round and lots of other species of birds. There is also a huge pavilion for special events and playgrounds for kids. The park is located on the Anzalduas Dam four miles south of Expressway 83 on FM 1016 and one mile east on FM 494, 6400 Anzalduas Dam Rd. The park is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. There is no charge for admission to the park on weekdays, and $4 per vehicle on Saturdays and Sundays. For more info, please call (956) 585-5311. Brownsville Landfill One of the most exclusive locations in the United States to observe the Tamaulipas Crow is the Brownsville Sanitary Landfill, located at 9000 FM 802. Drive in and let the scale attendant know you are looking for the crow. The best chance of seeing the Tamaulipas Crow is during the Winter Season. Also look for the Ring-billed Herring and Laughing Gulls. The landfill is open Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Chihuahua Woods Preserve Birders looking for the Clay-colored Robin or Hookbilled Kite may find them in the “walk-in only” Chihuahua Woods Preserve, located three miles west of the intersection of Expressway 83 and Business 83. Take Business 83 to the west to a point where it curves to the northwest. Go straight on the road that continues west along the railroad. The preserve will be located on the right side of the road. Falcon Lake Falcon International Reservoir, commonly called Falcon Lake, is located on the Rio Grande northwest of Roma, TX. The 84,000 surface-acre reservoir is found in Starr and Zapata Counties and known as a fisherman’s delight. It is an excellent fishing spot for black bass, catfish, and alligator gar, being one of the state’s top bass fishing lakes nationwide. The water level can fluctuate during drought and wet conditions. There is a public boat ramp at Falcon State Park and Zapata County Park. The lake is accessible from FM 2098 northwest of Roma at Falcon State Park. Falcon State Park Falcon State Park is a 572-acre park located northwest of Roma, TX. This is a favorite destination to local and nonlocal fishermen, birdwatchers and butterfliers. The park is blanketed with native plants including mesquite, huisache, ebony, wild olive, cactus, black brush, and native grasses. The park offers overnight camping opportunities for Recreational Vehicles, primitive areas, A/C cabins, and shelters. There is a day use area with picnic tables, plus a three-mile nature hike trail that encircles the park, all within the scenic view of Falcon Lake. The park offers a butterfly garden that stays in bloom during the spring and fall and is host to a variety of butterflies and birds, perfect for butterfly and birdwatching. Park entrance is $3 per person for ages 13 and over, free for 12 and under. All day area/overnight facilities have barbeque grills or fire rings. Prices for camp sites range from $10 for Water only campsites to $40 for A/C cabins. The park is located at 146 Park Rd. 46, Falcon Heights and FM 2098 off of Hwy 83. It is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 365 days a year. For more information call (956) 848-5327 or visit www.tpwd.texas. gov/state-parks/falcon. Frontera Audubon Society Frontera Audubon Society (FAS) is an urban nature preserve on 15 acres in Weslaco that features bio-diverse thicket trails, wetlands, butterfly gardens, and a visitors’ center and gift shop. Also featured is the Texas Historic Landmark, the Skaggs House, a multi-purpose facility for cultural events and exhibitions. Over 170 kinds of butterflies and over 250 species of birds have been spotted here. FAS is home to species such as the Clay-colored
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