Most reviews of the park are several years old but they were spot on…read more I enjoyed the park and due to its location and the fact they have primitive camp site there it would be a great place to camp overnight since there is no light pollution there. There is a camp ground next to the entrance for anyone with a camper. (Looked very nice and well kept) I rented a bike ($5.00 for 4 hours )

We visited the park yesterday to join a birding tour. John was fabulous and made everyone in the…read moregroup feel welcome. We saw and learned about many beautiful birds as well as plants. Plus our 2 hour tour ended up being nearly 4. The park was much prettier than I expected. The visitor center which had great items for sale was surrounded by beautiful foliage and benches. There were people hiking, camping, biking, and birding there. The energy in the park was so positive and friendly.

This was a great surprise, congrats to whoever put this fun system together. Every level rider can…read morehave fun here!

My go-to nature trail in Harlingen! Honestly such a hidden gem in the valley and it rivals so many…read moreparks I've been at in bigger cities. The trail goes on and on (I believe recently it was extended all the way to Dixieland Lake) so I've easily walked like 4-5 miles round trip without even going to the end! And the views in each part are beautiful with plenty of cool bridges, some off-beaten paths, and lots of plant life. There are parts with sunflowers too when they're in season and it's gorgeous! I especially find the giant red bridge to be a fun landmark since you can hike to it (there's a trail up the hill next to it, not very hard to climb) and take some cool photos on the abandoned rail road track. Rain or shine this is my favorite way to get a workout in!

Great park! Just exploring around McAllen and this is a stop you should definitely make while…read moreyou're out here. There are boat rentals that you can get to go out on the lake and gigantic swan boats too. Get here early so it's not as hot out and the experience will be even better! I was here on a Saturday morning at 8am and it was already busy with families, running clubs and fisherman by the lake.

It's great on the weekends Great place to barbecue with the…read morefamily and go fishing & activities! This is not a bot btw this place is actually good to go fishing and to have parties

This park will always have a special place in my heart. It was more than just a neighborhood park…read morefor me, it was a place where I made a lot of great memories with friends and family during the time I lived in the Rio Grande Valley for 21 years! Wow! Time flies!! I used to come here for long walks and to get my workouts in around the park with my personal trainer and my Herbalife crew once upon a time. The duck pond was one of my favorite spots to slow down, relax, and just enjoy the view. It was always been a peaceful place to clear my mind. I would even go to Xquinkles and get a raspa and a marranada then come over to this park and just chill by the pond. We called it the duck pond. One of the best parts was the dog park. There's a space for small dogs and a separate space for large dogs, which I really appreciated. There's also an area for leashed dogs and a safe, open space where they can be off-leash and run freely. My dogs loved it, and it was always nice seeing them enjoy themselves while I got to be around other pet owners. I loved the fact that there was a little water fountain lower on the ground specific for the dogs to drink out of. It's a place I always enjoyed coming back to that holds years of memories whether it was to exercise, walk, or just spend some quiet time outside with friends and family.

This is a park in a great central location in the Shary area and is a nice spot to bring the…read morefamily. For starters it's hard to miss the huge pond full of ducks in the front part of the park which makes it that much more beautiful! This makes it a great spot to bring your children to play with the ducks and feed them. I personally have taken my little brother and he loves it since he is an animal fanatic. The section to BBQ doesn't have too much space between tables making it feel a bit crowded when there are other families there too. They also have a track that goes around the full park that is 1 mile long making it that much great for runners. My recommendations for the park/city would be to make some improvements in the restrooms, park benches, and the basketball courts to make the experience that much better.

Nice state park! Loved seeing all the green jays and chácalas! It's also cool to get the birding…read moreapp and see what bird it identified from the sounds. We liked renting the bikes to ride around the park. But you can't go off on the trails and the bikes are in need of some tlc but still worth it! My kids loved the coloring tables inside the visitor center.

Rio Grande Valley State Park! This place is in sort of…read morethese marshes, low lying fields in the RGV outside of Brownsville. We came in for a hike along their shortest trail, which wound through scrub brush, mesquite trees and the overwhelming sound of cicadas. We saw lots of armadillos on our hike, and several strange, menacing looking birds. The park has a nice ranger station with a gift shop where you can rent binoculars and get patches and other gear that you'll need to camp and hike along the park's many trails. Be sure to reserve ahead of time on the website. The park is quiet, other than the insects. When we went, it has hot as heck, and nobody else was on the trails. They do offer a few bird blinds, or places to relax in some shade and observe the birds. There seemed to be a planetarium or telescope or something, but the armadillos were preventing us from investigating this.

This State park is located on South International Blvd. (S. Farm to Market 1015) in Weslaco and…read morenorth of Progreso, TX. It boasts some hiking trails, small lakes, and wetlands where many water birds come as well as the regular South Texas avian residents and migratory birds. Many bird watching enthusiasts love this park. From the parking lot, follow the signs and make your way to the Visitors Center where you can pay the modest entry fee. The Visitors Center has a small gift shop, and there is a large covered porch overlooking one of the wetland areas where you can watch for birds. There are also restrooms available. The park is well maintained, and looks like it recently went through some improvements with new boardwalks. I did not have time to walk all the trails, so I did not get to see the alligators at Alligator Lake. However, I did see ibis, whistling ducks, red winged blackbird, hummingbirds, and some others I could not identify. Some have reported sightings of cranes, herons, spoonbills, and much more. I'd like to return when I have opportunity to see what else I can see. There were family groups walking, enjoying the park, and quite a few Winter Texans equipped with binoculars. There is usually someone, a more experienced bird watcher willing to share their tips. Besides the fauna, I enjoyed seeing some of the native flora such as the Palo Verde which was in full bloom the day I went. Espero Llano Grande State Park is a great place for family outings, bird watchers, or hiking enthusiasts. I recommend it.

My girl and I attended the First Day Hike to start off our 2019 outdoors and boy did we have a…read moregreat time. Ranger Javier was in charge of our 2hour/2mile hike and he was a super friendly and easy person to like. He had tons of knowledge and allowed our group to enjoy our stops even though we kept a pretty good pace from location to location. The entire park is pretty darn awesome. The land it sits on has been painstakingly converted into the marshlands that originally encompassed this area before irrigation amd development changed how the Rio Grande flowed. Apparently, this area is a bird lovers dream and many hard to find species call this area home. We were lucky to spot some very cool and beautiful birdies as well as one very illusive crocodile that Javier quickly spotted in crocodile pond. The entry fee is only $5 and there is an information area at the ticket office. They are getting very good about having events such as the first day of the year hike and you can even sign up for a Texas Parks newsletter that tells you of upcoming events. You can bring leashed doggies as well as your bike to use on the bike trails! All in all, a great RGV Texas State Park to bring your whole family. Try a guided tour and you will see even more than you expect!