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!

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

Absolutely a must see when you're in the RGV. This is one of the most beautiful parks I've ever…read morebeen in! I was initially drawn to check out the cool suspension bridge amongst the trees (costa rica vibes) and there was even more the park offered! We were greeted by two very friendly and knowledgeable workers at the visitors center, they were able to show us some recommended routes and things to look out for. The visitor center itself was so enjoyable to look around since it was like a mini museum with a bunch of history and information about the nature and wildlife. We took the Chachalaca Trail to the Tower Trail as recommended to get to the suspension bridge. Along the way you pass by a beautiful lake with many bird species and find a bunch of Spanish moss trees. When you get to the suspension bridge you take a tall spiral staircase and it's literally the coolest thing walking on the bridge. It was wobbly but very sturdy even when my friends were jumping on it! There was a lookout tower next to the bridge you take a separate staircase for and see a gorgeous overlook above all the trees. We later took the Pintail Lakes Trail to see the Rio Grande River outlook where you see the river and Mexico on the other side! After that we went up towards all the Pintail Lakes and took in all the gorgeous flora, birds, and scenery. The coolest thing we saw was a hawk carrying a snake!! We finished walking through it all in about 2ish hours. Can't recommend this place enough!

Beautiful hike and lots of cool wildlife and nature in the area. We saw a lot of very colorful…read morebirds also. The rope bridge was a fun addition as well

I've wanted to go to La Sal del Rey salt lake for some time. I tried before but was quickly turned…read morearound by clouds of mosquitoes. This time there were no mosquitoes and it was cool, so the hike was nice. The sign at the parking on Brushline Road says it's a mile to the lakeshore. It seemed less than a mile to me, but still a good walk. If the first gate is open, you can actually drive to another parking area which lessens the distance by a little more than half. At the second parking area there is a structure with a pit toilet, men's and a women's. From the second parking area it is a short distance to the lake where there is a raised viewing lookout with signs that explain the history, flora and fauna. This time I went it had rained the night before, so there was mud approaching the lakeshore, and I could not see any salt crystals because the water level was higher. That was a bit disappointing, but it was still interesting to see the diverse animal tracks. I'd go again, but not right after a rain. I arrived around 10 AM and no one else was there. By noon there were several other people around, but still very quiet. I recommend you take sunscreen and water if you go during the hot Summer.

An above average park for the city of McAllen…read more The park is pretty large, with a huge grass field, and some trees dispersed throughout. Trees aren't super close together, so it doesn't quite have a cooling effect or allow much space to hang out underneath. There's a basketball hoop with pretty janky concrete but at least it's there. The volleyball area has sand, and is pretty nice. There's a children's play area and water play area. Definitely meant more for families with children but you can always find space to set up for a picnic here. I had a nice time here but it'a nothing special as far as parks go. Just one of the better options in McAllen.

Fun park with walking/jogging paths. Kid's like playing here and it's a small, but nice water…read morepark. With the Texas heat, all kids love it! Today an family or a bunch of friends were karaoke! Fun! So you can easily see why so many folks enjoy Zinnia Water Park. Everyone can enjoy themselves. I'm so glad that McAllen has used some of its money to crest such an enjoyable area for so many families to enjoy. We need more water parks all around McAllen!

It was pretty awesome to see Signage was worn out but…read moreoverall please come see it It was so pretty

La Sal del Rey (The King's Salt) is a unique hidden gem in the Rio Grande Valley! It's a massive…read morehypersaline lake which Native Americans and Spanish settlers used to harvest salt from. Unfortunately when I visited there was very little water so I couldn't witness the famous reflexive water views. The salt lake has no outlet so the water levels are dependent on rain. But, I loved my visit regardless. I especially loved how quiet and untouched the area feels. I even saw several javelina along the tree lines! This is the perfect spot for nature lovers, birdwatching, or just getting away from the city for a while. Just make sure to bring water, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes because the South Texas heat can be intense!

Saw this location on the Internet and decided to stop in on our way through town. Sadly, it was…read moreSunday by the time we arrived and they were not open. I took a few pictures and went down to the observation deck. There were a few birds around and a beautiful view.

I am not sure that the Valley Land Fund can be credited for creating the impetus for this type of…read morean affair, but I doubt they can be denied some influence. These public lands make it possible for folks to truly see what nature can do in South Texas. Each of the parks are wonderful and guaranteed to lead to unique sightings in the spring and fall. Mission is the main office, but the other locations are as follows (someone else can enter the rest of the locations unless I get around to it on my next trip home): - Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley (Mission) - Edinburg Scenic Wetlands - Estero Llano Grande (Weslaco) - Harlingen Arroyo Colorado - Old Hidalgo Pumphouse - Quinta Mazatlan (McAllen) - Resaca de la Palma (Brownsville) - Roma Bluffs - South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center

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.