Great Texas Wildlife Trails

10/28/2026

Fall is in the air and temps are finally cooling down - the perfect excuse to get outside and explore a Texas State Park!

New to the parks system? We’ve got you covered. Check out the State Parks for Beginners page - your one-stop shop for tips, must‑knows, and inspiration to help you plan your first adventure.
Start exploring today:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/state-parks-for-beginners/

10/01/2026

Keep an eye on the weather if you're heading out to a Hawk Watch this weekend!

🦅 Hawk Watch Celebration Weather Update 🦅

Our Smith Point Hawk Watch Celebration is happening this Saturday, October 3, and we’re excited to celebrate 30 years of Smith Point Hawk Watch with you!

We’re also keeping a close eye on the weather forecast. Since we want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable experience, we’ll make a final decision based on the forecast and conditions closer to the event.

Here’s the plan:

🌤️ If Saturday’s forecast looks good: We’ll hold the celebration as planned on Saturday, October 3, from 10 AM–1 PM

🌧️ If Saturday’s forecast calls for severe weather, but Sunday looks better: We’ll move the celebration to Sunday, October 4, from 10 AM–1 PM

⛈️ If both Saturday and Sunday have a forecast for severe weather: We’ll have to cancel the event

We’ll continue monitoring the forecast and will make an official announcement Thursday afternoon or Friday morning with the final plan.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we keep an eye on the weather! We hope to see you at Smith Point to celebrate 30 years of hawk watching! 🦅🎉

06/22/2026

A wonderful way to enjoy wildlife viewing is from a canoe or kayak. As you float along, your approach is quieter and you're able experience a more personal and peaceful view of wildlife.

This Thursday, we launch our next 5 trails in the Texas Paddling Trails program, the Lewisville Lake - Highland Village Paddling Trails in the DFW metroplex. Learn more about the newest trails here: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXPWD/bulletins/41d35d2

06/17/2026

One of the most unique wildlife viewing experiences offered in Texas is a sea turtle hatchling release. If you’re in the Coastal Bend this Thursday, head over to Padre Island National Seashore to enjoy this awesome experience!

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchling release is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 6:45am on Malaquite Beach. Here are a few things to consider!

⚠️ IF THERE IS NO UPDATE TO THIS POST, THAT MEANS THAT THE HATCHLING RELEASE IS HAPPENING AS PLANNED. ⚠️

📞 Call the Hatchling Hotline at (361) 949-7163 before you drive out to the seashore to make sure the release is happening. The hotline is a recorded message you can call anytime day or night.

🌩️ Hatchling releases may be cancelled if the turtles have not hatched on the expected date, due to bad weather (ex. pouring rain, lightning on the beach, high winds), extreme high tides, or flooding over roadways, etc.

💲 Park entrance fees are required to enter the park year-round. To save time, purchase your entrance pass online BEFORE coming to the park.

🎟️ The $10 per vehicle one-day pass expires at midnight on the date of purchase. Do not purchase this pass the night before the hatchling release as it will be expired in the morning. Purchase your $10 per vehicle one-day pass the morning of the hatchling release only AFTER calling the calling the Hatchling Hotline to verify the release is happening.

🪪 Annual and lifetime pass holders do not need to pay the park entrance fee but must present their pass and ID at the entrance station.

🚗 Expect delays of up to 30-minutes entering the park. Hatchling releases take place on Malaquite Beach in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center. The visitor center is located 15-minutes south of the park entrance station. Once you arrive at the release site, you must park in a parking lot, walk across the visitor center deck, down the ramp and out to the beach. Driving on Malaquite Beach to the hatchling release site is not permitted. If you have not been to the park before, take some time to look at a map of the park.

🐕‍🦺 Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals, authorized under the ADA are allowed.

🛍️ Looking for a souvenir? The park store only accepts credit and debit cards or mobile phone payments.

❓ For more information about how to prepare to attend a release, please visit go.nps.gov/HatchlingRelease

05/13/2026

Have you seen these hawks? Please report your sightings to assist with our research study with Texas Tech University.

Specifically, we’re seeking sightings of these 3 species of at-risk hawks (or their nests): Gray Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, and Common Black Hawk.

Here’s how to report:
HILL COUNTRY: [email protected]
TRANS-PECOS: [email protected]
or send a message to the Boal Wildlife Research Lab (https://www.facebook.com/CWBoal)

Thank you!

04/03/2026

Sea turtle nesting season has begun! If you see a nesting turtle, please call the number below.

03/30/2026

This Wednesday is the final day to register for the 30th annual Great Texas Birding Classic! You’ll get a 30th annual t-shirt, support conservation projects with your team entry, and have a chance at directing grant money to awesome habitat projects. Win-win-win!!

Check out this video of the Big Sit! Tournament category, following along with one of last year’s teams:

Birding is a great outdoor hobby that’s easy for anybody to get into, especially during events like the Big Sit, where birders of all skill-levels come toget...

03/19/2026

2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the Great Texas Wildlife Trails, which kicked off with the unveiling of the first site on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail back in 1996. Celebrate the year by participating in the 30th annual Great Texas Birding Classic which helps highlight the trails and raise money for conservation grants along the trails each year. Learn more here:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20260319a

03/11/2026

Have you ever viewed wildlife from a canoe or kayak? Texas Co-op Power magazine just shared a great piece on several of our paddling trails throughout the state - and many overlap Great Texas Wildlife Trail sites! Learn more at the link below in comments.

03/04/2026

Internships are a great way to start a career! The coordinator for the Great Texas Wildlife Trails got her start way back in the 1900s working on birding materials for kids, the Great Texas Wildlife Trails, and the Great Texas Birding Classic!

Thankful these trails still exist to give outdoor enthusiasts ideas of the best places to go wildlife viewing in our great state.

Great Texas Birding Classic
Great Texas Wildlife Trails