Terri’s latest Sunday Stills challenge is World Animal Day which was celebrated on October 4, 2025. Two animals that were on my bucket list were Whooping Cranes in Texas and Elk in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Seeing these animals in the wild was an amazing experience.
Whooping Cranes
According to the International Crane Foundation – North America, Whooping Cranes were near extinction with fewer than 20 individuals in 1941. Today, over 849 Whooping Cranes exist in the entire world.
We traveled to the Texas Gulf Coast one year hoping to see some of the Whooping Cranes who winter in and around the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. These birds breed at Canada’s Wood Buffalo National Park and migrate to Texas every winter. Today there are more than 500 of these beautiful birds.
We found these magnificent Whooping Cranes near Goose Island State Park, south of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. I posted about this amazing experience at Magnificent Endangered Whooping Cranes.
Pair of Whooping Cranes, near Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas
Cataloochee Valley Elk
One fall we traveled to Waynesville, North Carolina in search of Elk in Cataloochee Valley on the eastern side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I posted about our Elk viewing adventure at Cataloochee Valley Elk.
In February, 2001, the National Park Service began an experimental reintroduction of elk into Cataloochee Valley by releasing 25 elk from the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area on the Tennessee-Kentucky border. Another 27 elk from Canada were released in 2002. Today there are approximately 200 elk.
The breeding season, also known as the rutting season, is in the fall. During this time the bull elk make their bugling calls to attract females and challenge other bulls.
Female Elk, Cataloochee Valley, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
Many thanks to Terri for her Sunday Stills challenge World Animal Day
Travel has taught me that there is beauty everywhere you go if you just take the time to look around. When we were traveling by RV, we always had several major destinations for each trip. At first we just drove between destinations without taking much time to enjoy the places in between.
The more trips we took, the more we enjoyed the out of way places that are often overlooked by travelers. Lake Bistineau State Park, Louisiana was one of those places.
Cypress Trees in Lake Bistineau State Park
I’ve learned that traveling opens up opportunities to try new things, even things that terrify me. Our hike to Delicate Arch at Arches National Park is a perfect example of this. I’m scared of heights and almost didn’t make the hike when I read I would have to walk along a narrow ledge with a shear drop off. With Henry’s help and encouragement, I made it. The payoff was this fantastic view.
Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, Utah
I learned that asking a local is the best way to find out about the area, the history, and the out of the way places to visit that don’t show up in tour guides. One year we spent about two months wandering around Texas when the bluebonnets were blooming. A ranger I met in one of the state parks gave us directions to a scenic drive on a dirt road that we would have never discovered if we hadn’t asked.
Texas Bluebonnets
“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.” -James Michener
Travel has taught me I can learn more about a lot about a place by having conversations with people who live there. At the beautiful Russian Orthodox Church in Ninilchik, Alaska we met two women who manage the gift shop and maintain all the graves. They grew up in Ninilchik together and lived with relatives in Anchorage to attend high school because at the time there was no high school in Ninilchik (there is one today). They graduated together in 1950.
Gift Shop for the Russian Orthadox Church in Ninilchik, Alaska
Travel has taught me to try the local foods. We have enjoyed barbecue beef brisket in Texas, pasties in Michigan, Indian Tacos in South Dakota and Arizona, New Mexico cuisine, local seafood in Florida, Washington and Oregon, pork tenderloin sandwiches in Missouri, Dungeness Crab straight off the boat in Alaska, and so many other delicious things we can’t get at home.
Dungeness Crab, Haines, Alaska
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”― Mark Twain
Mark Twain’s quote describes exactly why Henry and I chose to go on our cruise in January. I’ve learned that every day is a gift. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. A single phone call, doctor’s visit, or an unexpected event can change your life in an instant.
St. Kitts
“Life is either a great adventure or nothing: – Helen Keller
Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state in my series is
Texas
Texas became the 28th state on December 29, 1845. The Capital is Austin.
Texas is the second largest state by area and unless you’ve driven through Texas it is hard to comprehend the size. Our Texas adventures have taken us through the Texas Panhandle, mesquite and cactus covered plains, the green rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country, and the beautiful Texas Gulf Coast. Along the way we camped by beautiful lakes, near the Gulf Coast, in the second largest canyon in the United States, and a quite a few places in between. As we drove around the back roads we saw canyons and creeks, dance halls and wineries, historic sites and ranches, quaint small towns and old homesteads, toured museums, made a few hikes, attended a fiddle fest and chuck wagon races, met wonderful Texans, and saw more wildflowers than I ever imagined.
The lighthouse trail at Palo Duro Canyon, Enchanted Rock, and the Devil’s Waterhole Trail at Inks Lake were some of our favorite hikes.
Starting the Lighthouse Trail
Enchanted Rock
At the Summit of Enchanted Rock
View of the Lighthouse from the trail the first overlook
Devil’s Waterhole Trail at Inks Lake
The official Texas Longhorn herd is divided between a few state parks. At Copper Breaks State Park and Palo Duro Canyon State Park we saw them up close.
One of the official Texas Longhorn herd, at Copper Breaks State Park
Part of the official Texas Longhorn herd at Copper Breaks State Park
Longhorn kiss at Copper Breaks State Park
T-Bone, one of the Texas Longhorns
We planned a spring trip to Texas so we could see the bluebonnets in bloom. Texas is the only place on earth where some of the bluebonnet varieties bloom naturally. There were also many other wildflowers along the way.
Texas Bluebonnets in Laredo
Bluebonnets beside boot topped fence
Unknown wildflower beside a rest area in the Texas Plains
Bluebonnets at Lake Arrowhead
Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush along Park Road 4
Texas Bluebonnets in Laredo
Bull Thistle, Copper Breaks State Park
Wildflower growing along the road
Prickly Pear Cactus, Copper Breaks State Park
Wildflowers at Padre Island National Seashore
Bluebonnets near Stonewall, Texas
We found some wonderful places to camp. We especially enjoyed camping at many Texas State Parks.
Palo Duro Canyon
Copper Breaks State Park
Green all around at Lake Arrowhead
Relaxing behind our campsite at Inks Lake State Park, Burnett, Texas
Rain and fog couldn’t keep us from enjoying the three state parks and Padre Island National Seashore along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Sand Dunes at Mustang Island State Park
Hazy day at Padre Island National Seashore
Morning sky from our site at Goose Island State Park
Sunrise over the Gulf at Galveston Island State Park
There are many varieties of birds along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Sandhill crane and Whooping crane near Goose Island State Park
White Pelicans, Goose Island State Park
Whooping cranes, near Goose Island State Park
Roseate Spoonbills and Egret,Goose Island State Park
Green Heron
Great Blue Heron near Goose Island State Park
Whooping Cranes and Sandhill cranes near Goose Island State Park
Mallards at Inks Lake
Sandpiper with a tasty crab
Tri-Colored Heron
Texas Horned Lizards, Cottontail Rabbits, mule deer, white tailed deer, prairie dogs, and wild turkeys are some of the wildlife I was able to capture.
Texas Horned Lizard, Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Mountain Cottontail, Copper Breaks State Park
Wild Turkeys, Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Mule Deer, Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Prairie Dog, Lake Arrowhead State Park
We saw deer almost every day at Cranes Mill Campground
Being serenaded, attending a fiddle fest, listening to music in a dance hall, touring the Buddy Holly museum, going to Luckenback, and seeing signs about Willie Nelson reminded us of how important music is to the Lone Star State.
We were serenaded with a Bob Wills classic while we enjoyed our steak at the Big Texan
Llano Fiddle Fest 2015
Luckenbach, Texas
Buddy Holly Statue and West Texas Hall of Fame
Gruene Hall is one of the oldest dance halls in Texas
Gotta love Texas
For us, no trip to Texas would be complete without sampling some of their fantastic steaks and barbecue, especially the brisket.
Cooper’s Barbeque in Llano, Texas
Salt Lick Barbeque
Chopped brisket sandwich at Triple J Chop House, Lubbock
Brisket Sandwich at the Branding Iron in Wichita Falls
The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo
In Paris, Texas we stopped to see the Eiffel Tower with a red cowboy hat and attended chuck wagon races.
Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas
Start of a Chuck Wagon Race
Spectators at the Chuck Wagon Races
There were interesting things to see all around the state.
Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo
The Big Tree in Goose Island State Park in Texas is a 1000 year old live oak
A common sight in the Texas Plains
At the LBJ Ranch
Big Blue Crab in Rockport, Texas
Sculpture at the entrance to a ranch
One of the best things about visiting Texas is meeting native Texans. Without fail, every Texan we met was proud of their state and eager to share their favorite places to visit or where to find the best brisket. One woman I met had so many good suggestions about places to go I had to get a notebook out of the truck to take notes!
Our 2015 wandering took us on a long a spring trip from Georgia to Texas and a short fall trip to South Carolina, Virginia, and North Carolina.
During our 2015 travels we camped in 7 states and stayed in a total of 21 different parks: 11 state parks, 6 private RV parks, 3 COE parks, and 1 county park. While we enjoyed them all, a few stand out.
So here it is, the second annual “Wandering Dawgs best campgrounds of the year” list.
Number 3: Lake Bistineau State Park, Doyline, Louisiana
Waterfront Camping at Lake Bistineau State Park, Doyline, Louisiana
Cypress Trees dripping with Spanish Moss at Lake Bistineau
We first discovered this beautiful state park when we were traveling west in 2011. The park ranger was one of the nicest and most helpful rangers I have ever met. I have such fond memories of sitting on our own private deck watching the lake that I had been trying to figure out when we would have an opportunity to return.
It was a no-brainer to stop here as we headed home toward Georgia on our return trip from Texas. The same great ranger was there and he is still one of the most friendly and most helpful rangers of any place we have been.
Lake Bistineau State Park is located a short drive south of I-20 near Doyline, Louisiana. The sites have paved parking pads with water and electric hook ups, a picnic table, and fire pit. We had a premium site with a wooden deck overlooking the lake.There are several fishing docks located in the campground and one was right in front of our site. The bath house was spotless and there is a small free laundry. The park also has a boat launch. WiFi is available at the office.
Relaxing behind our campsite at Inks Lake State Park, Burnet, Texas
We traveled through Texas in the spring when the Texas Bluebonnets were blooming. After researching where the best place to see them would be, the area in the Texas Hill Country around Inks Lake sounded perfect. When my friend Tim from Arlingon recommended it we knew we had to stay there.
We made reservations just a few days before our arrival and were fortunate to get a waterfront site the week before Easter. We had plenty of space behind our back in site to set up our chairs an enjoy the lake. We would have stayed longer but the park was full for Easter weekend and we had to leave on Good Friday.
Our site was a waterfront, back-in site with a beautiful view of the lake behind the campsite. We enjoyed beautiful sunsets every day.
Sunset at Ink’s Lake
There are hiking trails, a fishing pier, boat launch, marina, and gift shop. Longhorn Caverns State Park is just down the road and there are many scenic drives through the Texas Hill Country.
When we made a day trip to Palo Duro Canyon from Amarillo several years ago we talked about returning one day to camp in the canyon. Camping there was high on our must do list when we traveled around Texas in the spring.
There are several campgrounds in Palo Duro Canyon State Park with backpacking, equestrian sites, tent sites, and RV sites with water and electricity. Our site in the Sagebrush Campground had large private sitting area with a covered shelter over the picnic table and a fire ring. There are hiking, biking and equestrian trails. There are also several day use picnic areas, cabins, stables with guided horseback rides, an interpretive center, and the Trading Post Restaurant and Park store.
Leigh over at Campendium asked me to submit a post for my favorite State Park Campground for their May, 2015 Campendium Blog post featuring Best State Park Campgrounds. To read my contribution to the post click here.
Wandering Dawgs 