Texas Rivers & Streams - Texas Parks and Wildlife

Come see us this Saturday at the Lakeside Legacy event at Fort Parker State Park:

Coming soon!!!!

Join TPWD's River Access Program at the 13th annual Earth Day San Marcos Festival this Saturday!

We're also looking for volunteers to help out at this event. Find more info and how to sign up here: https://tpwd.samaritan.com/custom/1353/opp_details/228814

🌎✨ Earth Day San Marcos Festival THIS SATURDAY! ✨🌎

Join for the 13th Annual Earth Day San Marcos Festival at Spring Lake!

🗓 Saturday, April 18, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
🎟 Free + family-friendly
🚗 Parking info: EarthDay.MeadowsWater.org

Enjoy live music, hands-on activities, Eco Sessions, a community art project, local exhibitors, and more—all inspired by this year’s theme: One Heart, Many Waters. 🌿🎶🎨

Come celebrate with us! See the full schedule at EarthDay.MeadowsWater.org, and check our Stories for live festival coverage throughout the day 💙

Have you seen this fish? Invasive Silver and Bighead carp have been found in the Red River and tributaries in Texas. Help stop them from spreading to new water bodies and threatening native fish populations. Don’t move live bait—use it where you catch it!

•It’s illegal to move live bait from the Red River and tributaries, Sulphur River and Big Cypress Bayou to prevent accidental transfer of young invasive carp, which look much like shad.

•Report Silver or Bighead Carp sightings to [email protected].

Come work with us! Our River Studies team is hiring a Fish and Wildlife Technician in our San Marcos office. River Studies works statewide to manage and conserve sport fish, native species, and aquatic habitats. Posting closes April 14th. https://capps.taleo.net/careersection/802/jobdetail.ftl?job=00056856&tz=GMT-05%3A00&tzname=America%2FChicago

Our next river park is Dinosaur Valley State Park - Texas Parks and Wildlife on the Paluxy River about an hour southwest of Fort Worth! Dinosaur Valley is home to Guadalupe Bass, Bronto, and world famous dinosaur tracks. The park has numerous trails to access the river for fishing, swimming, paddling, and exploring. It is also home to 15 species of fish.

You can’t go to the Big Bend region without a stop at . Home to dramatic canyons, hot springs, and 118 miles of the Rio Grande. There are ample opportunities to canoe, raft, or go fishing. If you’re going to fish in the park, you’ll need a free NPS permit. This is certainly the busiest spot in Big Bend so plan ahead.

This stop isn’t technically a park, but it’s too gorgeous not to mention when you’re in the Big Bend area, it’s Black Gap Wildlife Management Area . The WMA is downstream from Big Bend National Park and borders 25 miles of the Rio Grande that is designated as Wild and Scenic by the National Park Service. The water here is spring-fed and has a beautiful blue-green color. If you want to escape the crowds to do some fishing in a wilderness setting, this one’s for you. Purchase an annual Limited Public Use permit for $12 to fish or camp at our WMAs.

Next, we head west to on our Spring Break road trip. The park borders beautiful, remote sections of the Rio Grande and is home to abundant fish, wildlife, and spectacular views. The park offers multiple access points to the river for fishing, rafting, canoeing, and exploring and is often less crowded than the nearby national park.

Our next stop is our newest Texas State Park, . This park just fully opened on March 1st and offers kayaking and fishing opportunities on Tucker Lake or you can hike along Palo Pinto Creek on the Palo Pinto Creek Loop Trail. 14 species of fish live here including Largemouth Bass, Flathead and Channel Catfish, and a favorite, Orangespotted Sunfish. The park also offers a dock and an accessible kayak launch.

Our next Spring Break State Park stop is just 1.5 hrs northwest of Austin. This park offers opportunities to fish or paddle the Colorado River, to swim or explore in the spring-fed Spicewood Creek, and to hike to the famous Gorman Falls. The park is home to 26 species of fish, including the state fish of Texas, Guadalupe Bass, and White Bass which are a popular fishery in early spring.