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The flat land with large expanses of salty water is now behind us (well, south of us to be exact) and we’re surrounded by gently rolling hills. We had to wean ourselves off living near water (since we’ve been next to it for the past three months) so we selected Choke Canyon State Park as our next stopping point. The park edges Choke Canyon Lake which is really a water reservoir for Corpus Christi, 90 miles to the southeast. The Park opened in 1986, shortly after the Frio River was dammed to create the 26,000 surface acre lake. Needless to say, it was plenty of water for us!

Although the damming of the Frio was good for the residents of Corpus Christi the resulting water impoundment meant that some folks lost their homes. In the early 1970s the Bureau of Reclamation began buying up land around the town of Old Calliham because they knew it would be submerged.

As one family put it, it was sell or have our land condemned. Choke Canyon State Park now encompasses part of the Old Calliham town site which explains some of the exotic plants and trees, random roads that go seemingly nowhere and the extra amenities.

The Park offers a swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, a baseball field and an auditorium with stage and kitchen. All of which were once part of the Calliham Community School. I can imagine that in the summer these facilities are a boon to the families camping there. Not only can you fish, boat, bike, hike and swim but you can take part in all those other activities too.

Most the facilities were closed during our visit, since it was winter, but there was plenty to do and see. We felt lucky to be there since the park had recently been closed because of renovations and budget cuts. There are two sections to the park, the 385 acre South Shore which is for day use and the 1,100 acre Calliham section which has campsites and even small cabins. Both sections have large boat ramps and both boating and fishing seem to draw many visitors. Most everyone except us had a boat and the fish cleaning station was always busy. I guess they are mostly fishing for Largemouth Bass (the biggest fish in the lake at up to 15 pounds) and White Crappie (supposedly the best tasting freshwater fish).

The neatest thing about the park is that it is teeming with wildlife! There are several reasons: the fresh water, the low human population density, and the park’s large size (plus it is adjacent to a large reserve). The reserve is open for hunting (in season and with the proper permits, of course) but the park isn’t and the animals seem to know it.

Our first morning we were rudely awakened by a loud crash and other banging noises. We sprang to the window and just across the way was the culprit. I should say culprits, a small group of smart and determined Javelinas. They used their heads (literally and figuratively) to lift and tip over the garbage cans which they then proceeded to “sort”. This happened every morning of our stay, we just no longer jumped out of bed.

In the evenings it was “deer time” as a group of ten to twenty White-tailed Deer wandered into the large grassy area between campsites to graze. They were mostly females with last year’s young but occasionally they were joined by a male. A herd of Rio Grande Wild Turkeys also strutted through the area. Everyone seemed to be on a routine, even a pair of Great Horned Owls. They nested nearby and each sunset they announced their presence.

Every evening we’d wander along the many trails and old roads in the park. A prolific vining type of milkweed has covered many of the mesquite and acacia trees creating secluded arbor-like walkways. We had a great time exploring them and we saw something new each time. One evening we walked right under a group of perching Harris’s Hawks, the next night we stumbled across a Common Pauraque (a type of nightjar). It was so amazing to watch, it sat on the road occasionally fluttering up into the air to catch insects before settling back on the pavement. Clearly, not your average bird.

Another interesting bug eater was around during the day and he was so brightly colored you couldn’t miss him: a Vermilion Flycatcher. A stunning bird, smaller than a Cardinal yet somehow more vivid.

Of course we glimpsed Armadillos but they are surprisingly quick; I never did get a good shot of one. There were supposedly American Alligators in the lake, we hunted all over for them and never did see one. It would have been cool because this is the westernmost edge of their range. In addition to these characters were the usual shorebirds we’d grown accustomed to along the Texas Gulf Coast: herons, egrets, cormorants, Osprey, and even Crested Caracaras.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Choke Canyon, we practically had the place to ourselves during the week. It filled up on the weekend though since it’s not that far from Corpus Christi to the south and San Antonio to the north. And that brings us to our next stop, San Antonio, home of the Alamo!

Photos: View our photos from Choke Canyon State Park, Texas.

Notes: We stayed in Choke Canyon State Park from 02/11/2007 to 02/17/2007.