Ancient History And Dazzling Night Skies Await At Seminole Canyon State Park In Texas
By Katie Lawrence|Published November 01, 2020
×
Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
From Hueco Tanks to Enchanted Rock, Texas has no shortage of opportunities to see petroglyphs, or ancient Native American rock drawings. Some of the best-preserved of them all can be found at Seminole Canyon State Park, a historic site nestled down near the Rio Grande. Gorgeous scenery and dazzling night skies also abound at this hidden gem destination, and it deserves a top spot on your travel bucket list.
As early as 12,000 years ago, man coexisted with now-extinct species of elephant, camel, bison, and horse on the land that makes up Seminole Canyon State Park today. These early inhabitants didn't create any petroglyphs—at least, none that have been discovered yet—but their successors certainly did.
Pictured here is the "Maker of Peace," a sculpture by Texas artist Bill Worrell. It was erected as a tribute to the Desert Archaic people who called this vast, rocky terrain home so long ago.
Visitors to the park can enjoy the scenery in a number of different ways. Perhaps the most popular of them all is the Fate Bell Shelter Tour, a rugged hike that leads to a spectacular geological - and historical - wonder.
This giant cliff overhang protects some of the most incredible rock art in Texas, drawn sometime around 5000 B.C. by ancient cave-dwelling peoples.
Advertisement
The tour is guided, so it's as much of an educational experience as it is visual. You'll leave with knowledge about, and a newfound appreciation for, the first residents of a park that now attracts visitors by the thousands each year.
Here are just a few examples of the many pictographs you'll see. Over 200 sites exist in the park, ranging from single images to entire panels spanning hundreds of feet.
The drawings consist of human figures, animals, and symbols, the meanings of which nobody has been able to decipher.
Another excursion loved by park guests is the Presa Day Hike. It's a full-day, backcountry trek that lets you explore rock art sites much more remote than on the Fate Bell Shelter Tour.
This hike is also guided, taking place in spring and fall only. The fee is $25 per person; $20 per person for youth groups (with prior reservations). There's also a half-day Upper Canyon Hike, held in the same times of year, that also features information about the park's railroad and military history. It costs $12 per person; $10 for each member of youth groups.
Prefer exploring solo? Roughly nine miles of trails don't require a tour guide.
Enjoy an ADA-accessible bird viewing area, hike along the canyon rim, walk past a spring that's supplied water to area inhabitants for ages, and marvel at sweeping panoramic vistas, including a scenic overlook at the confluence of Seminole
Canyon and the majestic Rio Grande. Click here
for the trail map.
Come for the rich history and boundless adventure; stay for the dazzling skies.
Have you ever been to Seminole Canyon State Park? If so, what trails did you take? Let us know all about your visit, and check out our previous article for another incredible petroglyph site in Texas.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
