Sunday, February 11, 2018

Hiking at Lake Corpus Christi State Park, 2/01/2018

Lake Corpus Christi State Park is about an hour north of Corpus Christi. It is situated on the shores of a 21,000-acre reservoir called Lake Corpus Christi.


Admission is $5/adult per day. Leashed pets are permitted except inside buildings. A map of the park is provided at the entrance. 


Water recreation is the primary attraction here (swim, ski, jet ski, sail, kayak, canoe, and boating). Fishing is also very popular from the shores or from a boat on the lake. But we came to do some hiking and birdwatching

Our first stop was the one-mile Catfish Point Trail. It’s always interesting to check out the flora in the different places we hike. Epiphytes (plants that live on other plants but derive they nutrition and water from the air) could be seen on many of the trees.



As the trail neared the lake, our sweet doggie, Sadie, jumped in for a quick swim (one of her favorite things to do). 



One of the things I have come to loathe in Texas are the ants!! These are not fire ants, but they reminded me of those nasty fellows. Now I attempt to steer clear them all.


Leaving the car near the Catfish Point trailhead, we walked to the Longhorn Trail. The trail meanders through the woodlands and passes one of the campgrounds in the park. 



We spent some time at the Bird’s Nest Shelter Area. A blind provides great viewing opportunities. Bird baths and feeders attract various types of birds to the area. We saw lots of cardinals and mourning doves.





Continuing on the Kiskadee Trail, we came to the Old Park Pavilion that overlooks the lake. It is a beautiful structure built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in 1933-34. 


Fantastic views can be seen from the observation tower




There is additional stonework on the banks of the lake.



We hiked back to our car near Catfish Point. There is a campground, boat launch, and fishing pier in this part of the park.


A second large fishing pier can be found near the swimming and picnicking areas of the park. We saw this anhinga drying its wings (we saw lots of these birds in FL, but they can also be found in abundance here). Canoes are also available for rent in this part of the park. 




For additional information about the park, camping, shelter rentals, etc., go to tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lake-corpus-christi.


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