| Devils River State Natural Area | |
|---|---|
 Dolan Falls | |
  Devils River State Natural Area  Devils River State Natural Area | |
| Location | Val Verde County, USA |
| Nearest city | Del Rio, Texas |
| Coordinates | 29°55′22.84″N 100°58′13.18″W / 29.9230111°N 100.9703278°W |
| Area | 37,000 acres (15,000 ha) |
| Established | 1988 |
| Visitors | 5,017 (in 2022)[1] |
| Governing body | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
Devils River State Natural Area is a 37,000-acre (15,000 ha) section of three ecosystems, the Edwards Plateau, the Tamaulipan mezquital and the Chihuahuan Desert. It is located 66 miles (106 km) north of Del Rio, Val Verde County in the U.S. state of Texas.[2] In 1857, future Confederate General John Bell Hood and a small U.S. Cavalry force skirmished with a group of Comanche braves along the banks of the Devil's River.[3] In 1873, Texas Ranger Captain Pat Dolan had a skirmish with Native Americans, at the falls named for him. Dolan Falls in the natural area is the highest volume waterfall in Texas. The area was once home to the Comanche, Kiowa and Kickapoo tribes. Pictographs painted with red panthers are found in the area's fifty-three rock shelters, which archeologists have dated to 3000 b.c.. The "Buffalo dancer" pictograph depicts a Native American.[4]
Named for the whitewater Devils River that runs through it, the area was once part of a large working ranch, but purchased by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1988. The area is home to many varieties of flora and fauna, including the Mexican free-tailed bat as well as live oak, pecan and sycamore trees. Devils River state natural area is a remote location surrounded by private ranches. Floating on the river is a three-day trip, with no modern conveniences available. While campsites are available, campers are advised to bring all basic necessities with them. Visitors are required to remove everything they bring into the area.[5]
YouTube Encyclopedic
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Devils River State Natural Area, Texas [Official]
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Devils River Spring 2017
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devils river by drone
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Devil's River Panorama near Dolan Creek
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Backpacking Devil's River State Natural Area
Transcription
>> THIS COUNTRY TAKES CARE OF ITSELF. IT'S NOT SETTLED 'CAUSE THEY COULDN'T SETTLE IT. RENAMED IT THE DEVIL'S RIVER 'CAUSE IT WAS SO ROUGH. [music] WHAT'S PRESERVED THIS COUNTRY IS THAT IT'S HARD TO GET TO. IT'S BEEN HARD TO GET TO FOREVER. 76 MILES FROM SONORA AND 76 MILES FROM DEL RIO. BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE RIVER YOU'VE GONE 30 MILES OF DIRT ROAD. THE LAST MILE AND A HALF IS A HIKE. BY THE TIME YOU GET THERE, YOU REALIZE YOU'RE IN AN OASIS. [flowing water] IT'S COOL. SPRINGS ARE DOWN THERE. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SWIMMING HOLE. [splash] [music] THERE IS NO WATER AS CLEAN AS THIS. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY RIVER THAT COMES CLOSE TO BEING LIKE THIS. IT'S THE CLEANEST WATER IN TEXAS. WHEN THEY MEASURE THE CLARITY OF WATER, THEY BASE IT OFF OF OUR WATER IN THE DEVIL'S RIVER. [music] [rushing water] >> THE NATURE CONSERVANCY MOVED INTO THIS AREA TO TRY TO KEEP THE RIVER IN ITS PRISTINE STATE AND OFFER SOME PROTECTION THROUGH OUR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND THROUGH THE PRESERVE HERE AT DOLAN FALLS. DOLAN FALLS PRESERVE IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THE ADJACENT DEVIL'S RIVER STATE NATURAL AREA IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YEAR-ROUND. [paddling] CANOEING AND KAYAKING THE DEVIL'S IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO ENJOY THE RIVER AND SEE THE RIVER, HOWEVER, MOST OF THE RIVER IS PRIVATELY OWNED, AND PEOPLE NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND THEY NEED TO REALLY PLAN AHEAD AND CONSIDER THAT. >> THE ONLY PUBLIC ACCESS POINT ON THE DEVIL'S RIVER IS THE DEVIL'S RIVER STATE NATURAL AREA, AND THAT'S BY RESERVATION ONLY. [tent zipper] CAMPSITES ARE PRIMITIVE SITES, AND THEY'RE ALL BY THEMSELVES. YOU WON'T HEAR OR SEE ANYONE WHEN YOU'RE OUT HERE. [fly casting] >> THE FISHING IS EXCELLENT ON THE DEVIL'S RIVER. BASS PREDOMINANTLY, BUT THERE'S CATFISH AND OTHER SPECIES AS WELL. [music] >> I LOVE THE WATER BUT YOU KNOW I GO OUT AND LOOK UP THESE CANYONS AND GO HIKING AND GO PATROL UP THERE AND I FIND NEW LITTLE SECRETS ABOUT THE PLACE ALL THE TIME. [truck door slam] I GREW UP AS A KID DOWN ON THAT RIVER. MY FAMILY'S FROM HERE. SO I HAVE A PRETTY SPECIAL CONNECTION TO THIS PLACE. IT'S WORTH COMING. PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THIS. [music] >> IT'S TRULY A WILD PLACE THAT HAS HAD VERY LITTLE HUMAN DISTURBANCE, AND THAT'S THE THING THAT REALLY MAKES IT A UNIQUE PLACE TO VISIT. [music] >> IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. [music]
See also
Notes
Citations
- ^ Christopher Adams. "What is the most visited state park in Texas? Here's the top 10 countdown". KXAN.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ Kowtko (2010), p. 150-151
- ^ Michno, Gregory (2003). Encyclopedia of Indian Wars: Western Battles and Skirmishes, 1850-1890.
- ^ Aulbach (2005), p.17-18
- ^ Parent (2008), p. 15-16
References
- Aulbach, Louis F. (2005). The Devils River. Wilderness Area Map Service. ISBN 978-0976521334.
- Kowtko, Stacy S. (2010). America's Natural Places: South and Southeast. Greenwood Press/ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313350894.
- Parent, Laurence (2008). Official Guide to Texas State Parks and Historic Sites. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-71726-8.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
This page was last edited on 22 November 2023, at 23:56