Corey Leopold/Flickr Creative Commons
There are several parks and recreation sites that fill the south Texas area, and not far from the border, in Del Rio, Texas, is a beautiful place called the Amistad National Recreation Area. This oasis is just a few hours southwest from Johnson Brothers Ford and is known for world-class boating and fishing due to the clear waters. Also nearby are ancient rock, which attract visitors from all over the globe. The Amistad National Recreation Area is America’s portion of the International Amistad Reservoir, which lies between the United States and Mexico. Some of the rock formations here include 4,000 year old rock art. You can view paintings on rock walls and in numerous sites through the area.
Anglers have discovered that the Amistad Reservoir provides top-class, year-round fishing. You can find both large-mouth and small-mouth bass along with the striped bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish and alligator gar. In order to help maintain a top-quality fishery, catch and release is encouraged and should be practiced.
There are many hiking trails available here. A short nature trail is located at Diablo East. Along the trail you can learn about a wide variety of plants stunning views of Lake Amistad.. The Sunrise Trail starts at the visitor’s center and is 2.1 miles long, leading you to Spur 454. On the trail, you can catch sight of a diverse number of birds and plants.
The body of water at the site is approximately 60,000 acres and stays in pristine conditions for most of the year. A boater’s hidden gem, ski boats, houseboats, watercrafts and jet skis are commonly seen here. Hitching your boat to your Temple Ford truck is highly recommended. The water is so clear that it has become popular with scuba divers and swimmers. Pick up your scuba diving brochure upon arriving at the visitor’s center. A dive cove can be located at Diablo East.
The area does offer five camping and RV sites. The sites are all primitive with no hookups. However, an RV dump station along with potable water is located along the road of the Diablo East boat ramp. All spaces are on a first come, first serve basis.
Don’t hesitate to go check this Texas treasure out for yourself. Let us know how it goes!
