Amistad National Recreation Area - boating, fishing, camping, hiking
Amistad National Recreation Area
Amistad National Recreation Area is the United States portion of International Amistad Reservoir, formed on the Rio Grande along the border of the US and Mexico. The reservoir is known for excellent water recreation, especially boating and fishing. Lake Amistad is home to 22 species of fish. Lake Amistad is surrounded by a landscape rich in prehistoric rock art, a wide variety of plant and animal life, and a vibrant border culture. Amistad NRA is known for world-class 4,000 year-old Native American pictographics which you can see by boat or on foot. The park's museum collection contains an estimated 1.4 million prehistoric artifacts which has the 3rd largest collection in the National Park Service.
Governors Landing has a campground and a day use area if you want to just walk along the water, swim or just picnic. There are eight picnic areas around the lake. You can swim anywhere in the lake except in coves with boat ramps or marinas. Water temperatures range from 54 degrees Fahrenheit in winter months to 86 degrees in late summer. Boat rentals are available also. Lake Amistad has exceptionally clear water making it an excellent place for SCUBA diving too. There are four primitive campgrounds throughout the park for tent or RV dry camping. Laughlin Air Force Base has a campground and marina on Lake Amistad for active and retired military personnel. Viewpoint Road at Diablo East is an unpaved road but a very scenic drive.
Long distance hikers can walk the shoreline, especially in the San Pedro and Spur 406 areas. There are three established trails, at Diablo East, at the Pecos, and the new Sunrise Trail connecting the visitor center and San Pedro Campground. Hiking is even permitted in the five hunting areas. The Amistad NRA's Official Map and Guide shows the park's boundaries as hiking on adjacent private land is not permitted. Limited hunting is allowed in designated areas of the recreation area during specified seasons.
The Amistad area is a transition zone between eastern, western, northern, and southern avifaunas. Because of this the mixed species of birds in the area creates great opportunities to see a wide variety of birds. It is also a winter refuge for thousands of ibis, herons, ducks, geese, coots, and other waterfowl and shorebirds. The area is host to dozens of migratory species of warblers, vireos, buntings, grosbeaks, flycatchers, and other songbirds. The surrounding hills and canyons are inhabited by a unique collection of desert reptiles, the commonly seen Jack rabbit, and thousands of bats inhabit the caves. Monarch butterflies migrate through Amistad National Recreation Area in the fall and roost in the trees by the thousands.
We drove hard from Cape Canaveral, Florida and did nothing of consequence until day 2 when we hit Lake Amistad in Del Rio Texas on the Mexico border. Saw border patrol dragging big tires behind their trucks to smooth over the dirt road so they could see footprints from illegal aliens that crossed over in the night. Generally not worth the time or the heat unless you are within 3 hours. AVOID I-10 anywhere but the stretch found in Florida. It is hot, boring, terribly maintained, with hundreds of miles of rollercoaster, denture breaking, bone jolting, car shaking, rattle making cracks, bumps, and holes with heavy construction. It is very dangerous in many areas due to tight lane changes. I HATED this part of the rv vacation. If there is a next time, we will have to take more time here to do more water activities. Go ahead and rent a boat and really get into the place with a refreshed attitude.
Travel info - Map location of Amistad National Recretion Area, Texas.
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