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Mar 18 2023

A Birdwatchers Guide to the Texas Hill Country

The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places in the world, sprinkled with southern hospitality and charm. Birds in the Texas Hill Country are among the many things that give this slice of paradise its natural beauty. Frio Country Resort has a spectacular selection of vacation rentals on the Frio River in the Texas Hill Country.

Our picturesque resort located on the Frio River offers cabin rentals, vacation home rentals, RV sites, and wedding packages. Book a trip you’ll treasure for a lifetime today at Frio Country Resort. Read more about the Texas Hill Country birds below.

Why you should try Bird Watching in the Texas Hill Country

Bird watching is a fascinating hobby people of all ages and abilities can enjoy. The Texas Hill Country has diverse wildlife with rare bird species you can only find in this region. Birds may seem ordinary to those who don’t look a little closer. However, if you pay attention and do a little reading, you will find many different complex and gorgeous bird species to watch for. Keep reading below to learn more about our five favorite birds in the Texas Hill Country.

Our 5 Favorite Texas Hill Country Birds

1. Golden-cheeked Warbler: This black, bright yellow, and white beauty is one of the most lovely birds in the Juniper-oak woodlands of the Texas Hill Country. This is the only bird species nested exclusively in the Texas Hill Country.

2. Painted Bunting: This is one of the easiest birds to spot in the Texas Hill Country with its vibrant rainbow-colored appearance. The oldest recorded Painted Bunting was 12 years old from a Florida banding study.

3. Greater Roadrunner: This bird might give you some nostalgia for a particular Warner Brothers cartoon. These tough birds can run faster than a human, survive in harsh desert environments, and eat poisonous animals like a rattlesnake with no damage to themselves.

4. Green Kingfisher: The Texas Hill Country is among the few places in the United States where you can see this uniquely stunning bird. Their sturdy and large bill is used for fishing and as a hammer to create their nest burrow in the hard-packed soil.

5. Vermilion Flycatcher: These are quite the love birds. When the male Vermillion Flycatcher is courting a female, he will bring her gifts like shiny insects or butterflies. They will also impress the females with an impressive flight display that involves rising up to 100 feet in the air while singing a sweet song.

Make memories you’ll treasure forever by booking your stay at Frio Country Resort!

Feb 18 2023

View one of the largest bat colonies at the Frio Bat Cave

The Frio Bat Cave is one of the incredible natural attractions that draw travelers to the charming town of Concan in the Texas Hill Country. The cave is an essential home to Texas’ largest colony of Mexican free-tailed bats. Frio Country Resort has a stunning selection of Concan cabin rentals, RV sites, and vacation home rentals on the Frio River for our resort guests. October 2023 and April 2024 are great times to book your stay to enjoy the Frio Bat Cave solar eclipse tours.

Texas is the best place to see bats in the United States

Texas is among the best places to see 32 of the 47 bat species in the U.S. Before you head out to explore the Frio Bat Cave, though, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Give the bats their space while emerging from the Frio Bat Cave to avoid collisions.
Never touch one of the bats. Wild animals can bite when they feel threatened, and there is a slight chance they could have rabies.
Please don’t use bright lights around the bats. This might distract the bats, leaving them vulnerable to predators and other dangers.
Bats at the Frio Bat Cave have state law protection. Please do not bother them by throwing objects or poking them.
Keep your voice low while you’re around the bats. They can be sensitive to loud noises.

Sign up for one of the Frio Bat Cave tour options

The Frio Bat Cave is an essential habitat for the mother Mexican free-tailed bats to give birth and raise their young. You can view the emergence of the largest colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in Texas with one of the Frio Bat Cave tour options:

Solar Eclipse Tours: The Frio Bat Cave is directly in the path of the Annular Solar eclipse. The following upcoming dates for Annular Solar Eclipses are October 14, 2023, and the total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024. The Frio Bat Cave’s location on top of a hill provides a stunning and unobstructed view of solar eclipse events.
Frio Bat Cave Tours: Watch 10 to 12 million Mexican Free-tailed Bats fly from the Frio Bat Cave. The guide will offer you a rain check if the bats don’t emerge from the cave.

Book your stay today at Frio Country Resort to start exploring!

Jan 18 2023

Your Guide to a Garner State Park Hiking Adventure

Garner State Park is known for having some of the most stunning and adventurous hiking trails in the Texas Hill Country. Explore over 1,770 acres of stunning landscapes and 2.9 miles of the Frio River. The thrilling outdoor adventures bring people from near and far to Garner State Park.

Frio Country Resort offers an incredible selection of cabins and vacation rentals on the Frio River. Frio Country Resort is family-friendly and family-owned, with 30+ acres of private Frio River frontage you can explore. Book your stay with Frio Country Resort today, then read our guide below on the top Garner State Park hiking trails.

Top 9 Garner State Park Hiking Trails

1.White Rock Cave: If you’re looking for a peaceful and easy Garner State Park hiking trail, check out the White Rock Cave trail. It’s .6-miles out and back and takes an average of 25 minutes to complete.

2.Mount Ol’ Baldy: This Garner State Park trail is considered moderately challenging and about one mile long. It will take most people around 44 minutes to complete.

3.Old Baldy, Foshee, Bridges, and Crystal Cave Trails Loop: This is a great hiking loop in Garner State Park for a longer journey at 3.5 miles. It’s considered moderately challenging and takes almost two hours and a half to complete.

4.Crystal Cave via Horseshoe Canyon and Bridges Trail Loop: This is a moderately challenging trail that takes around 50 minutes to complete. Enjoy a thrilling 1.5-mile loop hiking in the Texas Hill Country.

5.Ol’ Baldy and Foshee Trail: Enjoy a 1.9-mile loop hiking in the stunning Texas Hill Country. It’s considered moderately challenging and should take a little over an hour to complete.

6.Frio Canyon Trail: This is another longer loop at Garner State Park, but it only takes most people a little over one hour to complete. It’s 3.3 miles in length and is considered moderately challenging.

7.Bridges Trail to Bird Trail Loop: This is a 1.6-mile loop that takes around 45 minutes to complete. Most hikers consider this trail to be moderately challenging.

8.Crystal Cave via Foshee and Old Horse Trail: This is an easy but longer trail in Garner State Park. It’s a 2.8-mile loop that takes most people around an hour and a half to complete.

9.Bridges Trail, Highway, and Frio Canyon Loop: This is the longest Garner State Park hiking loop on our list at 5.8 miles. It’s moderately challenging and takes around two and a half hours to complete.