Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, in Mission, is known worldwide as a hot spot for birding where you can glimpse hundreds of bird species as well as other South Texas wildlife like bobcats and javalinas. Over 325 species of birds, including Plain Chachalaca and Green Jays, have been spotted in the Park and it is one of the best places in the United States to observe birds and wildlife most commonly found in Northern Mexico.
The Park has over 760 acres of rare riparian woodland and native gardens and it’s surrounded by 1900 acres of protected native habitat. To protect and preserve the integrity of the Park, cars are not allowed – you can walk, bike, or take the tram around the Park. The Park is home to a visitor’s center, hiking and nature trails, a gift and coffee shop, primitive campground, meeting facilities, and lots of bird observation areas. The Park serves as the headquarters of the World Birding Center.
We discovered this Park when we were camping at Bentsen Palm Village RV Resort just outside the Park. We aren't birders but we did have an easy ride through the Park with a stop at the Nature Center and the Hawk Observation tower.
The rest of the time when we were here we had fun on an ATV ride, golfing at a couple of the local courses, a good meal at Republic of the Rio Grande, and we really enjoy all of the amenities at Bentsen Palm Village RV Resort.
Near By:
If you’re a nature lover, about a mile from the Park is the National Butterfly Center which is where you can experience the beauty, drama, and emotion of wild butterflies. On over 100 acres you’ll see incredible numbers of kaleidoscopically colored wild butterflies. Thousands of plants that butterflies need for nectar and caterpillar growth have created a butterfly paradise that sustains large populations of hundreds of species of wild butterflies.
McAllen and all of its sister cities are home to a wide variety of things to do from good restaurants to world class shopping to arts and theater to museums and zoos. If you like golf, there are several good courses in the area – here is a link to our reviews of some of the best golf courses in the Rio Grande Valley.
For sun, surf, and good times then head to South Padre Island which is about 90 minutes away. Read this Vacation on South Padre Island to learn about all the fun things to do on the Island.
1 Review on “Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park”
This is our official Texas Outside rating