At the Devils River State Natural Area there is a two-story screened shelter in a small meadow at the water’s edge. When the former private hunting ranch opens to the public in 2013, this screened shelter will be for rent to the hardiest of campers.
It is hard to describe the wild beauty of the Devils River. It is the most pristine waterway in Texas and is surrounded by uncompromising rugged terrain. Its remoteness has protected it.
A city block wide and a few inches deep in many places, the spring-fed river is crystal clear. The stream has cut deep canyons in the desert where three ecosystems collide north of Del Rio.
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department purchased the 18,000-acre ranch in 2010 using public and private money. The 20,000-acre North Unit joined TPWD in 1988. Only 15 miles apart, the units are a two-hour drive from each other.
The South Unit is an hour closer to medical help and a Walmart, it is closer to the highway, has 10 miles of river frontage, has 4,000-year-old rock art, and 40 miles of roads. The North Unit protects major springs that pour into the river.
The South Unit won’t be posh, but will be a more accessible primitive camping site. In 2010, only 1,800 lucky visitors experienced the Devils River State Natural Area.
1,080th in a series. Collect them all. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips,” is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in April 6 • 2012.
