Recommended Weekend Excursions In Texas by newsdesk Camping and Hiking Abilene State Park : Original park construction was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the early 1930's. A portion of the official Texas longhorn herd and two buffalo are located on site. Comanches frequented what is now the park, using the groves of 4000 native pecan trees as campgrounds, much like the present park's picnic area. The park offers camping, hiking, nature study, swimming (summer), picnicking, fishing in Buffalo Wallow Pond in the park and nearby Lake Abilene, and bicycle riding and walking on park roads. Big Spring State Park : Comanches and earlier Indian groups frequently visited the park area in the past, probably attracted by the permanent source of spring water. Spaniards may have first visited the area as early as 1768. However, the first recorded mention of the spring is from an October 3, 1849 entry in the journal of Captain R. B. Marcy of the U. S. Calvary on his return excursion from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Other visitors to the park and spring include cattle drovers, and immigrants moving to new territories, as can be seen by carvings they left behind (circa 1917, turn of the century). Today the City of Big Spring occupies the area and is involved in several businesses such as agriculture, tourism, and the refining of petroleum.. Using limestone quarried on the site and quality workmanship, the pavilion, headquarters, residence, pumphouse, and restroom were built. Activities include camping, picnicking, nature study, and sightseeing. Caddo Lake State Park : This lake was the only natural lake in Texas until it was artificially dammed in the early 1900's when oil was found and for flood control in 1914. A new dam replaced the old one in 1971. Caddo Indian legend attributes the formation of the lake to an earthquake. Caprock Canyons State Park : The park offers day-use and camping facilities, hiking, horseback riding, mountain bike riding, boating, fishing, lake swimming and a scenic drive. There are almost 90 miles of multi-use trails About 25 miles of the trails include cliffs and drop-offs, with steep climbs and descents. Sea Rim State Park : The park is named for that portion of the Gulf shoreline where the marsh grasses extend into the surf in a zone termed Sea Rim Marsh. The park's coastline contains a biologically-important zone, wherein salt tidal marshlands meet the Gulf waters. These marshlands formed when silt from the Sabine River delta was carried down the beach by longshore currents. Attractions include camping, wildlife observation, birding, beach combing, a nature trail, canoeing and kayaking, air boat tours, beach swimming and fishing. Hunting and Fishing Bastrop State Park : The park opened in 1937. It is the site of the famous "Lost Pines," an isolated timbered region of loblolly pine and hardwoods. The park provides opportunities for backpacking, camping, picnicking, fishing, canoeing, swimming, golfing, bicycling, wildlife viewing, hiking, and special tours. San Angelo State Park : Regional archeological findings indicate some 18,000 years of Native American occupation, starting with the Paleo-American hunters of giant Ice Age mammals and ending with the crucial military defeat of the Comanches in 1874. The non-Indian history of the area begins with 16th- and 17th-century Spanish exploration and the establishment of missions for the semi-settled Jumano Indians of those days. By the 1800s, German immigrants began to own land in the region. The increasing need to protect California-bound travelers led to the establishment of Fort Concho. From then on, farmers, ranchers, and sheep herders all contributed to the settlement of Concho Country, with San Angelo (originally Santa Angela) becoming the county seat in 1883. Activities include camping, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding on multi-use trails, lake swimming and wading, fishing, boating, and bird and wildlife observation. Colorado Bend State Park : The park currently offers the outdoor enthusiast access to primitive camping, hiking, fishing, swimming, mountain biking, birding, and nature watching, and guided tours. When Lake Buchanan is near normal levels, the river is navigable from the park's boat ramp all the way to the lake, approximately 10 miles. This is a trip on slow moving water through the beautiful canyon lands of the Colorado. Huntsville State Park : The heavily-wooded park adjoins the Sam Houston National Forest and encloses the 210-acre Lake Raven. The park offers camping, hiking, biking, boating, miniature golf, horseback riding, fishing, swimming and nature study. Lake Arrowhead State Park : Lake Arrowhead itself is a reservoir on the Little Wichita River and covers approximately 16,200 surface acres, with 106 miles of shoreline. Built primarily as a water supply by the City of Wichita Falls, the lake is also a major recreational site for the North Central Plains. The park offers fishing, lake swimming, water skiing, disc golf, picnicking, camping, nature study, hiking, horseback riding and boating. Lake Texana State Park : Lake Texana was named for the historic town of Texana, founded in 1832, near the junction of the Navidad and Lavaca rivers downstream from the present dam site. Activities include camping, boating, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing on the main lake, canoeing, picnicking, swimming, hiking, good birding and fishing. Recommended Weekend Excursions In Texas by newsdesk.