Texas’s Craziest Endurance Paddler Is Taking on His Biggest Challenge Yet
West Hansen and his Arctic Cowboys team hope to become the first kayakers to cross the Northwest Passage.
Outdoors
Critters
May 10, 2022
Jellyfish in the Gulf Are as Mysterious as They Are Painful
These translucent, stinging creatures are full of secrets.
Critters
May 10, 2022
Five Texas Jellyfish—and Relatives—to Know
Brush up on (but not against!) these five gelata common to the Gulf of Mexico.
Business
May 9, 2022
Will Elon Musk Deliver on His Promise of an “Ecological Paradise” at the Tesla Factory in Austin?
The massive facility sits along two miles of the Colorado River. Environmentalists want a say in how the development might affect the waterway.
Travel & Outdoors
April 26, 2022
I Operated an Excavator All by Myself at Texas’s First Construction Theme Park
At Dig World, in Katy, anyone can drive a utility vehicle or go wild in a skid steer.
Travel & Outdoors
April 25, 2022
The Top Ten Backpacking Trails in Texas
Conquer the Guadalupe Mountains, lollygag through the loblollies in East Texas, or trace a historic railroad near Caprock Canyons.
Travel & Outdoors
April 22, 2022
Ten Truly Tree-mendous Texas Trees
Let’s pause to appreciate our leafy friends.
Travel & Outdoors
April 20, 2022
The Dirt on Curbside Composting in Texas
If you’re among the vast majority of Texans without municipal compost pickup, never fear. We’ve got four alternatives.
Critters
April 13, 2022
Go Wild at These Seven Stellar Texas Animal Sanctuaries
Listen to wolves howl, rub a hog's belly, or learn to bottle-feed a baby skunk.
Travel & Outdoors
April 11, 2022
The Great Springs Project Aims to Build a 100-Mile Hike-and-Bike Trail From Austin to San Antonio
The nonprofit effort will cost hundreds of millions and preserve 50,000 acres over the fragile Edwards Aquifer. Can it be done?
Critters
April 7, 2022
Texans, Meet Your Adorable, Bloodthirsty New Neighbors
Given the choice between an influx of vampire bats and an influx of tech bros in Patagonia vests . . .
Hunting & Fishing
April 4, 2022
When It Comes to Gulf Fish, Don’t Fear the Sheeper
Move over, speckled trout and redfish. The misunderstood, toothy sheepshead is a tasty—and sustainable—catch.
Travel & Outdoors
March 17, 2022
The “Keep Big Bend Wild” Effort Aims to Forever Protect Texas’s First National Park
Designating Big Bend as a federal wilderness area, advocates say, will ensure it stays rugged for decades to come.
Travel & Outdoors
March 14, 2022
Channeling My Inner Cowgirl on a Horse Obstacle Course
At trail challenges across Texas, riders of all levels can get back in the saddle and brush up on the basics.
Being Texan
March 14, 2022
Me and My Truck: A Love Story
For fifteen years, my 2005 GMC Sierra has, through good times and bad weather, taken me to every corner of Texas. It might be time to say goodbye, but it won’t be easy.
Critters
February 23, 2022
Meet the Texas Woman Who Punched a Shark in the Face
Conroe native Heather West was snorkeling near the Florida Keys when she fought off a six-foot lemon shark.
Critters
February 22, 2022
How the Turtle Lady of South Padre Helped Save the Kemp’s Ridley
Ila Loetscher took costumed turtles on late-night TV and founded a nonprofit that has rescued thousands of the creatures.
Travel & Outdoors
February 16, 2022
I Went Skiing in Texas
On top of Mt. Aggie, the only slope in the state, it’s all downhill from here.
Food & Drink
February 10, 2022
11 Texas Plants You Didn’t Know You Could Eat
Recipes and tips for wild and unconventional foods—from chile pequin to yaupon—that you can find in your own backyard.
Hunting & Fishing
February 10, 2022
Big Money Is on the Line at Catfish Competitions Across Texas
Lucrative tournaments built around these river monsters are booming.
Travel & Outdoors
February 7, 2022
Set to Become a State Park, Powderhorn Ranch Is an Unspoiled Coastal Paradise
One of the biggest conservation projects in Texas history, the vast parkland encompasses some 17,000 acres along Matagorda Bay.
Travel & Outdoors
February 1, 2022
What Lies Beneath the San Antonio River? A Whole Lot of Weird Stuff
Cleaning crews dredged up creepy dolls, armored catfish, rental scooters, and a staggering quantity of chairs.
Texas History
January 17, 2022
The Secrets of Bonfire Shelter
Archaeologists are uncovering new clues at a canyon where ancient Texans once hunted bison en masse.
Business
January 10, 2022
Regenerative Ranching Is Better for the Environment, but Can It Be Profitable?
These Texans think so.
Best Thing In Texas
January 10, 2022
A Rio Grande Valley Woman Just Broke the U.S. Record for Most Birds Spotted in a Year
Tiffany Kersten saw 726 species in 48 states, setting a new record for the mind-boggling achievement birders call a Big Year.
Travel & Outdoors
January 7, 2022
Folks, Please Don’t Mess With Texas Rock Art
Some idiots carved their names on prehistoric petroglyphs in Big Bend—and it's part of a disturbing spike in vandalism.
Meanwhile in Texas
January 4, 2022
Fish Fell From the Sky in Texarkana, and No One Is Reel-y Sure Why
Cod this story be any stranger?
Texas History
December 15, 2021
The Quirky History of the Osage Orange, Texas’s Ugliest Fruit
Once eaten by woolly mammoths, and later used by Indigenous Texans and settlers for its sturdy wood, this strange plant has spread from Texas across the country.
Critters
December 15, 2021
In Search of the Jaguarundi
Every year, dozens of Texans report sightings of this elusive cat. But scientists are increasingly skeptical that it’s here at all.
Travel & Outdoors
December 10, 2021
Find Your Moment (or Hours) of Zen at a Japanese Garden
Visiting a Japanese garden can bring peace and—especially in the winter months—quiet.
Style & Design
December 10, 2021
How to Bring Elements of a Japanese Garden to Your Backyard
For a peaceful oasis, follow these tips from an expert at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
Travel & Outdoors
December 8, 2021
The Man Who Can Survive Almost Anything
Survivalist expert Bob Hansler found YouTube fame by testing his skills in the Texas wilderness. His biggest challenge was yet to come.
Critters
December 7, 2021
Texas Intensifies Its Fight Against “Zombie Deer Disease”
But many breeders say the new regulations go too far.
Critters
November 29, 2021
At a Camel Conference in the Hill Country, Cameleers Swap Tips (and Watch Out for Slime)
Need help saddling your 1,300-pound dromedary? The Southwest Camel Conference is the place to be.
Hunting & Fishing
November 13, 2021
Duck Duck Duck: Where to Hunt Three Popular Breeds in Texas
Ready to commit murder most fowl?
Travel & Outdoors
November 3, 2021
Eight Great Spots to Canoe or Kayak in Texas This Fall and Winter
Who says we don't have seasons? Fall foliage is a highlight along these paddling routes.
Critters
November 2, 2021
Monarch Butterflies Are Migrating Across Texas. Here’s How to Raise Your Own.
You’ll need the right kind of milkweed and plenty of patience.
Books
October 27, 2021
The Tall Tale of the Sabine River Goat Man and the Haunted Cemetery
Things unseen moved along the river bank, slithered or crawled or pranced between the thick growths of trees that ran for miles.
Critters
October 21, 2021
Squirrels Gone Wild!
Why the fluffy-tailed rodents are making Texans nutty this year.
Sports
October 14, 2021
The Best Public Golf Courses in Texas
These courses are beautiful, fun for all skill levels, and are available to play at a great value. Fairways and greens!
Being Texan
October 14, 2021
Rejoice in the Rockin’ Bods of the Nude Texas Cavers Calendar
What better way to mark the passage of time than with some tasteful spelunking nudity?
Style & Design
September 21, 2021
Expert Gardening Tips for Texas’s Changing Climate
Landscape designer James Burnett shares how to plant a backyard oasis for any weather.
Critters
August 25, 2021
The Ugly Ducklings: Ten Lesser-Known Texas Endangered and At-Risk Species
These humble creatures don’t have the star power of ocelots and whooping cranes, but they’re just as crucial to their ecosystems.
Travel & Outdoors
August 16, 2021
Behind the Fight to Save the Gulf’s Spectacular Coral Reefs
Some of the healthiest coral communities in the world beckon off the Texas coast. Can unlikely allies save this undersea paradise?
Style & Design
August 9, 2021
West Texas Farmers Battle Them, but Now Tumbleweeds Have Become Trendy Decor
The prickly invasive weeds are cropping up all over Etsy and eBay.
State of Mind
August 4, 2021
State of Mind, Episode 8: Useful Wild Plants
Two Austinites have made it their life’s work to document uses for every wild plant in Texas—a project they say could save humanity.
State of Mind
July 21, 2021
State of Mind, Episode 6: Planting Wildflowers in a Pandemic
The poet and performer Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton on risking new connections with nature during a year of tragedy.
Travel & Outdoors
June 17, 2021
Seven Outstanding Parks for Riding or Renting Horses
Hoof it to these parks with your steed (or someone else's).
Travel & Outdoors
June 17, 2021
Holy Smoke! Texas Has Actual Volcanoes. Here’s Where to See Ten of Them.
They’ve been extinct for millions of years, so you'll just need a little imagination—and this handy guide.
Travel & Outdoors
June 17, 2021
Texas Parks by Horseback Offer a Whole Other View
Equestrians can ride their own steeds, or in a few cases rent them, on public lands across the state.