“I’m perched on the lip of a gaping hole in the prickly Chihuahuan Desert scrublands near Del Rio,” are the opening words of Pam Leblanc’s 8-page feature in the heart of the May 2020 issue of Texas Highways magazine.
The story tells about her adventures caving in the Punkin Cave and creatively named Deep Cave, both located in Carta Valley on private land. Carta Valley is about 40 miles east of Del Rio.
Although she didn’t get to visit Del Rio on this trip, she is a fan of the Queen City. “You have the lake, you have Seminole Canyon, you have San Felipe Creek, you have the winery” she said. She’s been swimming in San Felipe Creek for another story.
She wrote this in 2016 about the San Felipe Springs.
“Ten separate springs percolate along San Felipe Creek, just upstream from its confluence with the Rio Grande in Del Rio. The clear water that gurgles forth supplies the city of Del Rio and nearby Laughlin Air Force Base—and feeds a more-than-a-mile-long strip of urban parkland with pools and streams perfect for escaping the South Texas heat.
“Stone walking bridges crisscross the creek’s three tributaries, which twist like braids but ultimately merge into one main flow, bordered by a paved hike-and-bike trail that leads from Horseshoe Park to Lions Park. Perch on rocks scattered in the main fork in the shadow of an old metal railroad bridge, or climb on an inner tube (bring your own) for a lazy, water-fueled ride downstream. Locals call another section that’s popular with children the Pig Pen. Those who like their swimming a little less wild can drop by the spring-fed, cement-bottom Moore Park Pool ($1.50 for entry).”
Check out the cave story here: https://texashighways.com/travel/outdoors/spelunk-into-depths-of-texas-discover-hot-spots-for-biodiversity/
Her story about Texas Swimming Holes, including the above and 221 words about Fort Clark Springs swimming hole here: https://texashighways.com/things-to-do/on-the-water/dive-in-texas-swimming-holes
So, before you claim there is nothing to do in The 830, remember, one of Texas’s top travel and adventure writers has found it to be a hotbed of stories.
