TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Estero Llano Grande State Park

State park in Hidalgo County, in the South Texas Plains region. Established 2006. 226 acres by TPWD boundary data.

A resaca in Estero Llano Grande State Park, Hidalgo County, Texas, USA
Photo: William L. Farr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Estero Llano Grande is a World Birding Center site on the south edge of Weslaco, where about 340 bird species have been documented. More than 5 miles of trails cross wetlands, ponds, woodland and thorn scrub, and about 2 miles are wheelchair accessible. Cars aren't allowed past headquarters, so walk or bring a bike.

Things to do

Birding

Look for some of the 340 documented species from the decks and trails, or take a tour with a birding expert. The Indigo Blind in the Tropical Zone is a good spot for shy birds.

Alligator Lake

A few American alligators live in Alligator Lake. Watch for Common Pauraque, White-tailed Kite and the resident bobcats too.

Estero Llano Grande State Park
Photo: cricketsblog, CC BY 2.0
Estero Llano Grande State Park
Photo: cricketsblog, CC BY 2.0
TEXAS & SOUTHERN NM BIRDS & STUFF
Photo: ALAN SCHMIERER, CC0

Trails

Trails listed by TPWD, with its own distances and ratings.

TrailDistanceDifficultyTime
Alligator Lake Trail0.1 miEasy15 min.
Llano Grande Hiking Trail1.46 miEasy1 hr.
Tropical Area Trails0.74 miEasy1 hr.
Wader's Trail1.16 miEasy1 hr.
Camino de Aves0.94 miEasy1 hr.
Orchard Trail0.42 miEasy30 min.

Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).

Visiting with dogs

Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.

Swimming

TPWD doesn't list swimming for this park.

Getting there

3301 S. International Blvd. (FM 1015)
Weslaco, TX 78596
(956) 565-3919

Open in OpenStreetMap (26.1264, -97.9565)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
McAllen33 min19 mi
Corpus Christi3 hr 22 min122 mi
San Antonio4 hr 40 min233 mi
Austin6 hr 2 min289 mi
Houston6 hr 38 min297 mi
The Woodlands7 hr 12 min317 mi
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Nearby parks

  1. Resaca de la Palma State Park26 miles away. $4 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  2. Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park27 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  3. Falcon State Park80 miles away. $3 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  4. Mustang Island State Park117 miles away. $7 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  5. Lake Corpus Christi State Park134 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.

Straight-line distance. See every park in the South Texas Plains.

Questions people ask

Can you drive through Estero Llano Grande State Park?

No. Cars aren't allowed in the park; park at headquarters and walk or bike.

Can you camp at Estero Llano Grande?

Only groups, at Camp Thicket, which has barracks and kitchens.

Photo credits

Sources

Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Estero Llano Grande has current alerts and closures.

  1. TPWD: Estero Llano Grande State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
  2. TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
  3. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
  4. TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. TPWD: Estero Llano Grande State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD: Estero Llano Grande State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
  9. Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
  10. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
  11. Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026