Resaca de la Palma State Park
State park in Cameron County, in the Gulf Coast region. Established 2008. 1,407 acres by TPWD boundary data.
Resaca de la Palma is a semi-tropical park near Brownsville, on old Rio Grande channels called resacas. Private cars aren't allowed: park at the visitor center, then walk, bike or ride the tram across more than eight miles of trails. Four decks overlook the resaca for wildlife watching, and butterflies and moths are plentiful.
Things to do
_(11-16-13)_resaca_de_la_palma,_cameron_co,_tx_(11151850656).jpg){kind=link}
Trails
TPWD counts about 8 miles of trails in the park. These are the named trails it lists, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ebony Trail | 0.2 mi | Easy | 10 min. |
| Mesquite Trail | 0.6 mi | Moderate | 40 min. |
| Mexican Olive Trail | 0.3 mi | Easy | 10 min. |
| North Mexican Olive Trail | 0.4 mi | Easy | 10 min. |
| Kiskadee Trail | 0.06 mi | Easy | 5 min. |
| Flycatcher Trail | 1.2 mi | Moderate | 40 min. |
| Hog Trail | 0.2 mi | Moderate | 10 min. |
| Coyote Trail | 0.4 mi | Moderate | 15 min. |
| Hunter's Lane | 0.7 mi | Moderate | 35 min. |
| Quail Loop | 1.3 mi | Moderate | 45 min. |
| Yellowthroat Loop | 1.2 mi | Easy | 45 min. |
| Bobcat Lane | 1.3 mi | Easy | 45 min. |
| Tram Loop | 2.8 mi | Easy | 50 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
Brownsville, TX 78521
(956) 350-2920
Open in OpenStreetMap (25.9963, -97.5713)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| McAllen | 1 hr 13 min | 45 mi |
| Corpus Christi | 3 hr 28 min | 124 mi |
| San Antonio | 5 hr 2 min | 247 mi |
| Austin | 6 hr 23 min | 297 mi |
| Houston | 6 hr 44 min | 294 mi |
| The Woodlands | 7 hr 19 min | 315 mi |
Nearby parks
- Estero Llano Grande State Park
- Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
- Falcon State Park
- Mustang Island State Park
- Lake Corpus Christi State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Gulf Coast.
Questions people ask
Can you drive in Resaca de la Palma State Park?
No. Private vehicles aren't allowed. Park at the visitor center, then walk, bike or take the tram.
Can you rent bikes at Resaca de la Palma?
Yes, at the park store: $5 a day for regular and children's bikes, $8 for adult tricycles. Return them by 3 p.m.
Photo credits
- Resaca de la Palma State Park.jpg by StephalyBoyd, CC0.
- Svastra sp.jpg by cricketsblog, CC BY 2.0.
- SPREADWING, RAINPOOL (Lestes forficula) (11-16-13) resaca de la palma, cameron co, tx (11151850656).jpg by ALAN SCHMIERER, CC0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Resaca de la Palma has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Resaca de la Palma State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS Lab: Regional Divisions for Travel and Tourism Planning, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Resaca de la Palma State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Resaca de la Palma State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026