Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Episode 18, Season 41 of Texas Parks & Wildlife, a weekly PBS series about the great outdoors. Government Canyon State Natural Area provides a crucial source of drinking water for San Antonio residents. Experience the slow-moving water and natural beauty of Martin Dies, Jr. State Park. Thanks to good stewardship and a lot of birdhouses, the Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers of Scrappin Valley are doing so well that they’re being exported to other forests that need them.
Government Canyon Champions - 1:40
Government Canyon State Natural Area would not exist without Tim and Karen Hixon. Thanks to their vision and stewardship, thousands of acres of land over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone are protected--providing trails, campsites, a refuge for wildlife, and a crucial source of drinking water for San Antonio residents. Here’s the story about how Government Canyon became a vast urban refuge.
Paddling Trails of Martin Dies, Jr. State Park - 9:54
The Walnut Slough Paddling Trail, Sandy Creek Paddling Trail and Neches Paddling Trail are three trails through and around Martin Dies, Jr. State Park that offer a variety of experiences on the park’s backwater sloughs along Spring Creek, the wide-open B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir, and the fast-moving Neches River, all filled with amazing wildlife watching opportunities. Enjoy 3 to 16 miles of trails, depending on the route you choose!
Lone Star Land Steward: Scrappin Valley - 13:12
Thanks to good stewardship and a lot of birdhouses, these once-endangered Red-cockaded woodpeckers are doing so well that they’re being exported to other forests that need them.
Watching for Wildlife - 16:27
Monitoring wildlife is important to maintaining the health of an ecosystem. At Ray Roberts Lake State Park, Daniel Rios uses trail cameras to keep an eye on the park and the animals that live there. These cameras offer an amazing view of the wildlife and their habitats, as long as rangers can keep the raccoons from stealing them.
Postcard From Texas: Government Canyon State Natural Area - 24:09
Government Canyon State Natural Area lies on the edge of the Balcones Escarpment. The northern area features deep canyons on the eastern boundary of the Edwards Plateau. The southern section flattens into a broad plain. A forested strip separates these two areas.
Chapters:
Intro - 00:00
Canyon Urban Refuge - 1:40
Paddling a State Park - 9:54
LSLS: Scrappin Calley - 13:12
An Eye on Wildlife - 16:27
Government Canyon - 24:09
Share a story from this episode:
youtu.be/weKYiLQW_Mo
youtu.be/ii6IMsIV4go
youtu.be/dCGuUbqQsfM
youtu.be/EB-mf-gjhVw
Episode 18, Season 41, Program 3418 Air Dates: February 1-7, 2026 & August 16-22, 2026
When to watch on Texas PBS stations: tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/tv/tvwhere.phtml
Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/texasparksandwildlife
Join us on Instagram: instagram.com/texasparkswildlife
#texasoutdoors #outdooradventure #outdoors #texas #nature #documentary #fullepisode
Episode 18, Season 41 of Texas Parks & Wildlife, a weekly PBS series about the great outdoors. Government Canyon State Natural Area provides a crucial source of drinking water for San Antonio residents. Experience the slow-moving water and natural beauty of Martin Dies, Jr. State Park. Thanks to good stewardship and a lot of birdhouses, the Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers of Scrappin Valley are doing so well that they’re being exported to other forests that need them.
Government Canyon Champions - 1:40
Government Canyon State Natural Area would not exist without Tim and Karen Hixon. Thanks to their vision and stewardship, thousands of acres of land over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone are protected--providing trails, campsites, a refuge for wildlife, and a crucial source of drinking water for San Antonio residents. Here’s the story about how Government Canyon became a vast urban refuge.
Paddling Trails of Martin Dies, Jr. State Park - 9:54
The Walnut Slough Paddling Trail, Sandy Creek Paddling Trail and Neches Paddling Trail are three trails through and around Martin Dies, Jr. State Park that offer a variety of experiences on the park’s backwater sloughs along Spring Creek, the wide-open B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir, and the fast-moving Neches River, all filled with amazing wildlife watching opportunities. Enjoy 3 to 16 miles of trails, depending on the route you choose!
Lone Star Land Steward: Scrappin Valley - 13:12
Thanks to good stewardship and a lot of birdhouses, these once-endangered Red-cockaded woodpeckers are doing so well that they’re being exported to other forests that need them.
Watching for Wildlife - 16:27
Monitoring wildlife is important to maintaining the health of an ecosystem. At Ray Roberts Lake State Park, Daniel Rios uses trail cameras to keep an eye on the park and the animals that live there. These cameras offer an amazing view of the wildlife and their habitats, as long as rangers can keep the raccoons from stealing them.
Postcard From Texas: Government Canyon State Natural Area - 24:09
Government Canyon State Natural Area lies on the edge of the Balcones Escarpment. The northern area features deep canyons on the eastern boundary of the Edwards Plateau. The southern section flattens into a broad plain. A forested strip separates these two areas.
Chapters:
Intro - 00:00
Canyon Urban Refuge - 1:40
Paddling a State Park - 9:54
LSLS: Scrappin Calley - 13:12
An Eye on Wildlife - 16:27
Government Canyon - 24:09
Share a story from this episode:
youtu.be/weKYiLQW_Mo
youtu.be/ii6IMsIV4go
youtu.be/dCGuUbqQsfM
youtu.be/EB-mf-gjhVw
Episode 18, Season 41, Program 3418 Air Dates: February 1-7, 2026 & August 16-22, 2026
When to watch on Texas PBS stations: tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/tv/tvwhere.phtml
Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/texasparksandwildlife
Join us on Instagram: instagram.com/texasparkswildlife
#texasoutdoors #outdooradventure #outdoors #texas #nature #documentary #fullepisode
