6/1/10 -----  The Spring version of the Texas Maze is almost ready for pedestrians, we are shooting for a June 9th opening.  The majority of Texas will be 5 to 6 feet tall at opening.  The grass grows extremely fast at this stage so waiting just a week will make it another foot or so taller.  The theme this year is 'Parks and Historic sites in Texas'.  The twelve destinations are listed below along with a short history. 

The Buried City

            The "Buried City" of the Texas Panhandle is not, in fact, the remains of a city, but it is one of the most densely settled archeological districts in the Southern Plains. Packed into a few short miles of narrow Wolf Creek valley are more than 100 known habitation sites with the remains of houses mainly built by Plains Villagers between about A.D. 1200 to A.D. 1400C. Buried City or not, the name has stuck and can refer both to the settlement zone along Wolf Creek and to the Plains Village culture that called this place home 700 years ago. The Buried City was part of a distinct culture of its own, one of a growing number of variations on the Plains Village theme that archeologists now recognize. he people of the Buried City practiced horticulture, a form of low-intensity gardening that led to full-scale agriculture in other areas. They grew corn and probably squash, beans, and other crops. But they were also buffalo hunters and hunters of deer and other game. And they harvested wild fruits, seeds, flowers, and other plant foods. For more than three centuries, people lived, worked, planted, and harvested crops, hunted, and died along this small stretch of Wolf Creek in what is today the Texas Panhandle.

                        http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/villagers/buriedcity/index.html

Palo Duro Canyon

            “The Grand Canyon of Texas”

            Palo Duro Canyon State Park opened on July 4, 1934 and contains 29,182 acres of the scenic, northern most portion of the Palo Duro Canyon. The Civilian Conservation Corp of the 1930's constructed most of the buildings and roads still in use by park staff and visitors. The Canyon is 120 miles long, as much as 20 miles wide, and has a maximum depth of more than 800 feet. Its elevation at the rim is 3,500 feet above sea level. It is often claimed that Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon in the United States. The largest, the Grand Canyon, is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and 6,000 ft. deep. Palo Duro Canyon was formed by water erosion from the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River. The water deepens the canyon by moving sediment downstream. Wind and water erosion gradually widen the canyon. Early Spanish Explorers are believed to have discovered the area and dubbed the canyon "Palo Duro" which is Spanish for "hard wood" in reference to the abundant mesquite and juniper trees. Humans have resided in the canyon for approximately 12,000 years. Early settlers were nomadic tribes that hunted mammoth, giant bison, and other large game animals. Later, Apache Indians lived in the canyon, but were soon replaced by Comanche and Kiowa tribes who resided in the area until 1874. At that time, Col. Ranald Mackenzie was sent into the area to transport the Native Americans to Oklahoma. Col. Mackenzie and the 4th Cavalry were able to capture more than 1,400 horses belonging to the tribe. After keeping some of the best horses for themselves, the remainder were taken to nearby Tule Canyon and destroyed. Cut off from their only means of transportation, the Native Americans soon surrendered. In 1876, Charles Goodnight entered the canyon and opened the JA Ranch. At its peak, the ranch supported more than 100,000 head of cattle. Goodnight operated the ranch until 1890. Although only a fraction of its original size, the JA Ranch remains a working ranch today.

                                    http://www.palodurocanyon.com/

Muleshoe National Refuge

                        Muleshoe, the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas, is one of a chain of refuges in the central flyway. Located on the high plains of west Texas, Muleshoe was established as a wintering area for migratory waterfowl and sandhill cranes. When sufficient water is present, the refuge hosts large numbers of sandhill cranes and a variety of waterfowl. Short-grass rangeland with scattered mesquite extends over most of the refuge's 5,809 acres. Muleshoe has three sink-type lakes that have no outlets, depend entirely on runoff for water, and are periodically dry. When the lakes are full, 600 acres of water are available for wildlife. The outstanding attraction at Muleshoe is the wintering sandhill cranes. They normally begin arriving around the end of September or the beginning of October. During the six month period the cranes are away from their Alaskan and Canadian breeding grounds, the refuge hosts one of the largest concentrations of sandhill cranes at the refuge peaks between December and mid-February, often with thousands of birds present at one time. An all-time peak of 250,000 cranes was witnessed in February 1981. The cranes roost on the refuge lakes at night, as well as on other large saline lakes in the area. At sunrise they fly to surrounding agricultural land where they search harvested fields for waste grain and invertebrates and graze in the grasslands and wheat fields. In addition to wintering sandhill cranes, waterfowl are present when sufficient water is available. Migrating waterfowl begin to arrive during August and reach peak numbers by the end of December. During spring and fall migrations ,small flocks of snow geese may visit the refuge for a short time. A few Canada geese winter here when water is present. Most duck species common to the central flyway frequent the refuge lakes during migration. Pintail,green-winged teal, American wigeon ,and mallard are the most abundant; ruddy duck, blue-winged teal ,canvasback, redhead, lesser scaup, ring-necked duck, and bufflehead occur in lesser numbers. The northern shoveler usually arrives late in March and remains until June.  Occasionally a few duck broods are hatched on the refuge.

                        http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/muleshoe/index.html

Fort Mc Kavett historic site

                        Standing atop a windswept remote hill in Menard County, the remains of a 150-year-old West Texas fort beckon curious visitors to the site that is now considered one of the best preserved and most intact examples of a Texas Indian Wars (1850–1875) military post. At Fort McKavett State Historic Site, take in the spectacular Hill Country vistas and experience early West Texas life through the real stories of the infantrymen, Buffalo Soldiers, women and children who lived at what Gen. William T. Sherman once described as "the prettiest post in Texas." On March 1852, the 8th U.S. Infantry established Fort McKavett to protect West Texas settlers and serve as a rest stop for California-bound immigrants. In 1859, Fort McKavett was abandoned due to a decline in warfare with Native Americans as a result of the establishment of reservations in Texas and immigrants using a more southerly route to California. In 1868, the Army reopened Fort McKavett as a military post when hostilities between local Comanche Indians and the settlers increased after the Civil War. From 1868 to 1883, Fort McKavett served as a major supply depot providing food and provisions for most of the military campaigns, scientific and mapping explorations and other forts in West Texas. By 1875, hostilities in the area had been resolved, resulting in the mandatory relocation of Native Americans to reservations in Oklahoma, and Fort McKavett was finally abandoned by Company D of the 16th Infantry Regiment in 1883. Soon after the Army left, settlers began to move into the vacant buildings and the town of Fort McKavett was born, with the last residents moving out of the original buildings in 1973. Fort McKavett was designated a state historic site on May 17, 1968 to help preserve its important role in history for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

                        http://www.visitfortmckavett.com/index.aspx?page=9

 Davis Mountains

             Davis Mountains State Park, 2708.9 acres in size, is located in Jeff Davis County, four miles northwest of Fort Davis, approximately halfway between Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Carlsbad Caverns, and Big Bend National Park. The original portion of the park was deeded to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department by a local family. Original improvements were accomplished by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933; the park has been open to the public in since the late 1930s; formal campground facilities were added in 1967. The Davis Mountains, the most extensive mountain range in Texas, were formed by volcanic activity during the Tertiary geologic period, which began around 65 million years ago. These mountains were named after Jefferson Davis, U.S. Secretary of War and later President of the Confederacy, who ordered the construction of the Fort Davis army post. Most Indian bands passed through the Davis Mountains, although the Mescalero Apaches made seasonal camps. As west Texas settlements increased, raiding in Mexico and along the San Antonio-El Paso Trail became a way of life for Apaches, Kiowas, and Comanches. Few Americans had seen the Davis Mountains prior to 1846. After the war with Mexico, a wave of gold seekers, settlers, and traders came through the area and needed the protection of a military post - Fort Davis. Fort Davis was active from 1854 until 1891, except for certain periods during the Civil War. In 1961, the historic fort ruins were declared a National Historic Site, and a vast restoration/preservation program was initiated by the National Park Service. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/davis_mountains/

Choke Canyon

            Choke Canyon State Park, consisting of two units, South Shore and Calliham, is located on 26,000-acre Choke Canyon Reservoir, a water supply for Corpus Christi. The park was acquired in 1981 in a 50 year cooperative agreement among the Bureau of Reclamation, the City of Corpus Christi and the Nueces River Authority. The Calliham Unit, containing 1100 acres, in McMullen County was opened to the public on August 21, 1987. The South Shore Unit contains 385 acres in Live Oak County and was opened to the public on March 5, 1986. From scant evidence available, we know that Paleo Indians crossed the Frio River Valley more than 10,000 years ago following game such as bison and mammoth. After the disappearance of large game, more than 8000 years ago, nomadic hunters and gatherers associated with the archaic culture camped near the river making tools, building fires, processing, and gathering food. Numerous Archaic sites in the Choke Canyon area have been recorded.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/choke_canyon/

Boca Chica

The area was granted by the State of Tamaulipas to Ygnacio Trevino on January 24, 1829, as part of the Potrero de San Martin Grant. (Brazos Island was granted separately and earlier by the King of Spain.) A road was built down Brazos Island, across Boca Chica Bay to the Rio Grande in 1846. To cross Boca Chica Bay, General Zachary Taylor built a floating bridge to transport military supplies. Some of the cypress pilings still stand north of a monument. In 1846, General Ulysses S. Grant crossed here returning from the fighting in Mexico. In 1847, Robert E. Lee crossed the tract similarly several times. On September 6, 1864, Colonel H. M. Day and troops marched from Brazos Santiago across Boca Chica Bay to White's Ranch, opposite Burrito (Tamaulipas), attacked Confederate forces under Captain Richard Taylor and forced their retreat to Brownsville. On September 9, Lieutenant Daniel Showalter attacked federal forces at Palmito Hill. Colonel Day and a Mexican force drove them back again to Brownsville. On May 11, 1865, 300 Union soldiers marched down Brazos Island, across Boca Chica Bay, and attacked White's ranch the next morning. Confederate forces counterattacked at Palmito Hill and the federal troops were driven back to Boca Chica Bay. The Battle at Palmito Hill was the last of the American Civil War.

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boca_Chica_State_Park

Stephen F Austin Park

Stephen F. Austin State Park, in Austin County, was deeded by the San Felipe de Austin Corporation in 1940, and the park was opened to the public the same year. The park is located on the Brazos River, near the old ferry site and a part of the Commercio Plaza de San Felipe, just a few miles from the site of the township of San Felipe, the seat of government of the Anglo-American colonies in Texas. It was here Stephen F. Austin, the "Father of Texas," brought the first 297 families to colonize Texas under a contract with the Mexican Government. From 1824 to 1836, San Felipe de Austin was the social, economic, and political center, as well as the capital of the American colonies in Texas. Due to the many historic events that occurred here, the community acquired the reputation "Cradle of the Texas Liberty." Also, the conventions of 1832 and 1833 and the Consultation of 1835 were held here. These meetings eventually led to the Texas Declaration of Independence. San Felipe was the home of Austin and other famous early Texans; the home of Texas' first Anglo newspaper (The Texas Gazette, founded in 1829); the home of the postal system of Texas origination and the setting for the beginning of the Texas Rangers.

Fort Boggy

            Fort Boggy is located in Leon County and consists of 1847 acres. It was graciously donated to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1985 by Eileen Crain Sullivan to be developed as a state park. In early 1840, the families of John Byrns and Christopher C. Staley of Tennessee, established the first settlement north of the Old San Antonio Road and between the Navasota and Trinity Rivers. They were soon joined by John and James Erwin and their families from Mississippi, along with several other pioneer families. In February of 1840, C. C. Staley was killed by raiding Indians, causing the settlers to build a fort for protection. Two tribes of Native Americans inhabited the area, and were prone to raid settlements for livestock. One of the tribes, the Keechi, had a village about three miles north of present day Centerville. The other tribe, the Kickapoos, lived along the Trinity River near what is now known as Kickapoo Shoals. The palisade fort (upright logs set in the ground) was built in the Erwin Settlement and, at first, bore the family name. Because of its proximity to Boggy Creek, it soon came to be called Fort Boggy. The fort was 75 yards square and enclosed two blockhouses and eleven dwellings that housed 75 people by the end of 1840. To protect the settlers, Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar authorized the formation of a military company for the fort, under the leadership of Captain Thomas Greer, First Lieutenant Tom Middleton, Second Lieutenant Elisha Whitten, and Ensign John Byrns. Indian attacks continued in the area as Captain Greer was killed in 1841 on an excursion to scout Keechi Creek. Plagued by sickness, the Byrns and Erwin families left the fort and returned to their respective homes. A few years later, as Indian attacks decreased, and the need for the fort lessened, the fort fell into disrepair. The continuing expansion of settlement in the region shifted the center of population toward nearby Leona. The land within the park was farmed by numerous families for almost a century, with some farms noted for their long tenure of African-American ownership. The property was consolidated and taken out of cultivation by the Sullivan family in the 1930s. After 60 years of lying fallow, this land along Boggy Creek has reclaimed much of the pristine beauty that dominated the region 150 years ago.

Dangerfield

            Daingerfield State Park, in Morris County southwest of Texarkana, is a 506.913-acre recreational area (including an 80-surface-acre lake), deeded in 1935 by private owners and opened in 1938. The original improvements were made by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This area was the center of the iron industry in Texas; nearby is Lone Star Steel Co. Activities: The park offers picnicking; camping; boating (5 MPH speed limit); fishing; swimming in an unsupervised swimming area; hiking; and nature study. A seasonal concession (March - October) rents pedal boats and canoes. Tours may be arranged by special request. Year-round boat rentals are available.

Governor Hogg Shrine

            Governor Hogg Shrine Historic Site is a 26.7-acre tract in Wood County, northwest of Tyler. Original acreage was deeded by the Wood County Old Settlers Reunion Association in 1946; additional acres were a gift from Miss Ima Hogg in 1970; and earlier some acreage was purchased. The park was opened in 1950. It is now managed by the City of Quitman. Named for James Stephen Hogg, the state's first Texas-born governor from 1891 to 1895, the park includes museums housing items which belonged to the Hogg and Stinson families. The Governor James Stephen Hogg Memorial Shrine was created in 1941. The Stinson Home was built in 1869 and was moved 13 miles to its present location in 1969. The structure contains 95 - 97% of the original lumber. The Old George Bridge was first put to use in the early 1900s and was moved to the park in 1986. The bridge is a pony truss, steel bridge, which is no longer used by bridge builders. Activities: It is the only park in the state with three museums: the Stinson Home, where Governor Hogg's wedding was held; the Honeymoon Cottage, which was the first home of Governor and Sallie Hogg (Sarah Ann Leannah Stinson); and Miss Ima Hogg Museum houses the park headquarters offices, as well as displays representative of the history of the entire northeast Texas area (some displays change every month). Tours are available during office hours Monday through Sunday for individuals or groups. Arrangements for special group tours may be made by contacting the park. Fees are charged.

Copper Breaks

    Copper Breaks State Park consists of 1898.8 acres, 12 miles south of Quanah or 9 miles north of Crowell, in Hardeman County. The park was acquired by purchase from a private owner in 1970 under the State Parks Bond Program and was opened in 1974.

Prior to the arrival of early settlers, this region was the realm of the Comanche and Kiowa tribes. It remained so until the pressures of a new civilization forced the Indian onto reservations in nearby Oklahoma. Near the present park area, Cynthia Ann Parker was recaptured from a band of Comanche Indians and subsequently reunited with her relatives. Cynthia Ann had been captured as a small child by a raiding party near Mexia and grew up among the Indians. Her son, Quanah Parker, was to become the last great war chief of the Comanche nation. After being reunited with her relatives, Cynthia Ann Parker did not adjust well to the ways of the settlers and longed for the free life style of the Comanche. She died in a relatively-short period. Medicine Mounds, located 10 miles east of the park on private lands, were important ceremonial sites of Comanche Indians. The famous Pease River Battle Site, in which Cynthia Ann Parker was recovered from Comanches in 1860, is located 3 miles east of the park.

11/15/09 ----  This was a good year for the Texas Maze, this Maze turned out to be one that we are proud of.  We are closing it down today and turning the goats in later this week.  Even though the Maze is 14 feet tall, 160 goats will make short order of it.  We will start cultivating 'Texas' again next Spring, plant it in early April and hopefully have another years' version ready for pedestrians by the end of May. 

10/31/09 -- The Maze is still going strong.  We have decided that maybe 14 feet is a little too tall as some of South Texas fell over during all the past rain events we have been having.  A lot of 'cut throughs' have been made but overall it is still going well.  At the first of the season it was taking about 1.5 hours to find all the lakes, now we are down to between 45 minutes and an hour.  It seems that the 'hard one to find' varies from pedestrian to pedestrian so we have concluded that the hardest one to find is ...... the last one.  We narrowly escaped a slight freeze last night.  Barring any disasters the Maze will continue to operate through November 15.

9/30/09  --  Yikes, the maze is pretty tough this year.  Tracy (the lady from down the street who has traveled every Maze we have ever done in record time) even took 48 minutes (a long time for her and her crew).  We are very happy with the way the Maze looks so far this year, it is very tall (10 to 12 feet) and in great shape.  Remember, you can come out and rest for awhile, check the map and then head back in for those last two lakes.

7/7/09 --- the Maze is now closed for the summer.  We will now make hay out of it to feed our animals over the summer.  Don't worry it will come back and be ready to go by the last weekend in September.  The Fall version will be the same as the Spring one, so study those Lakes and come on out when it is cooler this coming October.

6/5/09 --- the Maze is ready!  The spring 09 maze is ready for pedestrians.  The grass is 5 to 6 feet tall through much of the state and will continue to grow throughout June.  As with all Spring mazes, you will need to be careful not to get overheated.  Give yourself extra time to come out of the maze and sit in the shade for a while if needed.  Once again, he theme this year will be "Lakes across Texas" so you will be looking for these Texas lakes: Salt, Big, Mclellan, Coyote, Stamford, Athens, Buchanan, Livingston, Corpus Christi, Delta and Fayette.  As of yet, noone has been able to find them all so give yourself about an hour to one hour and a half to complete it.

4/21/09--   the spring 09 version is almost ready!  We hope to open it up by June 5th.  The theme this year will be "Lakes across Texas" so you will be looking for these Texas lakes: Salt, Big, Mclellan, Coyote, Stamford, Athens, Buchanan, Livingston, Corpus Christi, Delta and Fayette.   On Saturday the 16th we had a front blow in a dropped about an inch of rain.  With the rain came a very strong wind that laid the grass over on its' side.  Thankfully it has stood back up now and is quickly trying to reach the sky.  For the first couple of years we had the maze by the Strawberry patch, last year we moved the maze across the road and had to rotate Texas a little so it would fit in the field.  Do you know in both locations east texas gave me a problem.  It always seems like I am trying to figure out why the grass in east texas does not grow as well as the rest of the state.  The pic below is of the maze in its' current location.

11/16/08 ----- The Fall Maze is a lot of fun and  has been harder than in years past.  Normally by this time of year it has been ravished by pedestrians and the weather but it is still in good shape so we are going to keep it open through the 23rd.  This years theme is "Come and "C" Texas as all the towns but one start with C -- Castell, Coke, Cone, Cushing, Cornudas, Catarina, Charco, Coahoma, Caddo, Cactus and Sanderson.  These are all real town in Texas and where the exist in the real state, we have a sign in our state.  Next to each sign is a hole punch, punch your game card, find all 11 towns and win a free drink when you come out.



Above is a picture of the Fall 2008 Maze


April 18, 2008 ---- The Spring 'Texas' Maze has been planted and is now about 2 inches tall.  Believe it or not, the Maze should be about 6 feet tall by the first of June and 7 or 8 feet tall by mid June.

September 27, 2007 ----what a summer!  we had lots of happenings but the Maze seemed to make it through.  Far West Texas has been decimated by all kinds of calamities, so you might have to find 'Sierra Blanca' in the weeds.  The rest of Texas looks pretty good.  I guess you have noticed we will stick with the 'colors of Texas' theme for the Fall Maze.  It is going to be fun ---- but right now it is really hot in the afternoon, so until the weather cools off I would stick to mornings to walk across Texas.  The Maze will open up this weekend and run through November 16th.

July 15, 2007 --- We have closed the spring Maze, next up will be the Fall Maze in October.

June 7, 2007 ---- The time has come ................ to open up the 2007 Maze.  The pathways have been cut and the city signs placed.  The grass is a wee bit shorter than I prefer but if you are 5 foot or less it is just perfect.  With this warm weather it is growing like mad and I believe it will be over 6 feet very shortly.  Are you seeing colors?  The theme for the Maze this year is "The colors of Texas", so you will be looking for towns with a color in them:  Brownfield, Red Top, Evergreen, Orange Grove, Gold, White Hall, Silver, Red Bluff, Nickel, White Deer, Silver Lake, Sierra Blanca.

May 24th, 2007 ---- Yikes!  Once again, I was mistaken.  I thought the Maze would be ready by now ------ it is not.  The cooler weather has been great for me but not for the grass growing in the Maze.  I am afraid we are at least two weeks behind.  I am hoping it will be ready by mid June now.  It will be a short spring Maze season for sure.

April 2007 --- the 2007 Maze is being planted as we speak.  See ya then.

October 03, 2006 --- Wow!!! The Fall Texas Maze is AWESOME this year..  You have just got to try it!  The Fall Maze is still "tons of fun" meaning we used most of the Spring 'ton' towns with a few exceptions.  The towns are: Laketon, Fieldton, Stanton, Ft. Stockton, Asherton, Sinton, Thornton, Bluffton, Throckmorton, Pickton, Lumberton, Wharton.  The maze is pretty hard this year because it is about 10 - 12 feet tall and you can't see many landmarks on the outside to go by. Average time to find the towns right now is about 1.5 hours ----- of course many quit before finding them all.

July 1st, 2006 --- The Spring maze was a lot of fun but we are now ready to cut it down in order to replant it for the Fall version.  We should have another Maze ready September 30 through mid November, see ya then!

June 1st, 2006 -- the Spring maze is ready for pedestrians.  This Spring the Maze is 'tons' of fun,  in other words you will be looking for towns in Texas ending with 'ton' (Fort Stockton, Throckmorton, Clifton, Stanton, Sinton, Asherton, Fieldton, Laketon, Wharton, Lumberton, Eaton and Carlton).  We have a sign in our Texas representing each town approximately where they exist in the actual State of Texas.  Upon finding a 'town' you will take the hole punch hanging there and mark your game card (most towns have different shaped hole punches --- no cheating!).  If you find them all we will give you a free drink when you come out

5/20/05 ---  Attention all you pedestrians, the 'Texas' Maze is now open for the spring of 2005.   The towns do not necessarily have a theme this time, except that they are all county seats.  Those accepting the challenge will be looking for: Leakey, Van Horn, Sanderson, Stinnett, Gail, Hallettsville, Alice, Haskell, Tilden, Bryan, Emory and Coldspring.

9/06/04 --- Are you ready for some fun?! The Fall 'Texas' Maze is looking like it will be our best maze yet (only took 7 try's).  Of course things  could change in a heartbeat (as we can attest to) but so far it is looking very good.  We have decided on the towns you will be looking for and the path ways have now been cut.  So, get out your map and see if you can find Kent, Gomez, Sanford, Irene, Leo, Bettie, Alice, Olive, Agnes, Edna, Edith and Vance.  These are all real towns in Texas and where they exist geographically in the state, we have a sign in our state.  Pedestrians get a gamecard and the object is to find all the towns in Texas.  The Maze will be opening on September 25 along with the pumpkin season.  It will only be about 5 feet tall then but that is just perfect if you have 10 and under kids, by the first of October it should be a good 6 to 7 feet tall ----- just right for adults.

7/10/04 --- Say Goodbye to the spring maze - we are cutting it down now in preparation to plant the fall version. 

6/23/04 -- The record time is 29 minutes but then there has been some that can't get them all -- go figure.  Some say 'Breckenridge' is the hardest to find while others have problems with 'Tyler', or 'Cleveland' or even 'Bushland'.  We have been turning the sprinklers on in the afternoons in an attempt to cool it off a little.  I would suggest traveling through 'Texas' in the mornings if at all possible.

3/23/04 ---  The Spring 2004 Maze is planted and growing.  We will keep the presidential town theme for this Spring Maze.

11/17/03 --- This is an  aerial of the Fall 2003 Texas Maze.

10/28/2003 --- Hey, the 'Texas' Maze has turned out to be harder than I thought it was going to be.  I knew 'Breckenridge' was going to be hard to find but I am surprised to hear 'Taft' has been giving some people problems.  The towns to find in the maze  represent 8 Presidents, 2 Vice Presidents and a famous frog in the maze to find.  In other words you will be looking for: Taft, Nixon, Reagan, Cleveland, Sherman, Roosevelt, Tyler, Bush-land, Wilson, Breckenridge and a frog (you will have to look at the map to find out this name - it is in West Texas).  These are all real towns in Texas and in their approximate geographical location within the real Texas a sign is displayed in our Texas with a hole punch attached.  Simply use the hole punch to mark your gamecard, should you find all eleven cities you will get a free drink as your prize.  I have revised the pricing structure for right now.   Since the grass is a little shorter than I like it is tempting for the kiddos to run right through the grass and make new pathways.  Therefore I am soliciting the help of the parents to keep the kids on the pathways only.  In exchange we are allowing adults in for free and kiddos are $4 (5yrs and up).  Only the kiddos will get a gamecard and be able to win the drink. It is a bit more difficult at night, therefore the admission is $4 per person (it is important to note that we will only stay open late for groups of 15 or more that have let us know they are coming out).

10/25/2003 --- It is open. 

10/18/03 --- The Fall '03 Maze is growing very slowly and is not yet 'Open' for pedestrians.  After a wild infestation of Army Worms in September we cut it down and started over.  This second fall maze is not growing as well as it would when the days are long and hot.  We hope to open the fall Texas Maze the weekend of the October 25th.

4/27/03 --  The Spring '03 maze is coming along nicely and should be ready for pedestrians mid to late May.  We have cut out the highways and decided on this years theme.  We are just waiting on the Hay to get a little taller before we open it up.

    The theme for the Spring '03 maze is:   "Foreign Countries and Towns in Texas".  In other words you will be looking for real Texas towns that have the same name as a country or town outside of the U.S.  Be sure to look on your Texas map for: Egypt, China, Paris, Italy, Turkey, London, Nineveh (a town in Iraq), Nazereth (a town in Israel), Potosi (a town in Bolivia --- haven't you been there?), Iraan   (I know, not the exact spelling but close), Premont (in Canada) and Kent (a town in Africa and the only thing I could find in West Texas)

note:  The pictures and explanations below are of the Fall 2001 Maze.  A Spring 2002 Maze (also in the shape of Texas) operated from May though June of 2002.  In July we cut  the Spring Maze down, cultivated the soil and planted the seed for the Fall version.  As of October 3rd, 2002, the Fall 'Texas' Maze is open and ready for pedestrians.  Barring any disasters, the Fall '02 maze should operate through November.. 

The theme for the Fall '02 Maze is..... animal towns.  These are all real towns in Texas, you might want to locate them on the map before coming out ..... they are: Crane, Crow, Peacock, Turkey, Antelope, Marlin, Lobo, Falcon, Buffalo, White Deer and Calf Creek.  After the first weekend of travelers, one town has not emerged as the 'hardest to find' yet.  Average seek time still remains in the 1 hour to 1.5 hour range.

Open hours for the Fall '02 Maze are:       Thursday                          9am to 6pm
                                                                     Friday and Saturday       9am to 9pm (last person starts the Maze at or before 9pm)
                                                                     Sunday                             1pm to 5pm

notes: bring a flashlight if coming after dark
           'flip-flops' and other types of sandals are not a good thing to walk across Texas in.
            remember 'Texas' is layed out upside down.  so North is South and East is West.

a few aerial shots of the 'Texas' maze.

the object is to enter at Brownsville and find 11 cities throughout 'Texas'.  The cities are not directly linked and are somewhat difficult to find.  We had a lady and her kids in there almost 3 hours over the weekend, you have to hand it to them though, they were not going to be defeated.

update 4November01: we had about 400 kids come out last Halloween night - they were not too bad but did tromple down a few new roads.  So don't think about memorizing the above map or you really will be confused when you go in.