Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

Our lives are pretty busy with work, school, and house/garden work! So, on the weekends we like to get away and spend time outside enjoying God's amazing, fascinating and unique creations. I actually think an alligator is quite beautiful, especially when they are swimming. I wouldn't want to be attacked by one, but looking at them in their natural setting is an experience I never grow tired of. And, the sounds of frogs are interesting, and sometimes almost humourous.

We frequently take an afternoon drive to Anahuac on a Saturday. It's a great park for wildlife enthusiasts, because you are guaranteed to see at least 10 different kinds of birds --usually more than 30 different types. You are also 100% likely to see alligators, turtles, and hear frogs. Once, we saw a river otter. This past weekend we saw a crab the size of a frisbee scurrying across the bottom of the crystal clear pond waters.

The surroundings are not particularly spectacular. Nearby is farmland with newly planted fields and cows grazing. The National Wildlife Refuge is very flat with various types of marsh grasses, reeds, alligator grass, water plants, a few trees, and the really, really huge "Shoveler Pond." However, the sights and sounds of birds, alligators, and other animals make the experience absolutely amazing!

There's a network of boardwalks with benches, birding huts, and scenic overlooks. You can walk the 2 1/2 mile loop around the pond, but most people drive and stop when they see the gators or want to photograph a bird.

During our most recent visit, we drove the loop, because there was not enough time to walk it leisurely before the sun set. We saw more than 30 different types of birds, 14 alligators, and heard countless frogs (saw 2-3).We made frequent stops to get a closer look at the alligators, and parked for a while at one of the boardwalk overlooks to go exploring with our binoculars.