CHRIS SMITH

December weather in Texas can be extreme.

Cold fronts tend to roll through on a weekly basis. Some fronts are weak while others bring freezing temperatures and precipitation. These fronts bring us new ducks and usually necessary rain to fill sloughs and backwaters for duck hunting.

The frontal systems rarely hang around more than a few days. During the holidays, outdoor enthusiasts can still enjoy the outdoor activities with pleasant weather. Many East Texans visit outdoor destinations in other areas of the state. State parks, Corps of Engineers and multiple county parks are all over the state, ready for use.

I stumbled onto a park recently that is a hidden gem.

The place is owned and operated by the Lavaca and Navidad River Authority and located on Lake Texana. The formal name is the Brackenridge Recreation Complex and it has a sister area across Texas Highway 111 called the Lake Texana Park & Campground. These two campgrounds have numerous activities throughout the year which are hosted at the Main Event Center.

Concerts, rodeos, car shows, hunting/fishing expos and the list goes on and on for events at the 2,500 seat, 168,000 square feet of covered area. Being less than an hour drive to Matagorda Bay, Port Lavaca and Port O’Connor, the campgrounds are usually busy with hunters and anglers alike. Many hunters and saltwater anglers use the parks as a base camp.

Cabins with all the amenities of home are available as well as RV sites. Whitetail deer and alligators are present at both parks as well as other indigenous and migratory wildlife. Sandhill Cranes, multiple species of ducks and geese can be seen in and around this agriculturally rich area.

The Texana Park has its own Nature Center with tons of information about the wildlife and habitat of the region. Lake Texana is 10,000 surface acres and has about 125 miles of shoreline. Hiking trails are mixed in the entire park system along with playgrounds, picnic areas, fishing piers and the standard outdoor park gear.

Get online and check out a cast and blast package around Port O’Connor or Palacios. Outfitters will put you in the duck blind for Redheads or Pintails in the morning followed by bull red fishing in the afternoon. After the day is done, head back to your base camp at the lake.

A hot shower and warm cabin to relax and enjoy the holidays with family and loved ones is a great way to spend the holidays.

Check out the link below — brackenridgepark.com — and see what this place has to offer.