Hike Location: Falcon State Park
Geographic Location: northwest of Roma, TX (26.58277, -99.14269)
Length: 2.8 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2026
Overview: A sunny desert-like loop around a peninsula in Falcon Reservoir.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/falcon
Hike Route Map:
On The Go Map
Photo Highlight:
There are several places where you could start this hike, but I chose to start at the entrance station because it is easy to find and, of course, close to the park entrance. Head south from the entrance station to find the signed start of the Roadrunner Nature Trail. The wide and dusty Roadrunner Nature Trail descends moderately and curves right to begin heading west through shrubby/grassy terrain with a few mesquite trees. At 0.2 miles, the trail levels out, and the rest of this hike has only minor undulations until you get to the very end.
At 0.55 miles, you reach an unmarked trail intersection. The shortest loop goes right here, but unsure of which way to go I angled left and made my hike a little longer then necessary. Either option takes you to the park road that accesses the Roadrunner Campground, and in either case you want to continue west from that road to begin the Verdin Trail, the second leg of our loop.
The Verdin Trail passes through more shrubby/grassy desert scenery, and this was a hot and sunny desert-like hike on the near 90-degree mid-February day that I came here. Near 1 mile into the hike, you reach a sequence of picnic shelters. Some of these shelters offer nice views west across Falcon Reservoir into Mexico, and all of them offer welcome shade on a sunny day. This part of the trail also passes through the parking lot that serves these picnic shelters; this parking lot is an alternate starting point for this hike.
At 1.35 miles, you reach the end of the Verdin Trail where it intersects the boat dock access road. Angle right and climb slightly to begin the Desert Nature Trail. Quickly you reach the Black Bass Campground Loop, where you need to turn right to stay on the Desert Trail, soon crossing the Black Bass Campground access road. Again, this intersection is not signed, and a trail map can be very helpful even though this hike's route forms a single loop.
1.8 miles into the hike, you reach another unsigned trail intersection. Turn left to continue our loop, now on the Woodlands Trail. True to its name, the Woodlands Trail features more and larger mesquite trees. Nevertheless, this hike maintains its dusty desert feel. I saw a roadrunner on this part of the trail even though wildlife was not plentiful when I came here at midday. A steep hill descends to the left to reach the reservoir, but no further reservoir views emerge.
At 2.3 miles, you reach the end of the Woodlands Trail, where you need to angle left to begin the Whitebrush Trail, the final leg of our loop. The Whitebrush Trail passes through more of the same desert scenery, but the mesquite trees are thin enough that you can see the park's entrance station ahead and to the right well before you get there. A brief ascent over a rocky area returns you to the entrance station to complete the hike.
Hike Video: (coming January 15, 2027)
Directions to the trailhead: Northwest of Roma, take US 83 to FM 2098. Drive FM 2098 to FM 2098 Spur, then continue north on FM 2098 Spur, which dead-ends at the park entrance. Pay the entrance fee, and park in the parking lot beside the park entrance station.
The hike: Straddling the United States/Mexico border nearly 150 miles upstream from the Gulf, 83,654 acre Falcon International Reservoir is the largest lake shared by the United States and Mexico. The lake was formed in 1953 by the construction of Falcon Dam, which provides flood control, water for irrigation, and hydroelectricity to the Rio Grande valley. The dam is maintained and administered by the International Boundary and Water Commission, an organization established in 1889 by international treaty between the United States and Mexico. The lake and dam are named for the submerged town of Falcon, which in turn was named for Maria Rita de la Garza Falcon, an early Spanish settler in the area.
Perched at the southern end of the huge reservoir is 576-acre Falcon State Park, which occupies a peninsula that juts northwest into the reservoir. Land for the park was leased by the State of Texas from the International Boundary and Water Commission in 1949 before it was purchased in 1974. Fishing is a major activity at the lake and the park, and the park also offers 3 developed campground for a total of 98 sites, some picnic shelters, and a boat ramp. For hikers, the park offers 5 short trails, and combining those trails forms the round-the-park hike described here.
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| Start of Roadrunner Trail at park entrance station |
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| Hiking the Roadrunner Trail |
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| Hiking the Verdin Trail |
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| View across Falcon Reservoir from picnic shelter |
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| Hiking the Woodlands Trail |
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| Hiking the Whitebrush Trail |