Chaparral Trail

The park's Chaparral Trail provides a rare glimpse of native South Texas brush.

NPS photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Brownsville, TX

Amenities

3 listed

Parking - Auto, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Trailhead

The “Chaparral Trail” at Palo Alto Battlefield NHP cuts across a network of trees, shrubs, and plants is known as chaparral. This habitat used to dominate much of Rio Grande Valley Unfortunately, this once expansive habitat is quickly shrinking. However, the park is lucky enough to have a substantial amount of it on site.

Some of the chaparral’s resident plant species are the Honey Mesquite tree, Spanish Dagger or yucca, prickly pear cactus, and the spiny hackberry or granjeno.

Upon closer inspection of this trail, you might find eastern cottontail rabbits, Texas spiny lizards, or armadillos scurrying around. Due to its geographical location, South Texas is home to migratory animal species from the Trans-Pecos desert in West Texas to as far away as South America and Canada.