(flowing water and wind)
>> THE OAK TREES,
THE RUNNING STREAMS...
THE WILDLIFE...
IT'S JUST A GREAT PLACE TO COME
ENJOY NATURE AND TO RELAX.
>> YOU CAN GET THAT ISOLATION
THAT'S REALLY BECOMING
HARD TO FIND WITHIN AN
HOUR'S DISTANCE FROM AN
URBAN POPULATION.
>> WEST OF SAN ANTONIO, OVER
5,000 ACRES OF ROLLING HILLS,
SCENIC VIEWS, AND RUGGED
TRAILS MAKE UP HILL COUNTRY
STATE NATURAL AREA.
(horse sounds)
>> STATE NATURAL AREAS ARE
REALLY DESIGNED TO BE MORE...
ONE WITH NATURE.
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE
NOT HAVING PAVED ROADS
AND ELECTRICAL HOOKUPS.
>> ...OR RUNNING WATER,
AT LEAST THE DRINKING KIND.
>> THE PEOPLE WHO ENJOY
THE PARK THE MOST FIND
ITS REMOTENESS,
ITS UH LACK OF FACILITIES,
SOMETHING THAT THEY DESIRE.
(horse whinny)
>> WHILE CITY SLICKERS ARE
WELCOMED AT THIS HILL COUNTRY
HIDEAWAY, BE FOREWARNED...
>> IF YOU THINK YOU'LL NEED IT,
YOU'LL NEED TO BRING IT
BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE IT.
>> WE SETTING IT UP RIGHT HERE?
>> YEAH, LIKE RIGHT OVER HERE.
ALRIGHT.
>> THE CAMPING IS PRIMITIVE,
BUT MOST VISITORS WOULD
WANT IT NO OTHER WAY.
>> THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE A TENT.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO TAKE
THE FAMILY, IT'S INEXPENSIVE,
IT'S A FUN WAY TO JUST KIND
OF GET BACK TO NATURE FOR
THE WEEKEND AND GET AWAY
FROM EVERYTHING.
(traffic passing)
BANDERA'S A SMALL TOWN,
BUT IT CAN GET KIND OF BUSY ON
WEEKENDS, SO IT'S NICE TO GET
OUT HERE WHERE IT'S QUIET.
>> THE BANDERA AREA PRIDES
ITSELF ON BEING THE COWBOY
CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE A WAY
OF LIFE FOR THIS GENERATION
AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
>> THAT RANCHING HERITAGE
IS VISIBLE THROUGHOUT
THE NATURAL AREA,
AND ALL AROUND IT.
>> RANCHO CORTEZ IS ONE OF
THE STATE NATURAL AREA'S
CLOSEST NEIGHBORS.
PEOPLE CALL IT A DUDE RANCH,
GUEST RANCH, AND WE'RE ONE OF
SEVERAL IN THE AREA.
>> OH THIS IS BEAUTIFUL,
ISN'T IT?
>> THESE ARE SOME GOOD TRAILS.
>> THERE'S ABOUT 40 MILES OF
TRAILS IN THE PARK,
AND WE COME HORSEBACK RIDING
OVER HERE, UH HIKING,
MOUNTAIN BIKING.
>> I WOULD MUCH RATHER BE OUT
HERE HIKING THAN IN THE GYM
ON A TREADMILL.
(horses passing)
>> IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE
DUDE RANCHES, WE DO HAVE
CONCESSIONAIRES THAT PROVIDE
GUIDED HORSEBACK RIDES.
THEY WILL GET YOU THE HORSE,
THEY WILL GET YOU OUT ON THE
TRAIL, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW
IT, YOU'LL BE SAYING
'YEEHAW.'
(horse whinny)
>> THE PARK IS TODAY AS IT WAS,
WHAT, ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS
AGO, AND THAT'S WHAT I
ENJOY ABOUT IT.
I WAS BORN 100 YEARS OR 150
YEARS TOO LATE, FRANKLY.
>> EASY, EASY...
>> I SPECIFICALLY MOVED JUST
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF BANDERA
TO BE CLOSER TO THE PARK.
I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE
TO COME AND RIDE A HORSE,
HIKE OR SIMPLY RELAX.