Ecotourism and Active Tourism — A Bold Vision for the Future

By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon

There are those who are planning a new vision for Brownsville and the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that specializes in converting old rail lines into multi-use trails in an effort to promote a healthier lifestyle to the community.

They have set their sights on South Texas. They plan to link the cities of Brownsville, Harlingen, Combes, Los Fresnos, Los Indios, Port Isabel, San Benito, South Padre Island, and the towns of Laguna Vista and Rancho Viejo with a 428 mile long network of trails. They will be an amalgam of multi-use, cycling, and paddling trails. 

Rails-to-Trails have identified six major starting points to their plan. They have labeled these as "catalyst projects," designed to kick-start the entire venture.

Among the catalyst projects is the "Battlefield Extension Segment." Its plan is exactly what it sounds like — extending Brownsville's Historic Battlefield Trail. The trail currently ends at the Palo Alto battlefield. The project would extend the trail the additional 4 miles to Los Fresnos. The project has an estimated cost of 4.3 - 5.3 million dollars.

Other catalyst projects include extending the Arroyo Colorado Trail, the Bahia Grande Trail, The South Padre Island Trail, and projects involving the Arroyo Colorado paddling trail, the Queen Isabela Causeway, and the Laguna Madre.

The goal of the organization is to promote ecotourism and tourists who are looking to add an adventurous component to their tourist activities. Brownsville already has a growing cycling community. With places like the new cycling enthusiast/coffee shop 7th and Park opening up, the extension of these trails seems like a natural evolutionary step.

A promotional video on the Rails-to-Trails website mentions Brownsville could be a natural stopping point for those who take on the adventure of cycling from North to South America.

Waterway activities are also on the rise in Brownsville. We have seen a steady increase in those who are using the waterways for recreational activities other than fishing and boating.

The Caracara Trails are being sponsored by the municipal governments of the cities mentioned above, and by the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation and the University of Texas School of Public Health.

It seems as if Brownsville is starting to make progress and is starting to move in the right direction. I just hope the Caracara Trails are able to push through the "one step forward, two steps back" cycle Brownsville seems to be stuck in.

That said, with the recent downtown renaissance taking place, it appears we are taking two steps forward this time.

For more information, visit the project's website: https://www.railstotrails.org/our-work/trailnation/caracara-trails/

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