Todd Davis, the recreation leadership instructor and coordinator under the “Dave Heflin Professorship” will be leading nine students on an expedition down the Caprock Canyon Trailway from South Plains, Texas to Estelline Terminal, Texas on March 12-16. During the adventure, students will learn primitive camping while riding mountain bikes outfitted with pull-trailers to carry survival gear along a 64.25 mile rail-to-trail conversion.
The trailway was acquired by the Texas Parks and Recreation Administration from a donation in 1992 by a railroad entrepreneur. The multi-use trail (hike, bike, and equestrian), opened in 1993 and stretches through Caprock Canyon State Park. The trailway crosses 46 bridges and runs through Clarity Tunnel, one of the last active railroad tunnels in Texas up to 1990. The area being explored has scenic canyons which were home for Native American Indians of several cultures. The area is abundant with vegetation, varying from the sparse badlands, with juniper, mesquite, and cacti, to the abounding bottomlands with tall grasses, cottonwoods, plum thickets, and hackberries. In addition, the park harbors numerous species of wildlife such as African aoudad sheep, mule and white-tailed deer, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, opossums, porcupines, foxes, and over 175 species of birds. The pride of Caprock Canyons is the official Texas State Bison Herd (the largest herd of buffalo in the state park system), and rarely-seen golden eagles.
Students from Delta State University will spend the week developing recreation, conservation, preservation, and ecological sustainability skills, while using human-powered transportation to explore Caprock Canyon. Field experiences like this allow students the opportunity to develop lifelong recreation skills and habits, and understand the need for conservation and preservation consciousness. If you would like to help offset costs for this experience, please contact the HPER Division Office at 662.846.4570 and make a donation to support this or other possibilities for Delta State students to see our world through recreation opportunities.
