Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Texas, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-27. Check linked official notices before travel.

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission, Texas, is a birdwatching park where visitors leave their cars outside the interior. Choose a walk, a permitted bike route, or the seasonal tram service to reach woodland and brushland habitat. A visit works best when you plan the return trip as carefully as the outward route.

Explore without driving through

• Bird habitat: Woodlands and brushlands support subtropical birds and seasonal migrants.
• Rio Grande Trail: This 1.8-mile route is wheelchair accessible and does not allow bicycles.
• Trail choices: The park has seven miles of trails, including 3.5 miles of park road.

Plan entry and the return journey

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Read the current animal-health alert

The park links a New World screwworm alert. Check pets and livestock for unusual wounds or maggots; do not move a suspicious animal, and contact a veterinarian or the Texas Animal Health Commission. Report suspicious wildlife to park staff. Read the official alert and reporting guidance before a visit with animals.

Follow the car-free and trail rules

Cars are not allowed inside the park. Walk or use bicycles only on permitted routes; bicycles are specifically prohibited on the Rio Grande Trail. Select a route you can complete without assuming the tram runs until the park closes.

Entry passes and guided programs

Reserve an entrance pass online or through the customer service center before visiting if you need guaranteed entry. Naturalist-led tram programs listed in the park calendar require separate reservations through park headquarters. Do not treat those reserved programs as interchangeable with ordinary tram transportation.

Arrive at Bentsen Palm Drive

The address is 2800 S. Bentsen Palm Drive, FM 2062, Mission, TX 78572. Choose your walking or cycling route from the official park and trail maps before entering the car-free interior.

More Valley parks by road

Estero Llano Grande State Park is in Weslaco on FM 1015. Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is reached south of Alamo via FM 907 and Highway 281; its levee road is currently closed to pedestrians and bicycles. Check the refuge's route notices before visiting.

Choose transport around your birding plan

Walk the Rio Grande Trail if its bike-free, accessible route fits your group. Use permitted bike routes for a different way to cover the park. Before relying on a ride back, check the seasonal tram timetable; its final departure is much earlier than the park's closing time.

Rentals, supplies, and the closed cafe

The Algunas Plumas park store sells field guides, snacks, and other visitor supplies, and rents binoculars and bicycles. Its published hours are daily, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The cafe is closed, so arrange food without depending on cafe service.

About the protected Valley habitat

A family gift and a later opening

The Bentsen family transferred 586.9 acres to the Texas Parks Board for USD 1 in 1944. The park opened in 1962. The land transfer and public opening were separate events.

Subtropical birds and migration

Plain chachalacas, great kiskadees, and Altamira orioles are among the birds recorded here. Migrating Swainson's and broad-winged hawks also use the area. These are possibilities to watch for, not a checklist every visitor will complete.

Contact Bentsen

Call 956-584-9156 about programs and current conditions. The official park page provides Texas Parks and Wildlife Department planning resources.