Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:Hwy. 90 west
Comstock, Texas
About 7,000 years ago, the prehistoric peoples who inhabited this part of Texas painted pictographs rich with nature motifs, which often reached 100 feet long. Today, this amazing rock art is left behind for park visitors to enjoy, particularly in the Fate Bell shelter, which houses some of the oldest pictographs in North America. Aside from its ancient art, Seminole Canyon has fantastic hiking and biking amongst diverse fauna and over rocky terrain. There is also a full calendar of events with guided hikes into the upper and lower canyons. Campsites are also available here and offer visitors all the amenities including showers and electricity.
From Seminole Canyon State Park - Comstock, Texas:
Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site in Val Verde County, west of Comstock, contains 2172.5 acres; the park was acquired by purchase from private owners in 1973 - 1977 and opened in February 1980. Hiking, mountain biking, camping, historical study, and nature/interpretive attractions are enjoyed. Fate Bell Shelter, in the canyon, contains some of North America's oldest Indian pictographs and is one of the oldest cave dwellings in North America. Note: No hiking is allowed in the canyon area without a guide (Contact the park for more information.) The Fate Bell Shelter Tour is held daily Wednesday through Sunday. From June 1st through August 31st the Fate Bell Tour will be held at 10 a.m. only. From September 1st through May 31st the Fate Bell Shelter Tours will begin at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Fate Bell Shelter Tour involves a fairly-rugged hike to the bottom of the canyon and then up to the shelter to view many good examples of American Indian rock paintings in Fate Bell Shelter. Volunteers with the private, nonprofit Rock Art Foundation conduct tours of the Fate Bell Shelter, continuing the group's history of support for the site. The shelter is a huge cliff overhang containing some of the state's most spectacular American rock paintings.