Mother Neff

Mother Neff SP https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mother-neff https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Neff_State_Park Mother Neff State Park is located on the Leon River west of Moody in Texas. Company 817 of the Civilian Conservation Corps built the park from 1934 to 1938. The Company quarried stone and cut wood to build the structures that are still in use in the park today. Most of Mother Neff Park sits in the flood plain of the Leon River and flooding shut the park down in 1992 and again in 2007.

For assistance using this map, contact the park. Mother Neff State Park TexasStateParks.org/App TexasStateParks.org/SocialMedia ry nda Bou Park No bikes permitted on park trails. • CHECK OUT time is 12 p.m or renew permit by 9 a.m. (pending site availability). FULL HOOKUP CAMPING • Gate closes at 8 p.m. Park closes at 10 p.m. Quiet hours are enforced from 10 p.m. to 6.a.m. • No pets allowed in park facilities. Pets must remain on a leash and not be left unattended or cause a disturbance. 17 Area Closed Pending Development 15 3 1 5 Oglesby-Neff Park Road listed on the National Register of Historic Places 4 6 8 16 19 9 Ri No trailers, RVs or large vehicles • Dispose of trash properly. Parking • Please review complete Park Rules and Regulations posted at headquarters. Interpretive Center Playground Hiking Trail Cave Prairie Loop Trail No trailers, RVs or large vehicles P ond Trai l Wash Pond Wash P Wildlife Viewing Area Pergola l Trai und gro lay Natural Scenic Area CCC Structure Cave Trail Lost Trail CCC Table h nd Po Recycle Station Nature Playscape il Tra Pet Station Bluff Trail Residence To Trawer il as W Rock Tabernacle Rock Tower Self Pay Station Birding Blind ail Tower Tr Full Hook-up Camping Maintenance Pond (see inset) Pond Trail Historic Bell 236 Park Boundary TEXAS Main Entrance TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. © 2023 TPWD PWD MP P4503-022B (2/23) Full Hookup Sites Fishing Access SECTION CLOSED To Gatesville/Temple Picnic Area Full Cabin 14 Wood Tabernacle Park Host Site • Stay on designated trails. No bikes permitted on trails. PARK ROAD Breezeway Drinking Water Primitive Sites Park Boundary 14 Self Pay Station • Open fires, including charcoal and wood, are subject to current conditions. SECTION CLOSED PARK ROAD Restrooms Group Picnic Pavilion Le on 11 Headquarters • Gathering of firewood is prohibited. • Park and drive on paved surfaces only. 14 13 7 ve r 12 10 2 • Public consumption or display of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited. 20 18 #BetterOutside LEGEND PLEASE NOTE N #TexasStateParks This publication can be found at tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/parkinfo/maps/park_maps/ PARK RESERVATIONS TexasStateParks.org ParquesDeTexas.org (512) 389-8900 1921 Park Road 14 Moody, TX 76557-3317 (254) 853-2389 Proud Sponsor of Texas State Parks 

For assistance using this map, contact the park. For a web version of the map text, visit our Trails Information page. For information on #TexasStateParks, visit texasstateparks.org Sign up today for free email updates: texasstateparks.org/email /TexasStateParks @TPWDparks @TexasStateParks Sponsor: Whole Earth Provision Co. 

INTERPRETIVE GUIDE In 2015 Mother Neff State Park suffered a series of devastating floods. A half-mile logjam and record area rainfall caused the Leon River to flood and submerge more than 80 acres. The flood water destroyed structures and campsites in the lower section of the park. Areas of the park remain closed while we work to clear debris, restore habitat and rebuild structures. We appreciate your patience while we recover! Preserve the integrity of the historic CCC structures by using them with respect. Hike on designated trails only and stay out of closed areas. Leave no trace! Keep your park and river clean by not littering. Preserve the park for future generations and leave plants, animals, and fossils where you find them. Don’t pocket the past. WELCOME TO MOTHER NEFF STATE PARK! THE INSPIRATION FOR OUR TEXAS STATE PARK SYSTEM STARTED HERE ALONG THE SHADY BANKS OF THE LEON RIVER. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING TO THIS SPECIAL PLACE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS—IT’S NOW YOUR TURN! EXPLORE REMINDERS OF THE PAST FURTHER READING Texas State Parks and the CCC: The Legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps by Cynthia Brandimarte with Angela Reed, Texas A&M University Press, 2013. Parks for Texas: Enduring Landscapes of the New Deal by James Wright Steely, University of Texas Press, 1999. The Land, The Law, and the Lord: The Life of Pat Neff by Dorothy Blodgett, Terrell Blodgett, and David L. Scott, Home Place Publishers, 2007. Guided with a Steady Hand: The Cultural Landscape of a Rural Texas Park by Dan K. Utley and James W. Steely, Baylor University Press, 1998. Flower of the Wilderness, Mother Neff and the State Parks of Texas by Martha Deeringer, Book Locker, 2014. For more information about programs or volunteering, contact the park or visit our website and add us on Facebook. Mother Neff State Park 1921 Park Road 14, Moody, TX 76557 (254) 853-2389 • www.tpwd.texas.gov/motherneff www.facebook.com/MotherNeffStatePark/ AND MAKE MEMORIES OF YOUR OWN. © 2019 TPWD. PWD BR P4503-022K (7/19) In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. MOTHER NEFF STATE PARK M O T H E R N E F F S T A T E P A R K COURTESY OF THE TEXAS COLLECTION, BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MOTHER NEFF’S GIFT IS THE HEART OF OUR STATE PARKS Leaving behind her family plantation in Virginia, Isabella Eleanor Neff and her husband Noah travelled to the Texas frontier in 1854. The young couple purchased 900 acres along the Leon River and set to work building a home and a family. The Neffs raised nine children in their log cabin and later adopted three orphans. Despite long hours on the farm, Isabella Neff devoted herself to helping her community. She taught local children, organized the construction of a small Baptist church and offered a beautiful piece of her land as a gathering spot for picnics and events. Isabella’s kind and generous nature earned her the nickname “Mother Neff.” In 1920 the Neff’s youngest son, Pat Neff, became Governor of Texas. The following year Isabella passed away. In her will she left six acres of tranquil land along the Leon River to the public. Inspired by his mother’s generosity, Governor Neff envisioned a system of parks throughout the state. It was his dream to provide a “breathing spot for humanity” where Texans could “go back to nature” and find rest, recreation and relaxation. Neff provided an example of such a place along the Leon River. He and local resident F.P. Smith donated additional parcels to Isabella’s gift, increasing the total area to 259 acres. In 1937 the site opened as Mother Neff State Park, named in memory of its original contributor. Isabella’s legacy of generosity continues to benefit Texans today. BUILDING HOPE What would you do if you were given a chance to help your country and your family? The Great Depression of the 1930s brought hardship to the nation. Many people faced desperate times with few jobs, no money and little hope. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933 to help conserve America’s natural resources, boost the economy and create jobs. The CCC gave unemployed young men the opportunity to gain skills a



MOTHER NEFF SP BIRD CHECKLIST This checklist is a list of common and specialty birds seen in the park. Staf and volunteers have used previous checklists as well as eBird data to compile these lists. This list should not be used as a comprehensive list of birds seen in this park. Please help us protect the natural avian communities by refraining from using playback tapes of bird songs. Thank you for your cooperation. Waterfowl ___ Northern Harrier ___ Wood Duck ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk ___ Gadwall ___ Cooper’s Hawk ___ Mallard ___ Red-shouldered Hawk Grouse, Quail, and Allies ___ Swainson’s Hawk ___ Northern Bobwhite ___ Red-tailed Hawk ___ Wild Turkey Owls Pigeons and Doves ___ Eastern Screech-Owl ___ Rock Pigeon ___ Great Horned Owl ___ Eurasian Collared-Dove ___ Barred Owl ___ Inca Dove ___ White-winged Dove ___ Mourning Dove Cuckoos Kingfshers ___ Belted Kingfsher Woodpeckers ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ___ Greater Roadrunner ___ Red-headed Woodpecker ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker Nightjars ___ Downy Woodpecker ___ Common Nighthawk ___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker ___ Chuck-will’s-widow ___ Northern Flicker Swifs ___ Chimney Swif Hummingbirds ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird ___ Black-chinned Hummingbird Shorebirds ___ Killdeer Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers ___ Franklin’s Gull Cormorants and Anhingas ___ Double-crested Cormorant Herons, Ibis, and Allies ___ Great Blue Heron Falcons and Caracaras ___ Crested Caracara ___ American Kestrel ___ Merlin Tyrant Flycatchers: Pewees, Kingbirds, and Allies ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee ___ Least Flycatcher ___ Eastern Phoebe ___ Great Crested Flycatcher ___ Western Kingbird ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Vireos ___ Great Egret ___ Black-capped Vireo ___ Cattle Egret ___ White-eyed Vireo ___ Green Heron ___ Yellow-throated Vireo Vultures, Hawks, and Allies ___ Black Vulture ___ Turkey Vulture ___ Mississippi Kite ___ Blue-headed Vireo ___ Red-eyed Vireo Shrikes ___ Loggerhead Shrike Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens Finches, Euphonias, and Allies ___ Blue Jay ___ House Finch ___ American Crow ___ Pine Siskin Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice ___ Carolina Chickadee ___ Black-crested Titmouse ___ Tufed x Black-crested Titmouse ___ Lesser Goldfnch ___ American Goldfnch New World Sparrows ___ Grasshopper Sparrow ___ Chipping Sparrow Martins and Swallows ___ Field Sparrow ___ Purple Martin ___ Lark Sparrow ___ Barn Swallow ___ Fox Sparrow ___ Clif Swallow ___ Dark-eyed Junco ___ White-crowned Sparrow Kinglets ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet ___ Harris’s Sparrow ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet ___ White-throated Sparrow Nuthatches ___ Vesper Sparrow ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch ___ Savannah Sparrow ___ White-breasted Nuthatch ___ Song Sparrow Treecreepers ___ Brown Creeper Gnatcatchers ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Wrens ___ Canyon Wren ___ House Wren ___ Carolina Wren ___ Bewick’s Wren Starlings and Mynas ___ European Starling Catbirds, Mockingbirds, and Thrashers ___ Gray Catbird ___ Brown Thrasher ___ Northern Mockingbird Thrushes ___ Eastern Bluebird ___ Hermit Thrush ___ American Robin Waxwings ___ Lincoln’s Sparrow ___ Spotted Towhee Yellow-breasted Chat ___ Yellow-breasted Chat Blackbirds ___ Western Meadowlark ___ Eastern Meadowlark ___ Orchard Oriole ___ Red-winged Blackbird ___ Brown-headed Cowbird ___ Common Grackle ___ Great-tailed Grackle Wood-Warblers ___ Black-and-white Warbler ___ Orange-crowned Warbler ___ Nashville Warbler ___ Yellow Warbler ___ Pine Warbler ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler ___ Golden-cheeked Warbler ___ Black-throated Green Warbler ___ Wilson’s Warbler ___ Cedar Waxwing Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Allies Old World Sparrows ___ Summer Tanager ___ House Sparrow ___ Northern Cardinal ___ Painted Bunting ___ Dickcissel © 2022 TPWD PWD CD P4503-0022N (3/22) TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. 

-Official- FACILITIES Get the Mobile App: MAPS ACTIVITIES TexasStateParks.org/app T O Y O T A T U N D R A The Toyota Tundra is built to explore the great outdoors. No matter what the weekend throws at you, your Tundra takes it on with ease. | toyota.com/tundra Official Vehicle of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation CONTENTS 4 100 Years of Texas Parks 6 Parks Near You 8 90 Checklist DIRECTORY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT 52 68 20 38 60 30 84 68 David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. Executive Director Rodney Franklin State Parks Director Mischelle Diaz Communications Director TPW COMMISSION Arch “Beaver” Aplin, III, Chairman Lake Jackson Dick Scott, Vice-Chairman Wimberley James E. Abell Kilgore Oliver J. Bell Cleveland Paul L. Foster El Paso Anna B. Galo Laredo Jeffery D. Hildebrand Houston Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr. Fort Worth Travis B. “Blake” Rowling Dallas T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman-Emeritus Houston Lee Marshall Bass, Chairman-Emeritus Fort Worth 52 Panhandle Plains 48 State Parks Map Special thanks to Toyota and advertisers, whose generous support made this guide possible. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Cover illustration: Brad Woodard, bravethewoods.com Texas State Parks Official Guide, Nineteenth Edition © TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (3/23) TPWD receives funds from DHS and USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, visit tpwd.texas. gov/nondiscrimination or call (512) 389-4800 for information on filing a complaint. To obtain information in an alternative format, contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915, by Relay Texas at 7-1-1, (800) 735-2989, or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you speak a language other than English and need assistance, email lep@tpwd.texas.gov. You can also contact Department of the Interior Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, and/or U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), Mail Stop #0190 2707, Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20528. In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. WELCOME from Rodney Franklin, State Parks Director This year is very special for Texas State Parks: We are celebrating our 100-year anniversary in 2023. More and more Texans are discovering the beauty of State Parks and exploring the outdoors in new and adventurous ways. Our teams across the state are incredibly excited to welcome outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who have yet to discover what our parks have to offer. The variety of Texas’ lands is unmatched; from the mountains of west Texas to the Gulf shores, the Texas State Park system celebrates and preserves the natural and cultural treasures that make Texas such a special place. The 640,000-plus acres that make up the state park system are nearly as diverse as the people of Texas. Since 1923, our mission has been to help connect our visitors with the outdoors. As we honor those who have come before us, I invite a new generation to be a part of the story of the lands that connect us all. There is more to enjoy in our parks than you know, so please join us in our celebrations and activities. Every day we look for new and better ways to ensure your state parks are welcoming to every Texan, regardless of their background or experience being outside. I hope you’ll visit soon and often, while bringing your friends and family along. YOU are a natural and we’re looking forward to celebrating the 100-year anniversary of state parks with you! WHAT’S NEW IN STATE PARKS Galveston Island State Park reopened the beachside of the park with a new headquarters, campsites, restrooms, and more. Bastrop State Park unveiled an extensive new group of trails, the “Tree Army Trails,” many of which are ADA-accessible. Improvements and major repairs are planned for Indian Lodge, Tyler, Inks Lake, Cedar Hill, South Llano River, Eisenhower and several other state parks All-terrain “GRIT” wheelchairs are now available at 10 parks with more adaptive equipment on the way to help people of all abilities experience Texas State Parks. Learn more about our accessibility efforts, page 14. More information: TexasStateParks.org/whatsnew 100 Years of Texas Parks The crown jewels of Texas road trips started as an unfunded wish list before the Depression. Back in 1923, Governor Pat Neff realized rising numbers of new car travelers needed places to camp overnight on multi-day trips. Neff convinced the state legislature to create a six-member State Parks Board, half men, half women. Isabella, the Governor’s mother, and her family donated acreage on the Leon

Guía de Parques INSTALACIONES Descarga la Aplicacíon Móvil MAPAS ACTIVIDADES texasstateparks.org/app ¡Los niños entran gratis! La entrada es gratis para los niños de 12 años y menores. Encuentra un parque: parquesdetexas.org Contenido Estero Llano Grande SP 2 Actividades y Programas 4 Parques Cercanos 6 Lugares para Quedarse 8 Tarifas y Pases 9 Directorio 10 Mapa de Parques 18 Instalaciones y Actividades BIENVENIDO Rodney Franklin, Director de Parques Texas tiene algunas de las tierras públicas más diversas del país, con una gran riqueza natural y cultural. La vida silvestre está por todas partes, los paisajes florecen con belleza, y la historia es abundante. Sus parques estatales son parte del legado que nos enorgullece. La gente de Texas ayuda a asegurar ese legado para las generaciones futuras al visitar y ser voluntarios. ¡Gracias! Estos más de 630,000 acres exhiben algunos de los grandes tesoros del estado. Los parques nos ayudan a crear recuerdos con la familia y a encontrar consuelo en la naturaleza. Los parques fortalecen las economías locales y unen a las comunidades. Sobre todo, los parques nos permiten pasar tiempo al aire libre para recargar energías, estar saludables y relajarnos a nuestra manera. Les invito a disfrutar de sus parques estatales, explorando lo mejor de Texas con amigos y familia. Los parques están aquí para todos. Nos pertenecen a todos. ¡Visítelos, diviértase y ayude a protegerlos para siempre! Foto de portada: Estero Llano State Park, Chase Fountain © 2021 TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (5/21) TPWD recibe fondos del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU. (USFWS por sus siglas en ingles). TPWD prohíbe la discriminación por raza, color, religión, nacionalidad de origen, discapacidad, edad y género, conforme la ley estatal y federal. Para solicitar un acomodo especial u obtener información en un formato alternativo, por favor contacte a TPWD en un Teléfono de Texto (TTY) al (512) 3898915 ó por medio de “Relay Texas” al 7-1-1 ó (800) 735-2989 ó por email a accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. Si usted cree que TPWD ha discriminado en su contra, favor de comunicarse con TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, o con el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU., Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. De acuerdo con la Ley de Depósito del Estado de Texas, esta publicación está disponible en el centro de Distribución de Publicaciones del Estado de Texas y/o las Bibliotecas de Depósito de Texas. ACTIVIDADES Y PROGRAMAS ¿Qué puedo hacer en los parques estatales? ¡Disfruta de un día de campo, visita un sitio histórico o elige entre muchas otras opciones! Bicicletas Pedalea a lo largo de los parques a cualquier velocidad, en cualquier estilo, con cualquier grupo. Elige las rutas, el tipo de terreno y las distancias que cumplan con tu zona de confort. Caminatas Empieza con un circuito más corto, avanza a terrenos más difíciles o únete a una caminata guiada. Pescar Puedes pescar sin licencia en tantos como 70 parques estatales. Muchos parques ofrecen equipo para pescar a manera de préstamo y eventos especiales para aprender a pescar. Barcos Renta canoas y kayacs y explora uno de los senderos acuáticos en Texas. Nadar Animales Silvestres Acampar Descubre aves, mamíferos y plantas que tienen su hogar en Texas. Muchos parques tienen señalamientos y listados que te ayudan a aprender más. Encuentra un lugar que cumpla con lo que quieres. Prueba nuevas recetas, comparte historias favoritas y disfruta de las estrellas. 2 Más información y reservaciones: parquesdetexas.org Escape del calor en arroyos, ríos, lagos, manantiales, piletas y playas del mar. Tu seguridad en el agua es muy importante. Lleva el chaleco salvavidas. Aprende a nadar. Guarda a los niños. (512) 389-8900 ¡Pregunta en tu parque cuáles están disponibles! Los niños de 12 años y menores entran GRATIS Cielos Estrellados Escapa de las luces de la ciudad y goza de maravillosas vistas del cielo que no encontrarás en ninguna otra parte. Ven a una fiesta de estrellas o toma una excursión de constelaciones auto-guiada. Familias en la Naturaleza Elige un taller o diseña tu propia aventura. ¡Monta una tienda de campaña, cocina al exterior, prende una fogata y juega al exterior! Nosotros te Toma una publicación gratuita de actividades o pregunta por los paquetes gratuitos con los parques proporcionamos todo el equipo. No es necesario tener experiencia. participantes. Usa los binoculares, lupas, libros de bosquejos y libros de guías para explorar el parque. Mochilas para Exploradores Soldados Búfalo de Texas Descubre la historia con cuentos, vestuarios y herramientas. Sigue la pista de un animal, pesca con caña, cocina sobre una fogata, visita los fuertes y más. Adéntrate en las historias de vida de aquellos que sirvieron valientemente en los primeros regimientos Áfrico-Americanos de las Fuerzas Armadas. ! Seguridad en el Parque Ten cuidado con el agua Pre