Amistad National Recreation Area

For other uses, see Amistad.

Amistad National Recreation Area
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Location	Val Verde County, Texas, USA
Nearest city	Del Rio, Texas
Coordinates	29°26′12″N 101°3′0″W
Area	58,500 acres (23,700 ha)
Established	November 11, 1965 (1965-November-11)
Visitors	1,436,759 (in 2011)
Governing body	National Park Service

Amistad Dam and Reservoir

Amistad National Recreation Area includes the area around the Amistad Reservoir at the confluence of the Rio Grande, the Devils River, and the Pecos River. Amistad is Spanish for "friendship", as the Amistad Reservoir is located on the border with Mexico. The reservoir was created by Amistad Dam in 1969.

Recreational activities

The lake provides year-round, water-based recreation opportunities, including boating, fishing, swimming, scuba diving and water-skiing, as well as other recreational opportunities for picnicking, camping and hunting. The area is rich in archeology and rock art, and contains a wide variety of plant and animal life.

For highly experienced scuba divers, there is a system of deep underwater caves that can be accessed. The dive includes exotic gas mixes, pre-placement of gas cylinders, and extensive decompression times at depth. These caves are considered extremely hazardous and should not be attempted by anyone without extensive training and preparation.

Administrative history

The site was administered under a cooperative agreement with the International Boundary and Water Commission as Amistad Recreation Area, November 11, 1965. It was authorized as a National Recreation Area on November 28, 1990.

Gallery

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  Cattle Egret at reservoir

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  The Panther petroglyph in Panther's Cave

References

• The National Parks: Index 2001–2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.

External links

• Official NPS site: Amistad National Recreation Area