The Wandering Camels: 2020

December 22-29, 2020

Our ride to Goliad State Park was an uneventful one, we arrived soon afternoon and were on our site shortly after arriving. We were last at Goliad in December of 2013, we have a site in Karankawa loop which is a full hook up area. The Jacales Camping area is basically a parking lot area with water and electric, in the Jacales loop they are currently only let every other site be opened. There are also 3 tent-only camping areas that have access to water.

Site 8

Cute camper that was here the whole time we were

While the park is close to US 183 the road noise never bothered us, it was a great place to spend a week before going to our winter spot in Port Aransas TX.

Goliad SP is just outside of the town of Goliad, while the town square was lit up for the holidays we never ventured into any of the shops this time. The one I had wanted to go into is no longer here. L There is a connecting trail from the campground into the town, we walked it and various other roads every day so as to get our daily steps in.

Goliad courthouse square with her Christmas lights shining.

Wildlife we saw on our walks.

Goliad has a large flock of vultures, they roost nearby. When I see vultures in Texas it brings back memories of growing up in east Texas. My folks were youth fellowship leaders and often took a group of high shcool/college kids out hiking and camping. On one of those ventures they hit a vulture while in my folks only ever new car. From that day on the kids were known as the Vulger Vultures. This year we watched the vultures on our evening walks, Dave kept saying they were vultures vulturing.

This area is steeped in the Texans fight for independence, on-site is the Mission Espiritu Santo. A walking path from the campground to the Presidio La Bahia, Fannin’s Memorial, the birthplace of General Ignacio Zaragoza along with the Statue of the Angel of Goliad. We visited them all, for those interested in Texas and its history, you would certainly enjoy a few days here discovering the different historic sites.

From Wikipedia “The first declaration of independence for the Republic of Texas was signed in Goliad on December 20, 1835, although the formal declaration was made by the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Goliad County was the site of two battles in Texas Revolution. The Battle of Goliad was a minor skirmish early in the war. However, the subsequent battle of Coleto was an important battle that culminated on March 27, 1836. Col. James Fannin and his Texan soldiers were executed by The Mexican army, under orders from Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna, in what became known as the Goliad Massacre. This event led to the Texas Revolutionary battle cry "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" Although many remember the Alamo today, fewer remember Goliad. The site of the massacre is located near Presidio la Bahia, just south of the town of Goliad.

In 1874, Juan Moya, a prominent Tejano landowner, and Mexican army captain who fought in the Texas Revolution, was lynched, along with his two sons, by a mob who suspected them of murdering a neighboring family in Goliad County.

Goliad County is also the birthplace of General Ignacio Zaragoza, who led the Mexican army against the invading forces of Napoleon III in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 ("Cinco de Mayo").”

Mission Espiritu Santo

Presidio La Bahia

Angel of Goliad

Fannin’s Memorial

La Bahia Cemetery

I found a geocache at the cemetery.

General Ignacio Zaragoza

We took a ride to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. We saw birds, gators, snakes and big trees. I imagine during migration season you'll see lots of different birds.