Enjoy Spooky Times at Texas State Parks Throughout October

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AUSTIN— Enjoy some hauntingly good fun this October at a Texas State Park. Throughout the month, parks are hosting a variety of family-friendly Halloween-themed events including zombie apocalypse hikes, monster mash geocaching and a jack-o’-lantern scavenger hunt, just to name a few.

Information about the events, taking place across the state, can be found on the holiday calendar page on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website.

Halloween-themed events happening this month include:

Halloween at the Hatchery is the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s way of giving East Texas families a safe place to go trick-or-treating outdoors while raising money for local causes. The outdoor event will feature family-friendly games and activities from 6 — 8:30 p.m. Oct. 25. Local businesses and organizations will hand out free candy from booths located on the center’s grounds. Admission for Halloween at the Hatchery is $1 cash per person and all proceeds will benefit local nonprofit organizations.

The Paso Del Norte Paranormal Society is partnering with Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site for a unique tour into the dark, mysterious and historic areas of the park. Find out which spirits walk along the mountain ridges and pass along the desert floor on the Ghosts of the Ancients tour from 8 — 10 p.m. Oct. 26. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at https://squareup.com/store/paso-del-norte-paranormal-society-inc/.

Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is hosting a scavenger hunt Oct. 27 and 28 for eight plastic jack-o’-lanterns that have been hidden along the Walnut Ridge Unit and Hen House Ridge Unit hiking trails. Visitors who find a jack-o’-lantern can return it to the park headquarters for a special trick or treat prize. The scavenger hunt begins at daybreak and will continue until all pumpkins are found.

Learn to survive a zombie apocalypse at Galveston Island State Parks’ themed hike from 3 — 4 p.m. Oct. 27. The short, humorous hike will teach visitors the basic skills needed to find food, water, shelter and space in case of an apocalyptic event. The hike will begin at the nature center and is free with park entry fee. Pets and zombies must be on a leash.

Become a modern-day treasure hunter this Halloween at the Monster Mash Geocache at Ray Roberts Lake State Park- Isle Du Bois Unit from 3 — 4:30 p.m. Oct. 27. Visitors will meet at the Lost Pines Amphitheater to learn to geocache using hand-held GPS units. The geocaching event is free with paid entrance fees.

Discover what creatures go bump in the night at Inks Lake State Park during the Creatures of the Night Halloween Walk from 6:30 — 8 p.m. Oct. 27. Visitors can trick or treat along the Devil’s Waterhole Nature Trail and see first-hand which animals call Inks Lake home. The trail is self-guided, and costumes are encouraged. Candy will be distributed while supplies last.

For a full list of Halloween events happening at Texas State Parks, visit the TPWD calendar page.