Dan A. Hughes Unit of Devils River SNA Celebrates Opening with Ribbon Cutting
Oct. 22, 2026
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030
DEL RIO – With citizens and honored guests on hand, the Dan A. Hughes Unit of Devils River State Natural Area was celebrated with speeches, refreshments and a ribbon cutting on Friday, Oct. 9, at the unit’s headquarters.
The list of speakers included Representative Eddie Morales, Chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Paul Foster, former Chairman Dan A. Hughes Jr., Executive Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Dr. David Yoskowitz, former TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith, Director of Texas State Parks Rodney Franklin and Complex Superintendent Jason Hairston.
Located an hour north of Del Rio, the 18,000-acre Dan A. Hughes (DAH) Unit of the State Natural Area (SNA) brings the total acreage to more than 37,000 acres of protected land with access to the Devils River. The river connects the SNA to the Del Norte Unit, which sits 13 miles upstream.
“We’re able to celebrate the opening of the Dan A. Hughes unit because people were willing to listen, be flexible, and then committed to getting the job done when it needed to get done,” said Yoskowitz. “I’m deeply grateful to be part of the contributions that are making more public land available for the people of Texas to recreate in. And I’m especially thankful to the previous leadership of Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Instrumental in the conservation of the land was Dan A. Hughes, Jr., who spearheaded the securing of funding for the unit, which is now named for his father.
“My father loved land; He loved Texas, the outdoors and his family,” Chairman Hughes Jr. said of his father, the namesake of the unit. "He would be very, very proud of this day. I’m very proud of this day and so is my family."
The DAH Unit offers a handful of primitive campsites along the river, with no water or electricity. Choose from drive-up or walk-in sites, with composting toilets nearby. Take in the night sky in one of the darkest skies in Texas, listening to the sounds of the river close by.
“The original owner of the land donated a conservation easement through the Nature Conservancy. And his vision was to see the ranch permanently protected,” said Smith. “You don’t have to look very far to see why. Big wide open spaces, beautiful West Texas vistas, pretty sunrises and sunsets, 10 miles of frontage along the clearest and purest and most pristine river in all of the state of Texas. A property that sits at the juxtaposition of the brush country and hill country and Chihuahuan Desert. Protecting it seemed like an imperative, and the right thing to do.”
Famous for its kayaking, the Devils River experience can be strenuous if traversing from Del Norte to DAH and should only be attempted by experienced paddlers with three days’ worth of supplies. The area known as Devils Back on this property can be used in your paddling itinerary with the purchase of a Devils River Access Permit and only with an authorized TPWD guide or shuttle service concessionaire. If fishing the river, both largemouth and smallmouth bass are catch-and-release. There are multiple spots to get in and cool off in its waters if swimming or wading is the preferred activity.
On land, there’s abundant wildlife to view, though some may require binoculars. White-tailed deer and javelinas can be spotted, as well as a multitude of birds including bald eagles, scaled and bobwhite quail and more. DAH is a great spot to experience the monarch butterfly migration in the fall.
Hiking offers stunning views of the river, cliffs, and canyons on 10 miles of trail. No matter what activity is chosen, leave no trace, pack your trash in and out, and don’t pocket the past – leave any found artifacts behind and alert a ranger to its location.
Park Reservations for both day use and overnight camping are recommended. More information on Texas State Parks can be found on the TPWD website. Photos of the event are available to view on TPWD’s Flickr page. News media may use the images with photo credit given to Chase Fountain/TPWD.
Special thanks to Friends of State Parks for providing the refreshments for the occasion.