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An Enchanted Time at Water Safari – Old Forge’s Awesome Water Park

Last updated on August 11, 2021.

It’s no secret that the Adirondacks is one of my absolute favorite places on this planet. If you’ve been following along on Instagram , you’ll see it’s been full of mountain views lately! Every summer growing up my parents would take my brother and I camping up at Old Forge. Some of our favorite childhood memories were made in days at Enchanted Forest Water Safari exploring the storybook area with our best friends. In the evenings we’d return to our campsite to watch out for bears (no joke). Water Safari is not only the biggest water park in New York state, but it’s rated one of the best in the country . It’s also one of TripAdvisor’s top choices! Intrigued? I bet you are. Find out what makes Water Safari in Old Forge one of the best summer destinations.

This article was originally published in 2019. In 2021, Enchanted Forest Water Safari invited me to come back to check out the new water slides and update the article. Thanks, Water Safari!

How to Save Money at Water Safari in Old Forge

Purchase your ticket at a local business.

By buying your ticket ahead of time, you’ll be able to save over $7 off your admission! You can find pre-sale tickets at local grocery stores like Price Chopper and Wegmans.

Get more than a day’s visit with the Siesta Pass

If you arrive at the park after 3pm (or 2pm on the days they close earlier), you can pay admission for the remainder of the day and get a FREE pass to return again the next day . Best. News. Ever. My recommendation? Arrive after that cut-off and enjoy all of the dry rides. Then, return in the morning to spend the day by the pools sunbathing and getting soaked on the wet rides! No worrying about changing your clothes or having enough time to fit it all in.

Book a Stay ‘N Play Package

The Water Safari Resort has two accommodations available. If you’re looking to spend a few days in Old Forge (which I highly recommend), check out their Stay ‘N Play Packages . Guests who stay at either of the properties receive discount tickets to the park.

First up is the Water’s Edge Inn across the street from the park. Guests receive free continental breakfast, have access to an indoor pool and sauna, and can relax on the lakefront property in the evening. Plus, you can actually walk across the street to the park – it’s super convenient!

A little down the road you’ll find Old Forge KOA , where I always camped as a kid. There are a variety of tent sites, cabins, and cottages to choose from depending on your style. The resort also offers a shuttle bus to take you to and from the park, so you don’t need to worry about parking.

Join the Paul Bunyan Club

While you’re at it, make sure to take your photo with Paul Bunyan. Yes, it may be cheesy. Yes, a group of us 30-somethings looked like a giddy bunch of children getting our photos taken. But I don’t regret it for one minute! As soon as you enter the park you’ll see the giant statue of Paul Bunyan, and it is the must-have photo opportunity of the park.

For an extra $4 with your first visit this year, you can join the Paul Bunyan Club . As a member, you’ll receive half-off your admission for the rest of the season. Half-price tickets must be purchased at the admission gate.

Get a season pass

If you plan on visiting on at least 3 different days during the summer, it’s worth it to get yourself a season pass. That will get you unlimited admission for the season and 10% off food and drinks in the park.

What Is There to Do at Water Safari in Old Forge?

Before you do anything at the park, get yourself a splash card . These new cards act like your cash inside the park, so you don’t have to worry about carrying around actual cash or a wallet. Plus, the cards are waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about them on the wet rides.

Second, if you want to take photos and videos on the water rides, grab a waterproof phone pouch from any of the gift shops in the park. They seriously work wonders!

Lastly, if you brought a bunch of stuff into the park with you – and chances are you’ve got at least a bag with a change of clothes and towels – get a locker. That way you can stash your stuff in a locker and go enjoy the rides.

The Dry Rides

My favorite? The classic Skyride – take the ride up and get relaxing views of the whole park! But you’ll also find the traditional ones like the bumper cars and tilt-o-whirl. The wet rides are what really shine! (Also why the siesta pass is a great option!)

The Wet Rides

This is where Water Safari does it best! Believe it or not, there are 33 heated water wides ! The most popular is definitely “Curse of the Silverback”, a group ride where your tube circles around a giant funnel like a toilet bowl. And then – drop! For a relaxing day, you can choose from two different lazy rivers – the “Log Jammer” and “Safari River Expeditions”. Plus, there’s everything in between! Races, wave pools, single riders, partner and group tubes… Enough to fill your whole day!

While the park was closed in 2020, they built three new water rides . The lines may be long, but they are definitely worth it.

• Serengeti Stampede replaced the old, basic racing slide. The new, colorful slides have bumps and turns to make them a lot more fun. And the new mats have handles, making them easier to hold onto.
• Mamba Strike is a 285-foot drop water slide that loops around the Serengeti Stampede tubes. This slide has guests stand on a platform at the top of the slide that is dropped beneath them. An adrenaline rush for sure!
• Killermanjaro is back and better than ever. The speed slide features one long 207-foot drop.

Relive your childhood with Storybook Lane

Another one of my favorite childhood memories is visiting all the nursery rhyme recreations! And you can bet that I did that again on my most recent visit. From Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage to Hansel & Gretel’s gingerbread house, they are over 20 stories recreated along a path through the woods in the park. Meant for the children to visit in awe, but reminiscent for the adults as you listen to the stories play.

Family Circus

Twice daily you can watch the circus show. From the standard jugglers and trapeze artists, you’ll also find more unique acts like performing dogs and the famous motorcycle cage rider. It’s a great chance to catch a break from all the adrenaline of the day. Grab a snack and find a seat while you enjoy the show.

Play with the animals

Are you an animal lover like me? Then check out Paul’s Barnyard to play with and feed the sheep, goats, pigs, and birds that are there. I recommend going in between some of the dry rides!

Where to Eat at Water Safari

Water Safari is one of the most lenient places when it comes to bringing in outside food and beverages. BUT, why worry about lugging around your cooler and finding a place to store it while you’re in the water? There are plenty of restaurants and snack stands throughout the park. So there are plenty of options to please any palate.

Options include pizza, nachos, burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and more. A staff favorite is the Bosco sticks at the pizza shack. Get two cheese-filled breadsticks served with marinara for just $3. New this year, you’ll find ice cream nachos, monster milkshakes, and hot honey chicken sandwiches.

And to answer your most burning question – yes, there are alcoholic drinks for adults!

Other Things to Do in Old Forge

While you’re visiting Old Forge, be sure to get the most out of your stay.

Calypso’s Cove

Enchanted Forest Water Safari claims it’s “Where the fun never stops!” And that’s true! Even outside the park, you can continue your adventure – next door at Calypso’s Cove . From mini golf and batting cages, to an arcade, go karts, and more, you’re sure to have a blast.

Slicker’s Restaurant

After a long day at the water park, you’re sure to be hungry! Luckily, there’s a hometown favorite restaurant across the street – Slickers. Their pizza and chicken wings are fantastic. Seriously. So. Darn. Good. Get yourself some garlic parm wings and you’ll be in heaven.

Adirondack Dog House

If you’re really pinching your pennies for this trip, you can’t go wrong with a visit to the Adirondack Dog House . Hot dogs with all sorts of toppings, french fries and onion rings? Delicious. Classic. And cheap. Score!

Fulton Chain Craft Brewery

What’s dinner without a beer? A visit to Fulton Chain Craft Brewery is a must. Adirondack-themed and dog-friendly, you won’t want to miss drinking their famous “Go Fluff Yourself” beer. Weird name? Yes. Delicious? Heck yes. It’s a peanut butter marshmallow beer that has become very popular in Central New York – for good reason!

The brewery was recently expanded to make a larger taproom. All of their brew tanks are named after the lakes in the Fulton Chain of Lakes throughout the Adirondacks. They also have pictures of the lakes on them, embracing their location.

Wisk Baking Co

You know I’m a sucker for a good coffee shop and bakery. Wisk isn’t that. Wisk Baking Co is an incredible coffee shop and bakery! Featuring a variety of delicious confections, the desserts are almost too beautiful to eat! Almost.

You’ll have a hard time choosing from the bagels, croissants, muffins, and more. Get yourself a slice of cake to go. I’d also recommend the “ADK Campfire” crepe, made with Nutella, Fluff, and graham crackers!

Have you visited Water Safari in Old Forge? I want to hear about it!

Tell me your favorite memories in the comments.

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Explore Africa through its lifeblood

Tuesday, 27 June 2023

Every river has a character, and every waterway symbolises vitality. Life in Africa revolves around its rivers, streams and lakes, defining the essence of the wildernesses they flow through. A safari can be more than game drives, so why not opt for one of the continent’s numerous water safaris and explore Africa through its lifeblood?

Below is a list of our favourite water-based safari destinations.

Want to go on a water safari? Browse our African safaris on offer here .

Okavango Delta, Botswana: Water safari by mokoro

The swampy wildlife oasis of the Okavango Delta is one of the most extraordinary safari destinations in Africa, and a ride in a mokoro is an essential part of any exploration. These traditional dugout canoes cut silently through the wetlands’ many channels, propelled by expert guides’ poles. Aside from the peaceful immersion in one’s surroundings, this is the perfect way to encounter wildlife – from elephants to frogs and everything in between.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Zambia: Rafting on Batoka Gorge’s white waters

At Victoria Falls , the mighty Zambezi River plunges 100 metres off a basalt plateau before being forced through a narrow and twisting path of Batoka Gorge. The rapids below the falls are classified as Grade V and are widely acknowledged as offering some of the best white water rafting in the world.

Adrift on inflatable rafts, armed with just a plastic oar and a lifejacket, visitors throw themselves at the river’s mercy. Nothing is quite as humbling as experiencing the sheer power of a churning river (especially while underneath it). And after the rather steep climb out of the gorge on somewhat shaky legs, a sundowner imbibed looking out over the “smoke that thunders” is a must! This is one of the most epic water safaris you’ll ever experience.

Jinja, Uganda: Kayak the Nile

The Nile River is the longest in the world, and its journey begins at the edge of Lake Victoria as it spills out of the lake into a series of plunging rapids. Not much compares to the thrill of riding the tumbling waves, pitting skill against the tremendous power of the torrent. And there are plenty of long flat stretches of calm water to steady the nerves, recover the muscles and marvel at the beauty of rural Uganda.

If this sounds too much (or perhaps when one’s shoulders and arms have had enough), opt for an ice-cold drink on a sedate sunset boat cruise. 

Chobe River, Botswana and Namibia: Cruise on a riverboat

The Chobe River is Africa’s elephant Eden , its lush floodplains and surroundings home to the world’s highest density of these magnificent pachyderms. This corner of the continent is renowned for its water safaris. Explore the various channels and side creeks or meander peacefully, watching elephants snorkel and wrestle in the water. From predator to prey, the abundance of life on display along the riverbanks tinges any voyage with more than a hint of excitement.

Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania: Float or dive lazy waters

Only two parks in Tanzania offer chimpanzee trekking: Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains National Parks, and both are found on the banks of Lake Tanganyika. The terrain of these parks is mountainous, and if the chimps are particularly capricious, a trek might entail several hours of strenuous hiking. As such, there is no doubt that the only way to celebrate a successful day is to leap with joy into the cool embrace of the clear waters of the world’s longest freshwater lake. Sandy beaches are perfect for lazing the days away or soaking up romantic sunsets. Or, to make the most of a water safari at Lake Tanganyika (which hosts over 350 fish species), explore the waters by diving or snorkelling.  

Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe and Zambia: Explore vast shorelines

The fertile shores of Lake Kariba and its fresh waters attract diverse birdlife and wildlife, including elephants, buffalo and various antelopes. Keep an eye out for lions and leopards too. Lake Kariba’s water safaris can be enjoyed in simple pleasure or luxurious style. Dozens of lodges perched on the water’s edge allow you to awaken to the copper glow of the sun rising over the endless lake. Spend the day admiring the scenery or watching elephants browse the shoreline of Lake Kariba. And at the end of the day, the calm waters are the ideal place to admire the starlit skies. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the shorelines from the water, whether on a catamaran cruise, motorboat or even a houseboat.

Lake Malawi, Malawi: Barefoot safari

Lake Malawi offers a plethora of fun for every intrepid safari goer, from the super active to the deeply relaxed. Across the shoreline of Lake Malawi , tiny beach villages and lodges offer many opportunities to explore the waters – above or below the azure ripples. Boat trips provide the perfect vantage to appreciate the lake’s blazing sunsets. Snorkel or dive beneath the surface to take in the fishy kaleidoscope darting around the rocks in the shallows. Sailing and kayaking are at the top of the list for those eager to investigate the various bays and coves along the shoreline. And for beach lovers, there is ample opportunity to lounge along Lake Malawi’s sandy shores and breathe in the crystalline waters, drink in hand.

Storms River Mouth, South Africa: Adventure in the breakers

Along the ocean’s edge in the Tsitsikamma section of Garden Route National Park , a microcosm of adventure can be found within a rocky ravine where breakers pound rocky shores beneath rolling forests and fynbos. Here, 5kms of sea, reefs and ocean life around Storms River Mouth are protected by the national park. Mere metres from where dolphins romp in the waves and southern right whales visit, thrill-seekers can negotiate the narrow passages of the magnificent Storms River Gorge by kayak, c liff jump into secret pools, lounge on a raft or hop aboard a lilo to float on cool waters after a long day of activity.

Lake Kivu, Rwanda: Kick-back, beach style

There are plenty of active ways to entertain oneself on a visit to Lake Kivu, from water sports to birding. But why not embrace the Caribbean-like tropical atmosphere of this Great Lake, and take a few days to kick back and relax on sandy shores? Besides, it is the perfect spot to let it all sink in after a life-changing trek with gorillas in nearby Volcanoes National Park.

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC:

• Travel with us . Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early / late and a few kilometres off course and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity? Browse our ready-made packages or answer a few questions to start planning your dream safari .
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The return of an Adirondack favorite

By Jamie Organski

March 9, 2021

Explore More: coronavirus , old forge

Enchanted Forest Water Safari gears up for re-opening

Enchanted Forest Water Safari has been given the green light to reopen the doors to the water park beginning on Friday, June 18 for the summer season of 2021. The popular Old Forge attraction was closed in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Ticket and season passes are currently available for purchase on the water park’s website . More details pertaining to ticket sale options will be shared once water park management receives additional guidance from the state, according to Katie Wojdyla, Enchanted Forest Water Safari Vice President & Director of Marketing. 

“We are thrilled,” Wojdyla said. “It is great to have clarity that we can open. It’s a step in the right direction and we are most excited to introduce our three new water rides [Mamba Strike, Killermanjaro’s Revenge, and Serengeti Stampede.]”

The water park team is still waiting on guidance from New York state, which is expected in the next couple of weeks, according to Wojdyla. 

“We anticipate most of what you are seeing today with social distancing, masks (except on water rides), increased cleaning, etc.” Wojdyla said. “We also anticipate that temperature [checks] and [health] screenings will need to take place prior to entry. Masks will need to be worn in the park, except on water rides and in pools or while seated. More specifics will be available once we have the guidelines.”

Enchanted Forest Water Safari is currently hiring for all positions for the summer season as well as many specialty positions at the water park, Calypso’s Cove, the Old Forge Camping Resort and Water’s Edge Inn. Applicants can apply online at https://www.watersafari.com/jobs/ .

More re-openings

See what other attractions and events are coming back, in this list in the Adirondack Almanack

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More to explore, preserving history: inside adirondack experience’s treasure trove, aging facilities, shrinking numbers: adirondack schools face double bind, ticonderoga man killed by chloroform, records show.

Jamie Organski

Jamie Organski is an Adirondack area resident who has experience as a reporter, photographer and editor.

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Enchanted Forest Water Safari

• 3183 Rte 28
• Old Forge, NY 13420
• (315) 369-6145
• Visit Site | E-Mail
• Your Guide to The Adirondacks

Enchanted Forest Water Safari is an award-winning park that has been serving guests safe, clean family fun for more than 60 years. It's also New York’s largest water theme park with more than 50 rides and attractions, including 32 heated outdoor water rides. Water Safari is located in Old Forge, NY in the Adirondack Mountains. In this combo amusement and water park, guests of all ages have plenty of opportunities for fun, such as water rides, kiddie rides, classic amusement rides, fun food, shops, exciting games, cabana rentals, storybook-themed characters, a family circus show, and a barnyard. Group discounts. Coolers and food allowed.

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1963 Texas Water Safari

by Roger Zimmerman

Jay Daniel asked me to tell about the 1963 Texas Water Safari in one page. Here goes.

In 1962 Frank Brown and Willie George made a 500 mile 20 day 8 hour survival trip from San Marcos to Corpus Christi in a 14’ Long Star Semi-V bottom fishing boat.  This was well documented in three issues of SOUTHWEST HOLIDAY and is known as the prelude to the Texas Water Safari. 

Frank Brown organized the first Texas Water Safari in 1963 so others could have the opportunity to enjoy the same trip.  Race sponsors were San Marcos Chamber of Commerce and Corpus Christi Buccaneer Commission.  It was billed as “The Toughest Boat Race in the World, a 500 Mile Marathon”. Years later it was discovered to only be 330 miles.  Only paddles, oars or sail were permitted.  Any type or size boat was permitted with any number of paddlers per team.  There were no classes or team captains .  Everything had to be carried from race start to finish with no outside assistance of any kind (except for water on the bay).  The entry fee was $25 per team.   There were no age limits except persons under 21 had to have a parent or guardian waver.  Life “preservers” had to be worn at all times while on the water.  Typhoid and tetanus immunizations were required.  Fire arms were permitted.  Contestants had to drink river water after their on-board supply was used, except drinking water was supplied at Austwell on the bay and before daybreak and after the end of each bay leg.  Prizes included a boat/motor, turkey feeder, camper, town lap prizes and over $6,000 in cash.

One hundred twenty six men and one woman in 58 teams entered the 12 day race. The boats started in San Marcos on April 29 in 30 minute waves. River checkpoints were at secret locations.  Race officials were supposed to contact paddlers by messages on mandatory transistor radios.  Most if not all were wet and ruined on the first day.  There were over 50 log jams on the San Marcos River, many of them tall and massive.  There was a mandatory portage “from the downstream vicinity of the Tivoli bridge into Hynes Bay” after a 3 mile log jam below the bridge.  A white flag was hung below the log jam on a tree limb marking a 2.2 mile portage into Hynes Bay increasing the portage to  5.2 miles total. The white flag portage led across waist deep swamp water, knee deep mud and mosquitoes so thick you could hardly breathe.  A number of teams quit during the swamp portage.  Only 20 out of 58 teams clocked into Austwell before the official sunrise start of Leg 2 on May 8.  All the bay legs were from official sunrise to official sunset under Coast Guard supervision.  The Leg 2 deadline was official sundown at Mills Wharf on May 8 where only 13 teams clocked in.  May 9 proved to be the worst day of the race when 13 remaining teams left Mills Wharf at official sunrise with small craft warnings  flying.  Facing 30-40 knot winds with 6-8 ft waves forced 9 of the 13 teams out of the race in the bay off Rockport with a number of Coast Guard rescues required.  Only four teams remained in the race at the inland portion of the intracoastal canal leading to Ingleside.  Facing 30-40 knot winds as well as strong tidal currents against us in the barge canal that afternoon, two teams including me could make no progress paddling.  We were wading and pulling our boats down the barge canal when time expired.  Team 102 used oars and made it to Ingleside with moments to spare.  Team 163 used a sail and were able to sail almost dead into the wind down the canal.  Both teams finished the fourth leg into Corpus Christi without problems on May 10.  Team 102 comprised of Lynn Maughmer and Jim Jones won the race in 110 hours 35 minutes.  Fred Hurd, Jr. and Sam Hare in Team 163 took second place in 145 hours.

The 1963 TWS was the most difficult and challenging thing I have ever attempted.  And I almost finished it solo without food from Victoria on except for what I could find.  I still regret not making that 3 miles into Ingleside.

Entrants for the 1963 Texas Water Safari

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Six summer books to transport the reader to the Texas outdoors

These are not beach reads.

No thick novels. No celebrity memoirs. No juicy exposés.

These are, nevertheless, summer books.

Each of the six titles discussed in this column lures the reader out into the Texas landscape, sometimes for play, at other times for something more like work.

So many things in life are both, right?

Although the outdoors is often unbearably hot during our Texas summers, find a cool spot in the shade to relish these stories about our state.

The words and images might inspire some bucolic adventures during the milder hours of a summer day.

How Texas acquired a state parks system

"Texas State Parks: The First Hundred Years, 1923-2023"  by George Bristol (TCU Press): 

It took 100 years. Actually longer. Yet Texas can now claim a parks system that is well-financed. In 2019, thanks in part to the efforts of author and conservationist Bristol, Texas voters finally dedicated all proceeds from sporting goods sales taxes to Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Historical Commission. That's not all. At this writing, a bill that would create a $1 billion endowment to acquire new parklands awaits Gov. Greg Abbott's signature. 

Bristol takes the reader back to the beginnings of the national parks movement, which nearly passed Texas by, because the state kept its public lands when it entered the union in 1845. He includes a chapter by his daughter, Jennifer Bristol , on the critical role of women in lobbying for state parks. (Stay tuned: She's writing a book on the state's women environmentalists.)

The book examines the role of the federal government in building many of the early state parks, particularly through the novel New Deal program, Civilian Conservation Corps. (Cynthia A. Brandimarte contributed this chapter.) It's hard to get through the accounts about the decline and decay of some parks, but along came two champions, Lady Bird and Lyndon Baines Johnson, who made the outdoors cool again.

More: 30,600-acre Balcones preserve now a factor in tollway fight

Bristol praises the work of other political and parks leaders, including those who pushed the original sporting goods tax in 1993, which was undermined from the start. That failure required the aforementioned 2019 vote. He also highlights the private philanthropists who did much of the land acquisition when the stingy state government would not.

This is a biggish book. It includes a full section with glorious photographs of each state park, along with appendices on the sporting-goods-tax campaign and other background material. 

What you wanted to know about nature in the Hill Country

"Armadillos to Ziziphus: A Naturalist in the Texas Hill Country" by David M. Hillis (UT Press):

This book is intensely delightful. Author Hillis writes short, entertaining essays on nature. Many of his stories first appeared in the Mason County News.

Hillis, who heads the biodiversity program at the University of Texas, is the real deal as a scientist. He has even discovered several species, including the endangered Barton Spring salamander.

Rare among scientists, however, Hillis writes in a fluid, open, sometimes awed manner, primed for enjoyment by the reasonably curious reader.

More: Texas history: Loading up on the state’s past in the Hill Country town of Mason

He also knows to get your attention. Did you realize, for instance, that the javelina and the nine-banded armadillo, long recognized as symbols of Texas, are relatively recent immigrants to the state? The first arrived in the 1700s, the second in the 1800s.

I'm so pleased with this book, I'm seeking permission to run a couple of the essays in this space. Perhaps some day, I'll tour Hillis' Double Helix Ranch in Mason County and report back on that scene.

A rough ride down a Texas river

"Texas Water Safari: The World's Toughest Canoe Race" by Bob Spain and Joy Emshoff (Texas A&M University Press)

I kid you not: I once considered training for the Texas Water Safari. After all, I like to canoe. I love Texas rivers. I've spent a good deal of my life out of doors.

This was decades ago. Not only has that window closed, reading this book assured me I would not have survived.

No, this is the kind of thing my former colleague, adventure writer Pam LeBlanc, does well and then writes about with great descriptive fervor .

Authors Spain and Emshoff go into intense detail recording the history of this specific canoe race. They document it from beginning — with a crazy quest in 1962 by Frank Brown and "Big Willie" George to paddle a motorboat without a motor down the San Marcos and Guadalupe rivers and then across the windblown bay to Corpus Christi — to the most recent races that feature a multitude of categories and boating styles.

More: Texas History: Take a cool dip into the historic Medina River with this detailed guide

Contestants must carry all their provisions with them from the start and can receive no help during the race. Here's a clue as to how tough it is: Of the 58 crafts that participated in the first organized race in 1963, only two made it to Corpus Christi. (The route from the mouth of the Guadalupe has changed more than once.)

Spain and Emshoff supply the merely curious with hundreds of thrilling photographs and, of course, tales of mishaps and triumphs. The back of the book includes accounts of each race, year by year, as well as statistics on the winners. There's even a Texas Water Safari Hall of Fame. The top honor is membership in the "10,400 Mile Club." Only one paddler, John Bugge, had reached that mark by 2019.

"Porch Talk: A Conversation About Archaeology in the Texas Panhandle" by John R. Erickson and Douglas K. Boyd (Texas Tech University Press)

A glance at the cover of this book assures you that it will be an amusing and illuminating read. After all, one of the two authors of this volume on Texas archaeology, Erickson, is the creative spirit behind the "Hank the Cowdog" book series.

Erickson saved up his "Hank" earnings to buy a ranch above the Canadian River in the Panhandle. While many Texans think of the Panhandle as flat, it is broken by two huge, rugged canyons — the other is the better known Palo Duro Canyon on the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River. This kind of land provides all sorts of environments for early human habitation, as Erickson was to find out.

More: More than 50 million artifacts from Texas’ past kept at UT lab

He sets up the stories of the finds on his M-Cross Ranch as a back-and-forth between him and the more scientifically trained Boyd. What they found over the years is amazing. Not just arrow points, knives, shards, scrapers and burnt daubs from different eras, but also burial sites, underground storage pits and homes.

Wait, you think, Native American homes in the Panhandle, land of migratory tribes? Aren't stable dwellings more associated with the pueblos of peoples to the west or the grass houses of sedentary tribe to the east? Erickson, Boyd and friends found not only the remains of pit-houses, but also, unexpectedly, picket-post houses at M-Cross.

There's a lot of detailed archaeology in "Porch Talk," but the authors make their cases as clear as a Panhandle sky. Erickson's playful illustrations help keep the overall tone light.

Parallel family adventures in West Texas

"Dig: Notes on Field and Family" by Sarah Wilson (Yoffy Press)

Gorgeously conceived, designed and executed, this singular volume by Austin photographer, cinematographer and movie producer Wilson is a prime example of "the book as art."

"My soul hides out in the West Texas desert," Wilson writes, inviting the reader into her life, "it's where my body is most at ease. The way of life out there is not dictated by humans, but rather by the weather, the animals and the sun. Out West I feel I am at their mercy, and strangely I find that comforting."

Perhaps half the book's photographs are striking views of West Texas, especially Big Bend country.

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Yet very quickly, Wilson introduces her grandfather, John A. Wilson, a paleontologist who specialized in West Texas fossils, and who, in 1949, established the Vertebrate Paleontology Lab at UT's research complex, now named after late U.S. Rep. J.J. Pickle . (See some of his charismatic finds at the revamped Texas Memorial Museum on the UT campus.)

In this short book's moment of supreme grace, the grandfather gives the granddaughter a set of teaching slides that almost exactly duplicate the desert places she visited and photographed. The author later got to know the researchers at the Pickle Center in North Austin — a glorious place if you can talk your way in — and she photographed charismatic fossils there.

Included among the images is the 38-million-year-old skull of a primate that her grandfather discovered and named. In another case of familial parallelism, the author, on only her second dig, found an exceedingly rare specimen, a piece of the jawbone of a small deer-liked mammal that lived 43 million years ago. It is now displayed near her grandfather's signature find at the UT Lab.

Don't romanticize Texas ranch life

"Cattle, Cotton, Corn: A History of Central Texas Middle-Class Ranches, 1880-1930" by W.C. Arnold (Texas Tech University Press)

Count the reasons why this is no ordinary Texas history book: 1) It is written by a physician who later in life became a scrupulous, academically-trained historian and teacher; 2) it is based on a trove of salvaged ranch records supplemented by archival and published material; 3) it is set mainly among the prairies, hills and valleys that enclose branches of the Bosque River, a beautiful land with a rich literary heritage.

Arnold descended from one of the related farming and ranching families described in his book. A ranch manager himself, he applies an insatiable curiosity about the Texas landscape to the story of farmers from the Old South who stopped first in East Texas, before growing or raising all three of the titular agricultural products — cattle, cotton and corn — plus, smartly, sheep. Many of the families did well, while others crashed and burned.

More: Absolute peace and quiet in Bosque County

The Civil War and other disasters played roles in their fates, as did changes in technology and labor. For instance, some of the families brought a few enslaved workers back from Alabama, but in this case, they did not easily adapt to this more arid and isolated region on what was then a violent frontier.

The ranch records accorded Arnold a gold mine of economic, social and personal history. I am reminded of Joleene "Jo" Maddox Snider's " Claiming Sunday: The Story of a Texas Slave Community ," although the San Marcos teacher harvested more insights about individual personalities from the letters, ledgers and other miraculously preserved family materials.

Michael Barnes writes about the people, places, culture and history of Austin and Texas. He can be reached at [email protected]. Subscribe to the free weekly digital newsletter, Think, Texas, at statesman.com/newsletters, or at the newsletters page of your local USA Today Network paper.

Note: An earlier version of this post incorrectly identified author David M. Hillis.