Amistad is an international recreation area on the U.S.-Mexico border. The Amistad Reservoir, at the confluence of the Rio Grande, Devils and Pecos rivers, has 850 miles of lake shoreline, 540 of which are in Texas. Lake Amistad houseboat rentals and water sports provide a relaxing year round recreational outlet. Indian artifacts, some dating back 12,000 years, have been found in the vicinity. Rolling grassy banks or vertical limestone cliffs line the lake's many branches.
Park Rangers offer 60-minute and 90-minute hikes to a stunning view of 4,000-year-old rock paintings in the remote gullies of Seminole Canyon. Between October and March, eight-hour long, rough-ground guided hikes are offered, but only to limited numbers of hikers in good physical condition. To reach Panther Cave, another pictograph site, visitors must boat to Panther Cave dock then climb a steep stairway to the cave.
The two major access points are Diablo East (on US 90) and Rough Canyon (on US 277/377). Facilities include a marina, boat ramp, beach, fishing dock, scuba diving access, and nature trail.
Clear water makes scuba diving popular for exploring interesting underwater rock formations and submerged caves. Catfish and five species of bass are the prizes for fisherman, with largemouth bass being the most popular and most abundant.
Northwest of Del Rio in west Texas, Amistad NRA is accessible via US 90 from the east and west and US 277/377 from the north and south.
