As an avid birder and the chair of the 2005 Texas Tropics Nature Festival, Ron Smith is quick to sing the praises of the McAllen region, in Texas’ Rio Grand Valley. In fact, I had a hard time keeping up with him as he rattled off accessible birding sites, boardwalks, trails, blinds and even a hawk-viewing tower in the area. Ron is a true expert on local access, as he’s been rolling along South Texas birding trails for many years.

But the Rio Grande Valley wasn’t always as accessible as it is today. Enter the World Birding Center (WBC), a network of nine birding sites dotted along 120 miles (193 km) of south Texas river roads.

As the sites were developed, accessible trails, viewing platforms, blinds, boardwalks and interpretive centers were added. As a result, the Rio Grande Valley is an excellent vacation destination for wheelchair users and slow walkers who enjoy nature, wildlife and the great outdoors.

Visitors can enjoy the view from the wheelchair-accessible hawk viewing tower at Bensten State Park.

Because of its central location, McAllen, population 106,000, makes an ideal home base for a south Texas birding tour. As the largest city in the area, it has the biggest airport and a wide variety of lodging options; plus it’s just a short drive away from all the WBC sites.

McAllen is also home to Quinta Mazatlan, the newest WBC site. The centerpiece of this urban oasis is a 10,000-square-foot (929 km²) hacienda that has been lovingly restored to its former grandeur.

Built in 1935, the mansion features adobe walls, beamed ceilings and tile murals. Wide doorways and good pathway access made the building a good candidate for access retrofits, so ramp access was added to the front entrance during the renovation. The mansion is now used as a conference center.

The real charm of this site, however, lies in the 15 acres (0.06 km²) of woodland surrounding the estate. Level pathways lead around the property, where black-bellied whistling ducks and plain chachalacas, medium-sized, turkey-like birds, are frequent visitors, while food and water stations attract more than 100 bird species.

The official headquarters for the WBC is located just 7 miles (11 km) northwest of McAllen, at Bentsen State Park. Private vehicles are not allowed in the park, however a wheelchair-accessible tram makes a loop through the park every half hour. The tram features ramp access in the back, and although there are no tie downs, it can accommodate a large number of wheelchair users.

Highlights of the park include the Green Jay blind (where you’ll find javelinas, small wild hogs, at dusk) and the Hawk observation tower. The Green Jay blind features ramp access with wheelchair-height viewing slots, while the 210-foot-high (64 m) Hawk observation tower has ramped access to the top, level areas every 30 feet (9 m) and unobstructed wheelchair-height sight lines. They’re both very nicely done.