Choke Canyon State Park

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History

A Park is Born

View of campsite by the lakeChoke Canyon State Park is on the shore of the Choke Canyon Reservoir, which supplies water for Corpus Christi.

The state acquired the park in 1981 in a 50-year agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation, the city of Corpus Christi and the Nueces River Authority.

The Calliham Unit con­tains 1,100 acres in McMullen County. It opened on Aug. 21, 1987. The 385-acre South Shore Unit is in Live Oak County. It opened on March 5, 1986.

Earliest Visitors

From the scant evidence available, we know that Paleo Indians crossed the Frio River Valley more than 10,000 years ago. They were following game such as bison and mammoth.

After large game disappeared more than 8,000 years ago, nomadic hunters and gatherers associated with the Archaic culture camped near the river. There they made tools, built fires, and gathered and processed food. Archeologists have found numerous Archaic sites in the Choke Canyon area.