Wintertime in Texas is an ideal time to go RVing, and four of LCRA’s parks are ready and waiting for you. . . with discounted RV camping through the end of February.

Winter discounts of 25 to 50 percent for prepaid weekly and monthly camp site rentals are available at participating parks. For details, contact the parks:

• North Shore and South Shore parks, Lake Bastrop, (512) 498-1922. South Shore has 38 universal camp sites, and North Shore has 15.
• Matagorda Bay Nature Park, at the mouth of the Colorado River. (979) 863-7120. The 70-site RV area is open year-round with full utility hookups. Near beach and fishing pier.
• Black Rock Park, Lake Buchanan, (512) 793-3138. Fifteen RV sites have beautiful lake views.
• Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park, Burnet County, 75 miles northwest of Austin. (512) 715-0290. The park has 25 RV sites.

With spring break come the crowds, so park staff encourages RV campers to take advantage of the quieter, less crowded parks now, especially on weekdays.

Hiking this time of the year is like “walking in air conditioning,” one staffer said. Bring jackets but expect to take them off.

Texas’ winter weather is as unpredictable as it is the rest of the year, so come prepared for temperatures in the 70s and even 80s one day and the 30s the next. But while you’re camping in January and February, humidity should be low and most likely the days will be mild and pleasant. Just right for a campfire.

Even the annoying critters take a break in the winter, so you won’t have to worry about mosquitoes and fire ants.

But be on the lookout for other wildlife, which is easier to spot because the campgrounds aren’t crowded. This is the best time of year to see animals such as deer, bobcats, squirrels, rabbits and armadillos.

But nothing tops the birds. Numerous types of migrating birds winter in Texas. For instance, in December Canadian loons were spotted in Lake Buchanan off shore from Black Rock Park. South Shore Park has pileated woodpeckers, the biggest kind. Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park has American bald eagles nesting nearby, and Matagorda Bay Nature Park’s dunes, coastal marshes and wetlands are home to thousands of birds seeking the warm temperatures of the Gulf of Mexico.

With the vegetation off most trees, the views are even better than normal. In South Shore and North Shore parks, the pine trees are green while the undergrowth of yaupon shows off its bright-red berries. Native grasses also have taken off this year.

To make reservations for any LCRA park, call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Reservation Center at (512) 389-8900 more than 48 hours in advance. Rates vary from $15 to $25 per night for RV camping in LCRA parks.