The increasingly popular Texas Outdoor Family program is branching out to deliver adventurous programs for families who are looking for something more than an introductory how-to camping experience.

Camping in Texas can be a fun family outing, but it can also be an intimidating and daunting task for those who have never been. Thanks to the Texas Outdoor Family program, families have the chance to learn the basics of camping and enjoy the great outdoors.

If you're fresh out of holiday gift ideas for your eco-minded cousin or that relative who would rather spend his or her spare time in the woods, on the lake or at a state park, or even for yourself, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department invites you to shop the outdoors.

State and local parks will be the beneficiaries of outdoor service projects thanks to grants recently awarded to organizations around the state.

Spring in Texas, with its pleasant temperatures, budding trees and riot of wildflowers, reigns as the most popular season for camping. So, there's no better time than the coming months to participate in Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's increasingly popular program that introduces reluctant campers to the joys of pitching a tent under the stars.