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Martin Dies Jr. State Park

Martin Dies Jr. State Park has not one, not two, but THREE different units! It is ginormous!!

By the time we visited our 37th Texas State Park, we kind of figured we knew what we’d signed up for, and what to expect. We knew the drill. After visiting 36 State Parks, we had developed a kind of rhythm to it.

And then we visited Martin Dies Jr. State Park.

Let me start by gushing over how utterly gasp-worthy the drive to the HQ was when we visited in 2018. We’re talking towering trees lining the road, creating the most inviting and sporadically shaded drive that was akin to that scene in Keira Knightley’s version of Pride & Prejudice when she was visiting the Lake District with her Aunt & Uncle, riding along the English landscape, face upturned to the canopied trees, eyes closed, enjoying the bright bursts of sunshine through her closed lids that was punctuated now and again by the overhanging limbs. It was exactly that kind of beautiful drive that greeted us upon entry into the park that late summer day in mid-August.

The epic nature of that first introduction to MDJSP doesn’t really translate onto the screen. You’ll have to just trust me.

Maps in hand, we decided to do a scenic drive through of the park, get our bearings, and figure out where The Manling wanted to drop his first line in the water. We drove through what looked like a community of Little Houses on the Prairie. We passed countless camp sites, every one looking like it would be the best. We crossed over the quaintest bridge where we noticed a pontoon-type pier near the rental canoes. We saw open lake. We saw little inlets that looked freshly plucked out of Jurassic World. We saw and heard birds. We looked for ‘gators. We hiked part of the Island Trail. We saw the Observation Pier. Pretty much, we explored all the nooks and crannies MDJSP has to offer and came away with this: East Texas takes state parking to a whole different level!

The Manling doing a little fishing on the pontoon-style pier.

I couldn’t help being reminded of Parent Trap when I saw these. Love!
An example of the stellar camp sites available at MDJSP.
Campsite view of the lake under the shade of the towering trees. Bliss.
Part of the beautiful Island Trail, a great example of the lazy paths through the tall trees, never out of view of the water.
Cue the theme to Little House on the Prairie, please.
The Manling feeling right at home. I think Lake Life is in his future.
Love, love, love when the waters are covered like that. I don’t know what it is, but I do know that you can spot “alligator tracks” in them. Thumbs up!
Seriously the best reflection pictures are available late afternoon just about anywhere in the park that the sun can shine through the trees.
The Manling’s Mom totally appreciates the “sea wall” from which he got to fish. She’s not over fond of him being in the water when alligators call it home.
I can feel the tension in my muscles relaxing just looking at photos like this. This is one of my happy places, I think.

I want to point out that we get a lot of comments on our adventures when some mishap occurred, or we underprepared and suffered the consequences, or my imagination got the best of me, or we pushed the limits of awesome to achieve greatness. This is such a recurrent theme that I almost want to apologize for not having such a tale to tell from our time at Martin Dies Jr. State Park. But just almost.

I’m not going to apologize or make excuses because, truth be told, I needed this park, in this way, at this time. I needed to relax. I needed to allow the beauty and calm of the sights and sounds of nature to press the RESET button on my life. I needed a hiatus from the habitual business of life, and just Be. And that is exactly what MDJSP offered me. Respite. Peace. Breathing space. An intermission. A good ol’ fashioned time out.

Thank you, Martin Dies Jr. State Park. You were exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

Why We Love Martin Dies Jr. State Park

  1. Log Cabin Village. Big fans of the Little House series, we adored the little log cabins available to overnight guests. They even have them with a/c. Simply irresistible.
  2. Fishing. So many miles of shoreline. So many piers. So many places to fish.
  3. Exploring. The trails absolutely rock. They have soft ground trails with towering trees overhead and a wealth of wildlife living in them. Try your hand a geocaching! In our opinion, it’s the BEST way to explore! Or grab your mountain bike for an afternoon on the trails.
  4. Water. Two rivers converge where MDJSP is situated. Take to the water, especially if your visit happens during the six months of summer we seem to have here in Texas.
  5. Alligators. Never saw one on our visit, but I gotta tell you, it’s exciting to look. Just the possibility of seeing one is an attraction in our book.
  6. Camp Sites. Truly, The Manling and I kept spotting “the best campsite” around every corner. They are all magnificent and spacious, especially the ones that back up to the water.
  7. Loaners. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and bikes. They even have a volleyball if the mood strikes that you can borrow for free at the HQ. I love that you don’t have to haul all of your own equipment. They’ve got you covered.

Must Do’s

  • Fish. There are a number of fishing piers and various places along the vast shorelines to drop a line.
  • Hike. So many easy trails on soft surfaces. Your dogs shouldn’t be barkin’ after exploring these.
  • Relax. Seriously, I felt so much lighter while we were at MDJSP. So peaceful. So beautiful. Such respite.
  • Stay. Whether in a cabin, a shelter, or a camp site, I honestly don’t think you could go wrong planning an overnighter at MDJSP. Picture perfect paradise.

 

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Martin Dies Jr. State Park! Please leave your comments on this picture perfect, peaceful, life reset below.

*In all natural areas, you are a guest. Educate yourself on what lives in the areas before your visits, always talk to the Park Rangers upon arrival and take precautions so that your experiences end as positively as ours.
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Abilene State Park

The Manling and I visited Abilene State Park in July 2018. It was our first visit to this gem, even though it is only three hours from our home in North Texas. En route, I hunkered down for some alone time in my favorite space – my head – while The Manling reposed in the passenger seat of the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside). As the road changed from interstate to a two-lane road, the scenery morphed. I exchanged the flat expanses of I-20 for sublime roads more akin to roller-coaster tracks filled with hills, valleys, twists, and turns. No longer was I staring across level fields of wind turbines. I was now delightedly driving through miles and miles of them as I wound my way ever closer to Abilene State Park.

The Manling had been awake all of 60 seconds when we snapped our entry selfie. God bless him.

While registering our visit with the Park Staff upon arrival, we chatted both of them up about their park, attempting to extract from each what they personally considered top notch V.I.P. experiences within ASP. Their suggestions combined with the plethora of activities listed on the website greased the wheels of my imagination for a fall camp out with friends, from which the gears have continued to spin. From this ceaseless planning, I have created:

Abilene State Park’s Top 10 Activities for Every Person on the Planet

10. Swimming. Open during the summer, ASP offers park goers a ginormous swimming pool, a smaller wading pool, tons of seating, and even shaded lounge chairs to make for an epic poolside day of fun in the sun (or shade). The perfect cure for the Texas summer heat.

9. Bird Blind. Lots of State Parks provide special areas for guests to enjoy the sights and sounds of their winged visitors, but ASP went a step beyond with their bird blind. We could actually hear the wings of several hummingbirds from our vantage point, as well as the happy chirping and singing of several other varieties of birds visiting their favorite, shaded, protected watering hole. Delightful!

8. Horseshoes. Nestled under glorious shade trees near the pool and beautiful CCC-constructed water tower are actual horseshoe pits! As in, good ol’ fashioned fun from yesteryear!

7. Kayak/Canoe Rental. Rentals are available in the park’s HQ for kayaks and canoes, a fun way to explore Lake Abilene during your visit.

6. Team Building Game(s). Sand volleyball. Soccer. Baseball. Kickball. There’s space for all of these fun team building games at ASP! Grab some friends and bond over a competitive sport…or two!

5. Fishing. There is a pond on the HQ side of the park, but there’s a lake across the road surrounded by the beautiful rolling hills of the Callahan Divide. The whole time you’re fishing, you’ve got the sneaking suspicion that you are actually somehow fishing on the planet Mars with the beautiful orange terra firma beneath your feet.

4. Trails. With around five miles of them, you could legitimately see the entire park by foot over the course of a weekend. Some are bike-accessible, too! The ones we trekked on our visit were beautiful with canopied trees, lush undergrowth, and a variety of birds providing an enjoyable soundtrack while we explored.

3. Sunset. Lake Abilene at sunset. Trust me.

2. Geocaching. There were a few free geocaches within the park and I have to give kudos to the brilliant blokes that hid them. They were FANTASTIC! I may sound like a broken record, but geocaching is the best way to explore a new area. Download the free app and go have fun modern-day treasure hunting!

 

1. Staying. This is number one because of the variety of wonderful, picturesque, and one-of-a-kind accommodations available at ASP.

Tent camping? yes

RV camping? yes

Lakeside Cabin? yes

Tiny House Village? yes (a.k.a. shelters, but they look like an adorable tiny house village set underneath the trees!)

YURTS? oh my, yes! (Sign me up for an overnighter in a bona fide yurt complete with beds and an a/c, please!)

Why We Love Abilene State Park

  1. Location. I mentioned driving through miles and miles of twisty-turny, up-and-down roads through the towering wind turbines en route to ASP. When we left, we were treated to the likes of Buffalo Gap, a precious little piece of ‘Merica that will make you want to listen to Lee Greenwood sing “Proud to be an American” on a loop while you explore it via the geocache method of tourism.
  2. Variety of Activities. Boating. Swimming. Horseshoes. Team Sports. Fishing. Hiking. Biking. Bird Watching. Geocaching. Exploring. It’s all there for the taking, friend.
  3. Accommodations. Yurts, people. Yurts with a/c. And if that isn’t enough, shelters that look like a Tiny House Village nestled under beautiful trees. If those are too primitive, there’s a legitimate Lake House Cabin. Or if you are so inclined to bring your own accommodations, the tent or RV sites are picture perfect.

Must Do’s

  • Um, see the above list.

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Abilene State Park! Please share your experiences at this deliciously diverting State Park in the comments.

*In all natural areas, you are a guest. Educate yourself on what lives in the areas before your visits, always talk to the Park Rangers upon arrival and take precautions so that your experiences end as positively as ours.

 

 

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Franklin Mountains State Park

We made four major memories at Franklin Mountains State Park when we visited in July 2018.

  1. We got lost. Waze, who had become our BFF on our West Texas Road Trip by navigating us through the middle of many nowheres for five days straight and diverting us around a parking lot situation on I-20 in Odessa on day one, kind of let us down on the day we pointed the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside) toward El Paso’s Franklin Mountains by not intuitively knowing we meant the Tom Mays part of the park. On the flip side, she did get us to the HQ, which hooked us up with the likes of Erika the Office Manager and Ranger X (for Xavier – how cool is that?!) and they not only showed us how to get to the part of the park that we wanted, they also talked us through some great options once we got there. So, serendipity. (To aid you in your adventure, use this address in your map app – “Tom Mays Park Access Road” – to get to where the adventure is in Franklin Mountains State Park. It’s on the opposite side of the mountain from the HQ.)

    FMSP is serious about mountain biking, offering a fix-it station at the Beginner’s Loop!
  2. We mountain biked. I mean, we had burdened the Tiny Toyota Tardis with a heavy bike rack, our bikes, and The Manling’s fishing gear for days of driving up and down mountains, along rough dirt roads, across jarring cattle grates, and through stop-and-go big city traffic. And now, now we were finally getting to use them! Ranger X suggested the Beginner’s Loop to test our skills (because it was the most level), so that was our first stop. We figured we’d get a taste for what we were in for before we progressed to the more advanced trails. Ranger X did us a solid. The Beginner Loop is no joke, people. It was a barely discernible, teeny-tiny, twisty-turny trail through sharp cactus and over even sharper loose rock that caused us to skid and slide our way around it until I popped my chain. Twice. And got a flat. Back at the car thirty minutes later, we felt like we’d had a proper sampling of what mountain biking in West Texas was like and we were good. As in, done.
    We paused at the entrance to the Beginner’s Loop to take in the spectacular view of the Franklin Mountains. Note: The beginning is the only wide portion of the trail you’ll see.

    The Beginner’s Loop was the most level of all the trails, but it was a narrow, slippery ride that left me questioning my mountain biking prowess.
  3. We hiked. We headed to the various trail heads next to get a sense of which one(s) we would tackle in the nearly-noon heat. Ranger X suggested we check out the Aztec Caves Trail or the Cottonwood Spring Trail. After a quick drive by of both, the Manling was feeling the Cottonwood Spring Trail. Since he was already feeling the effects of the heat from our mountain bike ride on the Beginner’s Loop, I just went with it, no questions asked. Long story short, we never made it to the lone cottonwood perched up on the rocky mountain’s side, clearly visible from the parking lot. And also clearly farther away than it looked, especially in temps that soared above 100 degrees. We made it about halfway before deciding that even if we continuously chugged the rest of our electrolyte-filled waters, that would not be enough to replenish our bodies for the remainder of the hike. We reluctantly retraced our steps back to the parking lot, the cold a/c of our vehicle, and drown our defeat in still more electrolytes in an attempt to recover from #4.
    Heading up the rocky Cottonwood Spring Trail full of hopes and dreams

    And heading back down the rocky Cottonwood Spring Trail, dehydrated and deflated
  4. We suffered heat-related exhaustion. I don’t know how we could have prepped for a better outcome because we sucked down electrolytes all the livelong day like we were doing a paid endorsement, and we make sure our foodstuffs provided prime nourishment for our bodies so that they would be up to the tasks we asked said bodies to do. Maybe it was the time of day. Maybe it was the over 100 degree temps. Maybe it was the dry, West Texas heat. I don’t know. All I have to share is this, Be Aware. Heat exhaustion is real. When you go out and about and start to feel yourself struggle, Go Back. Live to adventure another day, my friend.

Why We Love Franklin Mountains State Park

  1. Mountain Biking. If this is your thing, go for it! In my opinion, the trails are for experienced mountain bikers, including the Beginner’s Loop. Word to the wise – bring extra tubes because the rocks and cactus are sharp. You’ll need ’em.
  2. Hiking. Excellent trails like the Cottonwood Spring and Aztec Caves await you. One thing I really liked and would make me return is that we never made it to our destinations. And you can see the caves as a gaping hole in the mountain from the parking lot and that kind of is an irresistible draw. Same for the Cottonwood Spring – you can see one, lone Cottonwood on the side of the mountain and you just HAVE to go to it. Wear good shoes. And drink plenty of electrolytes.
  3. Park Staff. Office Manager Erika, Ranger X, and Ranger Geoff (whom we met in the Beginner’s Loop parking lot) were all top-notch human beings. Make sure to meet them and take advantage of their knowledge of the park to help plan your adventure in it.
  4. Mountain Pass. Make sure you mistakenly start at the HQ so that you can ensure the drive through the Franklin Mountains pass, which was fun and beautiful and a little humbling when your car is struggling to the top, but totally worth it.

Must Do’s

  • Trails. They have long trails, short trails, bike trails, foot trails, even trails, steep trails. They have all of the kinds of trails you could imagine at FMSP. Go explore!
  • Hydrate. Talk to the Park Staff before your visit for suggestions on how to not have to cut your trip short like we did. It is seriously hot. And it is seriously dangerous to under-prepare. Educate yourselves before you go.

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Franklin Mountains State Park! Please share your experiences at this hot-to-trot State Park in the comments.

*In all natural areas, you are a guest. Educate yourself on what lives in the areas before your visits, always talk to the Park Rangers upon arrival and take precautions so that your experiences end as positively as ours.
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Lake Casa Blanca International State Park

In the effort of full disclosure, I don’t think we were able to give Lake Casa Blanca International State Park our wholehearted attention during our visit mid-June 2018 because of this –

Dry heat may be better, but 103* feels hotter than H-E-double hockey sticks no matter if it’s served up dry, or wet.

Other than snapping our traditional entry photo, Kinder Frau did not exit the vehicle. Honestly. She sat in the air-conditioned Jeep tending her social media. The whole time. She knows what she’s about. We, on the other hand, exited the vehicle in an attempt to seize the day in the blistering Laredo mid-afternoon summer heat. What that seizing looked like was this for about fifteen minutes –

Really beautiful spot, but with the temps over 100* even the sturdiest of anglers begin to melt.

-followed by this for about forty-five more minutes…

Nobody’s fool, The Manling gave it the ole college try – in the shade.
The Manling was working the shade under the fishing pier. The Man and I were doing the same on the pier proper.

…before he cried uncle, packed up his gear, and headed for the great indoors of the Jeep.

The Man at this point was still hopeful for some hiking, so choosing the shorter option of the two the Park Staff suggested, we parked near the trail head of the Osprey Hill Loop, which promised to give us the best views of the park and surrounding Laredo. The Manling and Kinder Frau opted out of this adventure, instead offering to keep the Jeep cool for our return. They are self-sacrificing that way. The Man packed waters for us while I prepped my borrowed trekking poles (to fend off any foes that may try to assail us on our 0.75 mile travels) and with a wave we headed onto the dusty, dry trail.

The Man has a habit of being all about business when we hike, so this is oftentimes my view. Hate to see you leave, babe, but I love to watch you go. 😉

Once we appreciated the views properly, we noticed a side trail and decided to explore it and discovered this little architectural gem!

Looks like a building something important must have happened at, right? We never saw signage and a quick peek through the window revealed nothing. Really pretty though, right?

Later, when heading toward the parks HQ during our premature exodus of the park, we discovered we could have driven to that neat building perched atop the hill. Such is life.

Why We Love Lake Casa Blanca International State Park

  1. Trails. Since LCBISP is about 7 hours from home, we weren’t able to bring our bikes. The trails at this park would be great for exploring via bike.
  2. Fishing. Shoreline fishing in the middle of the afternoon in the heat of a Laredo summer day proved unfruitful for us, but there were some anglers on the lake that may have fared better in deeper water.

Must Do’s

  • Arrive Early. Timing is important when the temps soar above 100 degrees.
  • Hike. Great, easy trails, but remember to take more water than you think you’ll need. And plan your hikes for early in the morning or at the end of the day when the temps are more bearable.
  • Fish. The fishing pier and surrounding area is great for shoreline fishing, but plan to do so at the beginning or end of the day.
  • Try Something New. The park offers some activities that are out of the ordinary that would be fun to do – tennis, volleyball and basketball courts in addition to a softball field! There is also a convenience store for tube, kayak and boat rentals. Or you can download the Geocaching app and go modern-day “treasure” hunting.

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Lake Casa Blanca International State Park! Please share your thoughts on this international treasure in the comments.

*In all natural areas, you are a guest. Educate yourself on what lives in the areas before your visits, always talk to the Park Rangers upon arrival and take precautions so that your experiences end as positively as ours.
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