Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site is as unique to visit as the Lone Star State is itself! Located along the mighty Brazos River, Washington-on-the-Brazos is a historical complex that serves its visitors a heaping helping of the serene beauty of the South Texas countryside alongside a smorgasbord of opportunities that nourish both the mind and the body.
The Manling and I devoured every moment of our half-day exploration of WotBSHS in August 2018. We got our bearings at the Visitor Services Complex where Park Staffer Mary (with the most beautiful eyes!) gave us the lowdown on all of the must-see-and-do activities during our visit.
With an hour before our first tour, we heeded Mary’s advice and headed toward the Old Washington Town Site Loop Trail (say that three times fast!) and meandered down a beautifully wide path toward the Brazos River…
…catching no glimpses of it until…
…we reached the Scenic Overlook, which was kind of on the wild side. There, we read a lot of signage (see below) that gave us a pretty good overview of the importance of the site. I won’t go into detail because I hate spoilers, but suffice it to say, WotB brought it’s A-game in educational pursuits.
We left the blissful shade of the trail and the Overlook to head up this trail – once an ancient roadway – reading the signage along the way that taught us even more Texas history. There was even a tree that witnessed the events of Texas history covered at the park. Yeah, it’s that old!
We made our way back to the Visitor Services Complex just in time for a quick pit stop before we headed out on a walking tour with Adam Arnold, who has obviously found his calling as a Park Ranger at WotB, with family lines that traced all the way back to…well, someone of significance, but I cannot remember who exactly. But I remember one of our fellow visitors on the tour being duly impressed, so I followed along.
Our tour guide Adam passed out what he termed period-appropriate air conditioners like the one he was holding since it was a hundred degrees during our tour in August. Thanks for doing us a solid, man!
When our outstanding guided tour ended (TRULY a Must-Do with Adam!), we headed back to the nearby Visitor Services Complex to try our hand at the Scavenger Hunt.
For time and financial reasons, we decided to skip the Star of the Republic Museum on this visit. Instead, we headed next to the Barrington Living History Farm. The BLHF was originally located about six miles from its current site where the last President of the Republic of Texas lived in it. The delightful lady that checked us in at the HQ there told us as we headed toward this –
“…When you walk over that bridge, you’ll be in the 1850’s.”
Never ones to miss an opportunity to time travel (and current über fans of NBC’s Timeless), we hastily crossed said bridge, safely navigating whatever time vortex there that made the trip possible.
And then we saw this cow. This 1850’s cow. Which looked a lot like cows in the 2018’s.
Ahead on the path, we saw a house to the left…
…and some out buildings to the right. We went right because, honestly, I’m a sucker for country living and pioneer America is my love language, so off we went to explore the barn, the animals, and what ended up being the slaves’ quarters.
Lastly, we visited the main house where we encountered a lady from the 1850’s whose speech was somewhat awkward to our ears as we weaved in and out of the downstairs rooms of the dog trot style house. We were encouraged – okay, the kids in a separate group were encouraged, but we heard it as we were invited to join – in doing some household chores like washing clothes and hanging them to dry; play checkers on the porch; or catch grasshoppers to throw to the chickens. We did the last one and had the kids in that other group enraptured even though the chickens were a bit on the dim-witted side and 100% of the grasshoppers made it out of the chicken yard unscathed.
Once we exhausted our explorations in the wee patch of 1850’s that is Barrington Living History Farm, we headed back over the portal to the 2018’s (a.k.a. the bridge), back to the modern convenience of true air conditioning inside the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside), and on to our next adventure.
Why We Love Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site
Guided Tours. Anything Adam Arnold does. Seriously. We threw question after question at him and he remained unfazed. That man is a treasure to the park. Sit yourself under his wing for 45 minutes to an hour and soak up some Texas history.
Old Washington Town Site Loop Trail. Read the signage along the way. Listen to the Brazos River. Imagine yourself in the shoes of those who came before you.
Barrington Living History Farm. Travel back to the 1850’s. It’s priceless! Just know it will be hard to come back.
Must Do’s
An Adam Arnold Tour. See #1 above.
Old Washington Town Site Loop Trail. See #2 above.
Barrington Living History Farm. See #3 above.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site! Please share your experiences at this vintage 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.
By the time we visited Stephen F. Austin State Park, we knew the drill. There would be closures in the park due to Hurricane Harvey. We were prepped for that. We adjusted our expectations prior to arrival. We were ready to embrace whatever opportunities awaited us, and with that cranial approach, our visit to SFASP was a surprisingly pleasant experience!
I say surprisingly because the river portion of the park was closed, which meant no fishing, and like I have stated before, The Manling is happiest when he can drop a line in the water. But…
After talking with the most outgoing Park Ranger we’ve encountered to date – seriously, Bryan was super enthusiastic, a lover of birds and edible plants, and just so happened to know his park backwards and forwards, so he completely hooked us up with some stellar hikes in his breathtakingly beautiful park – we headed to our first stop.
I’ll never look at trees “dripping” with something in the same romantic way. Ever again. Seriously.
The Barred Owl Trail was a compact dirt trail through towering trees draped with what The Manling thought was called Grandfather’s Beard (which he pointed out was Tick Paradise, which maybe wasn’t what I especially wanted to hear in the moment. “And it’s good as a fire starter, too.” Okay, then. That info will come in handy if we need to send smoke signals once the ticks descend upon us en masse.) Within the first five minutes on the Barred Owl Trail, we heard a massive flutter overhead. Looking up, we were shocked to see an actual Barred Owl taking flight! Owls being a favorite of The Manling, he thrilled at being able to see one so up close while my prevailing thought was What an aptly named trail! closely followed by We’re definitely not going on the Copperhead Trail then!
We continued on that wide trail to the Scenic Overlook, which was the closest we got to the Brazos River. It was both beautiful to behold and sobering to see the destructive potential that rivers bear on the areas surrounding them.
Our next stop was the Amphitheater, where we parked the car for our hike on the Opossum Loop, which sounded like a way less sinister trail than the aforementioned Copperhead Trail (which Bryan suggested would be a great hike for us to explore, but I was not having that name in the HQ, and even less so once we encountered the Barred Owl on the Barred Owl Trail). Park Ranger Bryan pointed out that the Opossum Trail featured 100′ tall cottonwood trees draped in vines that were a definite must-see, and he was right. They were magnificent and majestic and exquisite and stunning. I got a little turned around with the map and directions in general while we were on that looped trail, but thankfully I had an Eagle Scout with me so I was able to just enjoy the sights and sounds while he navigated us back to the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside).
Look how utterly inviting the path looks as The Manling directs our steps into the blessed shade of those towering trees. Delightful!
I’m pretty sure this guy was stalking us.
Seriously the most serene, easy to follow trails through beautiful towering trees. SFASP knows how to do trails.
One more thing I want to point out is the fact that SFASP has the most adorable log cabin-type shelters in the existence of log cabin-type shelters. It totally looked like something out of pioneer America and if, by chance or plan, you find yourself in the area, I would highly recommend staying in their Log Cabin-inspired Tiny House Community. They would make such an adorable addition to your memory-making moments. Trust me.
See what I mean?
They are so adorable it almost hurts!
Why We Love Stephen F. Austin State Park
Log Cabin Tiny House Village. Go back and look at the pics. Adorable, right? You can’t help but want to make those a part of your memories at SFASP.
Aptly Named Trails. How often have you hiked a trail and thought, Why’d they name the trail that? I didn’t see anything but this. Amiright? We saw a Barred Owl on the Barred Owl Trail. Which leads me to believe the Sycamore Trail has Sycamore Trees; the Opossum Trail has opossum; and that Copperhead Trail has (gulp!) copperheads. There are maybe about 6 miles of trail in the park, broken down into very doable loops or one-ways that are very well maintained. Enjoy exploring them!
Bryan. This guy has information in spades stored in his noggin. Use him. He was a wealth of information, super friendly, and he made our adventure sound like so much fun I asked him to join us! (He actually wished he could, but he was training a new recruit that day.)
Must Do’s
Stay. Tiny Log Cabin Village. How can you not?! They also have camping, RV spots, a cabin, and group barracks. I’m partial to the pioneering-type shelters, but you do you.
Hike. The trails are all manageable lengths for most anybody. The longest trail is only 1.25 miles and it’s marked as Easy. Get out there and explore, especially the Barred Owl Trail and the Opossum Loop.
Talk to Bryan. He’s your man for all things SFASP-related. And if you really want to speak his language, ask him about birds or edible plants.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Stephen F. Austin State Park! Please share your thoughts on this magnificent 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.
God bless Park Staffer Kathy Smith. She has got to have the toughest job in the Texas State Park System at the time of this post. Why? Because her park was pretty much destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and by the time of our visit in August 2018, it was still largely unusable. As in, the only areas open were the RV camping loop, the nature center, and the HQ.
Trails? Closed.
Picnic area? Closed.
Campsites? Closed.
Youth Group Camping? Closed.
Bike Trail? Closed.
Bridge to most of the park? Closed.
Canoe launch? Closed.
Village Creek? Closed.
No fishing. No tent camping. No exploring. No geocaching. No swimming. No playground. Just, no. All no.
And yet, Kathy was cheerful, super friendly, and eternally optimistic that the Texas Department of Transportation would soon have the bridge repaired so that the majority of the park could once again be accessible for repairs from the dreaded effects of Hurricane Harvey in 2017. {Fingers crossed for Spring 2019.}
So while I sadly cannot share first-hand experiences at Village Creek State Park, I can share with you what I learned from Kathy on the day of our visit while she was taking us on a walking tour of her park via the Park Map and that is this:
A creek flows one way all of the time (except for droughts, obviously); sloughs connect to larger bodies of water (like creeks) and their directional flow depends on the level of water in the larger body of water.
We talked about this because I noticed that Village Creek on the map looked like a river with a bunch of creeks running off of it, but Kathy was kind enough to explain to me the difference so that I left smarter than when I came. Village Creek is, well, a creek with a bunch of sloughs running off of it. Therein lay the problem when Hurricane Harvey hit last year, swelling Village Creek and consequently affecting her many sloughs that fed off of her.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Village Creek State Park. May you soon be able to open your gates wide to receive visitors within your boundaries once again. We look forward to making memories exploring your creek, sloughs, and trails sometime in 2019.
Why We Love Village Creek State Park
Park Staffer Kathy Smith. She was awesome! Only she could keep us riveted and engaged over a map. If you’re reading this Texas Parks and Wildlife, give that woman a raise. She’s your greatest asset!
Must Do’s
Revisit. Fingers crossed that she will be repaired and reopened by Spring 2019 so that we can actually experience her creeks and sloughs and trails in person. The map tour was good, but we look forward to the real deal.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Village Creek State Park! Please flood our comments with a slough of your firsthand experiences at Kathy’s beloved State Park. (Too soon?)
*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.
First of all, the road to the parking lot of the Wyler Aerial Tramway could be kissing cousins to the Crookedest Street in the World in San Fransisco. It was steep from the very beginning with incredible switchbacks that made driving our two-door stick shift an off-the-charts kind of adventure. Kudos to the planners that engineered that paved piece of paradise!
Secondly, from the moment we got in line to ride the Tramway to the top of Ranger Peak, The Manling and I were treated like V.I.P.s. Those tiny little trams tote a great many people up and down Ranger Peak all the livelong day and in order to do that efficiently, they occasionally combine parties for the ride. Such was our case. Shortly after we joined the lengthening line to patiently wait our turn at the bottom, we heard a call for “any two-person parties” and quickly raised our hands. As we made our way forward, apologizing to the crowd, we were legitimately boo‘d. I think they were kidding, but if they weren’t, I totally get it. It was a thousand degrees and we were cheating the system that they had obediently followed. (Not only did we get to skip the line like V.I.P.’s on the way up, we also got to skip it on the way down – but I’ll tell you about that later. Wait for it.)
Even though we both suffer from a serious fear of heights, that ride up to Ranger Peak was spectacular. It was Standing Room Only in our tiny tram (because there is only one seat and it is reserved for the Tram Operator), which we shared with a sweet Grandma and her five young grand-minions. It was an ideal scenario, really, because everyone was so short-of-stature that we enjoyed 360 degree unimpeded views over their wee little heads (Grandma included).
Once at the top, we read all the signage in a quest to properly orient ourselves so we could fully appreciate our mile-high vantage point.
Mexico? Check.
Army base? Check.
Airport? Check.
This mountain? Check.
That mountain? Check.
Rio Grande? Check.
Border crossing? Check, check, and check.
Next, we made our way to the Souvenir Shop to get a Park Map because we, my friends, were planning to hike to the Crash Site. What Crash Site, you may ask? I have no idea, but it sounded like something that would happen in Roswell and that was just too cool for us to take a pass.
In order to do that, however, for the first time in my life, I had to get a bona fide hiking permit. The area the commoners are allowed to walk around at the top of Ranger Peak is small. And gated. Not really intended for extended visits. Kind of a treat-em-and-street-em scenario. You actually cannot physically touch the mountain while you’re on top of it because it’s all platform and souvenir shop and machinery…unless you secure hiking permits. And we had them. I confess that I was high on my own importance as we walked purposely toward the gate, threw it open, and boldly walked passed the RESTRICTED ACCESS sign and onward toward our adventure amid the wide-eyed stares of the more ordinary folk.
Now let me backtrack for a sec because Ranger Eddie (who, in my opinion, seemed unnecessarily concerned for our welfare at the time) drilled into us this important advice before we headed out on our 1-1.5 hour hike: take a lot more hydration with you than you figure you’ll need, and constantly orient yourself via the Tram Stop at the top of Ranger Peak. Do those two things, and you should be a-ok. Oh! And watch your footing, so I guess three things. Seeing as our surplus of water was back down in the parking lot in the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside), we concluded we had enough in our packs for such a short hike. After all, Eddie didn’t know us, or our mad hiking skills.
I tucked the map into my back pack because WE GOT THIS, MAN. Plus, The Manling is an Eagle Scout and they know how to orienteer their way out of a black hole, so I was set to just enjoy the views and the company for the next hour or so.
The beginning of the trail was a series of descents to where the trail actually evened out, more or less, as it encircled Ranger Peak. I was feeling pretty smug and superior as we alone made our way along the trail Ranger Eddie had pointed out from the the Tram Stop above.
Yeah. Real climbing went on to get to the mostly even trail shown in the next pic.
This right here. This is what Ranger Eddie pointed out to us from above – a nice, obvious path. What could go wrong?
I was also beginning to feel lightheaded. The cure, I discovered, was to look at the ground a few feet in front of my feet, so that is how we made our way around the mountain, Jesse in front talking and navigating us while I brought up the rear, head angled down. Occasionally we stopped so that I could take in the view or snap some pics, but for the most part, we continued toward the Crash Site Overlook in this fashion until…
I looked up and realized we were almost to Guardhouse #2. Which is on a different trail altogether. The Tram Stop – that was suppose to faithfully remain to our right en route to the overlook – was now directly behind us. My shoulders sagged a little, remembering that this was what Ranger Eddie had warned us not to let happen. Sigh.
After a quick call to Ranger Eddie in the Souvenir Shop, we retraced our steps back up the mountain, searching for the signage that would direct us back onto the proper trail and sucking down a lot of water in the process because mountain climbing in the July afternoon heat in West Texas is dehydrating, to say the least. Eventually we spotted this –
Yo, Eagle Scout. How did you not see this sign? “I was enjoying the view.”
– at which point I may have collapsed to give my shaking legs a much-needed break from the vertical climb while I sucked down even more H2O, and, at which point, The Manling informed me that we were on our last two bottles. Drats! We both knew we could not make it to the Crash Site Overlook on the water left in those two bottles, not if we planned to make the return trip. Reluctantly, and with heads hanging a little lower in disappointment, we began the slow hike back to the top of the peak.
I’m going to spare you the long and arduous return trip except to say that we lost the trail THREE. TIMES. Yes, THREE more times we climbed up higher than we should have before retracing our steps back down, or we went lower than we should have before having to reclimb our way back up to the trail, and we only had that scant amount of water left and at this rate, we were surely not going to make it back unassisted, so eventually my feels about all of this had to come out and I cried – A LOT! – which may have exasperated The Manling because he doesn’t yet know how to process a grown woman crying out in despair.
At one point I asked The Manling to please, please, please say something to encourage me. “How about one of those verses you learned in AWANA? Gimme something to hold on to!” He paused and then said, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” to which I replied, “No! No! No! Not that one! I was thinking something along the lines of ‘I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me or something!'” to which he replied, “Well, that was the only one I could think of right now.”
I remember at one point trying to calculate how much it would cost The Man if we had to have a helicopter rescue off that mountainside because I felt like I literally could not climb one more step.
And, to add insult to injury, I felt like I was about to hurl!
Eventually, my shaking legs did make it back to the top and they somehow deposited me into the air conditioned Souvenir Shop where I unceremoniously claimed a spot on the floor by the collector’s coin machine that takes a penny and smooshes it with an “engraving” of the place you’re visiting, at which point a Park Staffer (Nicole) came to render me aid. After getting cold, wet towels on important places on my body to help lower my internal temperature, Nicole called down to the bottom to have the snap towel in the freezer brought up on the next gondola for me. While she was doing this, The Manling bought me a pretty gargantuan-sized Gatorade – on his own dime.
Did I mention I was wearing all black while we hiked in 100+ degree heat, including running tights?
Eventually, and after everyone was satisfied that I could walk to the gondola unassisted, I was escorted to the front of the line for the second time that day. And you know that one seat that was reserved for the Tram operator? He gave it to V.I.P. me.
Why We Love Wyler Aerial Tramway State Park
Gondola. Those things are so cool! It takes about four minutes each way, but they are four very thrilling minutes! The Tram Operator directs your attention to various sights and cool information like the fact that both trams go at the same speed, but the other one will always appear faster. This ride is well worth the cost of admission.
Views. There is signage all around the viewing deck at the top of Ranger Peak that helps you discern where certain things are located. Like Mexico. Pretty cool! And being a mile high, there’s a lot to see up there!
Park Staff. Bless ’em, one and all. From Eddie talking to us about the serious nature of hiking in the heat around his mountain to Nicole swiftly rendering me aid to the Tram Operator who yielded his seat, they are all top notch in my book.
Trails. Man o man, do they ever have some doozies at WAT! There is one that even starts at the parking lot and climbs ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. That’s some serious climbing! There are others that wind their way around the mountain, like the one we attempted. Word to the wise – the trails are loose rock on a rock mountain. Very tricky with the footing in a lot of spots. Wear grippy shoes and for the love of all things good, carry a TON of water.
Must Do’s
Tram Ride. Keep your cameras ready, this is a truly great experience and you’ll want to capture some of it on film. Plus, it’s the sole way to get to the top and those fantastic views, unless you plan to climb.
Hike. Please don’t let our experience dissuade you from some truly remarkable trails with unbelievable views because the next time we are in West Texas, we’re trying that trail to the Crash Site Overlook again. It was one of the best we’ve experienced, even though we didn’t conquer it!
Hydrate. Pack more water than you think you’ll need. And then double it. Truly, don’t suffer heat-related issues on the mountain. Take a ton of water with you. Just trust me on this one.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Wyler Aerial Tramway State Park! Please share your experiences at this mile high 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.
We included Davis Mountains State Park on our trip to West Texas in July 2018 for the glorious fact that the nighttime temps during the summer months dip into the lower 60’s and the daytime highs are only in the 90’s, which is completely hospitable weather for tent camping in Texas during the summer!
This spot reminded me of Bonanza for some reason.
A scenic overlook en route to the McDonald Observatory a few miles away from DMSP.
Heading into the Davis Mountains on the quaint, two-lane SH-17 is nothing short of giddy bliss, dear reader. Mile upon mile of twisty, turny roads through mountain passes as you gently ascend and descend, climbing steadily higher toward more hospitable temps and ever-increasing scenic views that comprise the lovely – nay, awesome! – beauty that is the Davis Mountains. If one can form an emotional attachment to a location akin to love at first sight, then The Manling and I had that in spades as we drove through the Davis Mountains to the State Park that would be our home for the next 24 glorious hours.
We entered the HQ completely enraptured! I think I caught a glimpse of big red hearts in The Manling’s eyes as he registered us with the Park Staff and we secured a primo campsite right next to the creek (site 81 – secluded, shaded, mountain views, mere feet from the {dry} creek bed). Summer love happens fast, my friends, and we were head over heels before we’d even left the HQ.
After pitching our tents – and allow me to detour here to boast that Mama pitched her very own tent. For the first time. In her life. And set up her own cot. So, I was feeling pretty high on life as we sat on our camping chairs in the cool shade of our awesome camp site, sipping our refreshing H2O in full view of my colossal achievements and feasting on the gorgeous Davis Mountains scenery –
The Maning and I kicked back to discuss the array of wildlife that called the Davis Mountains home, during which I attempted to act all cool about the possibility of seeing snakes, mountain lions, and javalina.
– for a while before heading up the Scenic Drive in the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside) to enjoy the various overlooks. We were eager to explore and gain a bird’s eye view of this majestic place we got to {temporarily} call home. By the time we were at the last overlook (where Scenic Drive dead ends at the park’s boundary), we heard the faint, but very distinct sound of a bugle playing a familiar tune. Intrigued, we decided to explore the tiny town that we saw at the foot of the peak. After all, we seldom have down time on our Texans Travel road trips to explore past the boundaries of the State Parks and on this particular trip, we did!
We explored much of Fort Davis on foot while we geocached the laid back, drive-through town, stopping at one place in particular –
This thrift store off the main road in town benefitted the same rescue agency that brought homeless dogs to the state park for a weekly hike.
– because another draw for us to DMSP was their “Hike with a Homeless Dog” the following morning. Dog lovers that we are, this activity listed on the park’s event page was irresistible to us.
Another stop we made was to this place, reputed among the locals as having the best salad bar, burgers, floats, and the like in the area.
Yes, we ate in a drugstore. And loved every minute of it!
Tummies nicely satisfied, we sat outside on the bench a spell to take in the irresistible charm of this precious small town, an idyllic setting for the next great American novel, before heading back home in time to catch the sun set in the bewitching Davis Mountains. (Ahhhh, that has such a nice ring to it, home in the Davis Mountains.)
On our first exploration of the peaks within the park, we discovered some rock sculptures lovingly left for our enjoyment by previous visitors. We are intrigued by these 3D art installations because on our trips to Llano, Texas, the month before, we discovered dozens and dozens of these in the city park. No explanations. Just the sculptures all over the place.
The two little beauties that greeted us on the first of many trips up to the first Scenic Overlook.
When we returned to the first Scenic Overlook a few hours later, prepped for a spectacular sunset, we discovered that something had demolished the sculptures in a “Leave No Trace” thoroughness that was a tad on the disheartening side. With nothing but time on our hands until the Big Show, we decided to make one of our own. I collected rocks of all sizes and shapes while The Manling got to work on our sculpture. Our labor of love provided interest to fellow park-goers as they trekked to the overlook to join us for sunset, some stopping to take photos of our masterpiece. It was all very gratifying. Before we knew it, it was time for the Big Show.
The sunset was so spectacular that we decided to catch it’s debut the next morning from a different spot, one perched atop the cool CCC structure that is designated on the Park Map as the middle overlook on Scenic Drive.
The Tiny Toyota Tardis enjoyed the view, too.
Afterward, we {reluctantly} broke camp – props to this Mom who broke down her own tent and cot for the first time, in the history of ever – ate a simple breakfast of trail bars with caffeinated peach tea, and then headed over to the Interpretive Center for the pièce de résistance – our much anticipated Hike with a Homeless Dog, a cooperative event offered at DMSP with Grand Companions in Fort Davis, a no-kill animal shelter all about giving dogs who are down on their luck second chances.
While we liked the hike with the pooches immensely, we loved the interaction with DMSP Interpreter, Ty, and the lovely intern, Erica. Not only did they share a wealth of information on an area that had already quickly captured our hearts, they shared some of themselves as I inadvertently grilled them on the life choices that led to their career decisions to work within the Texas State Parks. (You’re welcome, Manling.)
These two. We loved getting to know you, Ty and Erica. (FYI, they let us know they are not a couple.)
Why We ABSOLUTELY Love Davis Mountains State Park
Mountains. So stinkin’ pretty!! I loved every square inch that I saw. This place may be in my retirement future. Fingers crossed.
Hospitable Temps. Y’all, they are so cute in the Davis Mountains with their heat advisories because it’s in the 90’s. The 90’s! On our way home, we saw several signs that read 112 and 113. Just sayin’. And in the lower 60’s at night. The Davis Mountains make tent camping a possibility in Texas during the summer!
Hiking. Trails up and down and all around the mountain peaks. Plus, the park will throw in some homeless dogs for you to share the experience with! I call that #winning.
Camping. Did I mention the hospitable temps? The Manling and I actually got COLD during the night. In Texas. During July. This is a phenomenon not to be missed. Get yourself there asap.
Staff. Ty and Erica were a wealth of information on careers in the Texas State Park, which I think would suit The Manling to a T. Additionally, Ty happens to be the guy that started the Ambassador Program geared toward connecting The Manling’s age demographic to parks all around the great state of Texas. Love!
Sunrise/Sunset. These are not-to-be-missed moments in DMSP. Get yourself up to the peaks for both. You won’t miss the sleep once the Big Shows start. I promise.
Must Do’s
Camp. In addition to getting down into the 60’s overnight, we had a few unforgettable critters visit our campsite during the night – a fox hung around The Manling’s tent; we had quite a few skunks walking around our campsite during the night (which sounded like they walked on 2 feet, interestingly enough!); flashlights flashed their lights all night long (which I later learned belonged to campers hoping for a glimpse of a king snake because they come out at night).
Sunrise/Sunset. This is mandatory. No excuses.
Fort Davis Drugstore. Get the salad bar. Grab a burger. Top it off with a shake. This place is precious.
Park Activity. Check out the Events Page like we did and join the Park Staff on an unforgettable adventure!
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Davis Mountains State Park! Please share your thoughts on this love-at-first-sight 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.
Dinosaur Valley State Park happens to be The Readers absolute favorite Texas State Park, so our excitement when she said she could join us on our Independence Day visit in 2018 was undeniable. We were going to have a real, live S.M.E. (subject matter expert) with us for the day, enlivening our experience as she shared her stories, favorite trails, and contagious enthusiasm for what clearly is her beloved park. And for good reason! Where else can you meander down a river laden with bona fide dinosaur tracks, scale rocky precipices for a bird’s eye view of the park, pet a baby goat that you thought was a deer, swim in something as creepy sounding at the Blue Hole, geocache in an area that looks plopped out of The Lord of the Rings, and basically have a chill day with the ones you love even though it’s hot as Hades?
Walking to the Ballroom Site of the Paluxy River
So many tracks! They are everywhere!
We waded down most of the Paluxy River, enjoying the cool water on this hot day.
The Manling took a dip near the Blue Hole.
The sweet little thing even lives inside the people house with her owner.
Not exactly what we’d recommend for rock climbing.
Goofy Shenanigans 101
Our Awesome Aussie!
Great Dad moment
The drier portion of the Paluxy had fewer people, but there were still dinosaur tracks to find.
Beautiful. Quiet. Peaceful.
This is near where we excited the river to walk through the central part of the park back to our car. I loved the shade and the view and the solitude of the moment on a rather hectic holiday.
Cannot get enough of these! It’s something straight out of Jurassic World at DVSP!
Hey, buddy. Is anyone else remembering that scene in Jurassic World? (insert teary-eyed emogee.)
The caches were great finds in absolutely gorgeous areas of canopied trees with shade and beautiful birdsong.
Why We Love Dinosaur Valley State Park
Dinosaurs. This is the unmistakable draw of the place. You can actually touch bona fide dino footprints. You can compare foot sizes. The Ballroom Site has hundreds of footprints going in all directions. There are two resident dinosaurs that are ready to selfie with you when you visit, as well, so make sure to stop by and say hello.
Water. The Paluxy River was important to our Jurassic friends in the past and it remains an important feature to us today. Take a dip. Wade. Meander among the dinosaur tracks. Enjoy the Blue Hole. Float in a tube. Live in the moment.
Trails. With over 20 miles of trails, there’s bound to be one perfect for you to try. We enjoyed the Limestone Ledge Trail and the Overlook Trail on this visit because of the spectacular views of the surrounding area.
Geocaching. The River portion of the park and the interior portion of the park seem like two completely different places. Go geocaching and explore more than just the river. It’s a great way to take in the beauty of this amazing Texas State Park.
Must Do’s
Scenic Overlook. Make sure you have shoes with good, grippy soles because it gets steep in places, then do yourself a favor and enjoy this hike. The payoff at the top is worth it!
Paluxy River. A lot (if not all?) of the tracks are in the river, so go down in there and enjoy!
Geocache. This is simply the best way to explore, in my opinion. You will go places you would not have otherwise explored and leave with a sense of accomplishment, as well. Win-win.
Dinos. Visit the tracks. Visit the residents. Dinos aplenty at Dinosaur Valley State Park. Up the ante and watch Jurassic Park before going. I guarantee it will heighten your experience at the park!
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Dinosaur Valley State Park! Please share your thoughts on this prehistoric piece of paradise 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.
We have fished you, biked you, hiked you, swum you, camped you, and deeply loved you since we first discovered you and the Texas State Parks system.
Our affection for your tall trees, sandy beaches, meandering trails, and picturesque shoreline fishing spots has only grown deeper as the kids have grown taller. You provided the perfect backdrop to some of our favorite memories like the first camp out The Manling planned all by himself with his little Scout friends…
Circa 2014, which was a lifetime ago because that is how time passes when you’re in the Wonder Years. The boys had a camp site all to themselves while Kinder Frau and I camped separately one spot over. Good times.
…and the many hours of playing fetch with Elanor (R.I.P., most faithful canine companion) and Rosie…
Awww, I just noticed wee Kinder Frau in the background swimming.
…and the group bike rides on your wide paths that left us feeling a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment…
…and the times spent swimming in your depths because it was a thousand degrees that summer…
…and the time of togetherness in the tent when Kinder Frau and I read aloud from Pride & Prejudice during that summer rain shower…
…and the pages upon pages of lakeside reading I have enjoyed while the minions fished and frolicked in your nearby waters…
…and the time the minions and I ran your trails and I inadvertently just missed stepping on that skinny green snake because we were living our best life instead of fretting over slithery adversaries…
…and the list goes on and on and on.
In late June 2018, we added another priceless memory into our shared history together, Lake Tawakoni State Park: scenic backdrop for a photo shoot. After all, Kinder Frau has a public to please nowadays.
While The Man and The Manling got their shoreline fishing on…
…I was Kinder Frau’s to command for a couple of hours during an on-location photo shoot within your breathtaking boundaries.
Exploring your paths and shores and even your roadways was so much fun as the two of us simultaneously walked down memory lane, one location at a time.
Lake Tawakoni State Park, you’re our soulmate. You complete our family like no other Texas State Park. You’re always up for a visit from us, and you have never failed to deliver an awesome adventure for our family. For that, we will always love you.
Thanks for the memories, LTSP. –The Smiths
Why We Love Lake Tawakoni State Park
Fishing. I’m pretty sure we’ve caught every single time we’ve dropped a line from the shores of LTSP. The water levels fluctuate, but the fishing is always pretty great on the lake. Or try your luck at the picturesque Pair-O-Trees Pond on the right, just past the HQ.
Sandy Beaches. In North Texas, there’s no pretending that we’ve got this beach thing down. It’s an exasperatingly long car ride to the Gulf from our humble abodes. Which is why when we find inviting sandy beaches, we are all in. LTSP has the prettiest light sand beaches. Grab your camping chair, a good book, and go find yourself a private piece of beach-y paradise, my friend. LTSP’s got you covered.
Meandering Trails. The trails are wide, well-kept, mostly shaded and the Spring Point Trails (on the east side of the park) are delightful to enjoy at a casual pace. Life is fast-paced. Take your time and meander down one of LTSP’s almost 5 miles of trail.
Camping. LTSP has really great camp sites. They are mostly private with excellent shade. We have enjoyed an excellent array of flighty friends visiting us while we camped and their birdsong is the absolute best way to wake up any day of the week.
Tall Trees. I hail from Alabama, whose motto is “Alabama the Beautiful.” Mama loves her tall trees and LTSP has some really tall beauties which are a feast for the eyes and minister to the body as they shade you from the Texas summer heat. They will be your constant companion no matter where you explore in the park. Love them. Appreciate them. They are the best.
Biking. The three loops off of the Farkleberry Trail are excellent for biking. They are shaded by the aforementioned tall trees, wide, twisty-turny, and well-kept so that your adventure will end up a positive one. The Manling and Kinder Frau have ridden those trails since they learned to ride bikes, so in our opinion, they make for great family rides.
Photo Ops. Sure, we’ve always taken pics on our visits to LTSP. But they’ve always been to preserve our family memories. After our last visit, we’ve seen the park in a whole new light! Seize the Golden Hour at LTSP and capture some breathtaking family photos in this beautiful landscape that LTSP has to offer.
Must Do’s
Fish. Pair-O-Trees Pond or shoreline fishing? You can’t miss. You’re welcome.
Camp. Like I said, the camping spots all seem primo at LTSP, but personally, we love the White Deer Reach Camping Loop, specifically sites #17-21. The sites on the outside seem the most private and the sites on the inside of the loop are big.
Explore. Almost 5 miles of trail are doable in one visit! Explore them all, or choose a shorter adventure. Run the trails. Or bike. Or meander. Just get out there and explore the beauty LTSP’s trails has to offer.
Play. Do something fun. Mountain bike. Hike. Fish. Meander down the shoreline. Have a photo shoot. Play fetch in the water with your dog. Swim. Do something fun! Its good for you.
Relax. Look, you are busy. Life is busy. You cannot avoid the stressures of daily life. But you can escape them for a day…or extended weekend. LTSP is the perfect place to de-stress, relax, and recenter. Do yourself a solid and let LTSP help you ease your angst.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Lake Tawakoni State Park! Please share your thoughts on the Smith Family’s State Park Soulmate 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.
Texas is big. Colossal. Massive. Ginormous. YUGE (as President Trump would say). As a resident of North Texas, you have to get up early and ride like the wind if you want to visit South Texas – because geography. (Or go halfsies, spend the night in an airbnb RV on a rural ranchette in Llano, TX, and drive the rest of the way the next day so that you’re not all Hunchback of Notre Dame from hours on end in the car once you reach your faraway destination.)
Father’s Day weekend 2018, we went the halfsies route.
Being unfamiliar with the South Texas Plains, I took to the internet and researched the area we’d call home over the extended weekend prior to our visit. I was specifically interested in two things: 1) What slithery neighbors we might encounter of the zero-legged nature; and 2) Is human trafficking a concern (because since I first saw Taken with Liam Neeson, this has been a back-burner concern of mine, being a mom of two attractive daughters). I researched, read, and then reached out to Texas Parks and Wildlife a couple of weeks before our trip because my diligence uncovered an incident involving drugs and pirates and kidnapping and I tend to obsess about such things. I was assured repeatedly (because I repeatedly asked the same question in varying detail about the aforementioned drugs, piracy and kidnapping – don’t judge) that they have had no incidents within their boundaries. That being the case, we booked a shelter with air conditioning (because, hello, it’s June in Texas) and prayed begging prayers that the no-incidents-within-the-park streak would continue through our visit. Because we’re myopic that way.
I called Falcon State Park on the road the day we arrived because we knew we would arrive after the HQ closed and we needed to know how to get into our locked shelter after business hours. Two things happened that were complete surprises upon our arrival: 1) We were greeted by State Park Police at the gate who were checking every single car entering the park; and 2) When we arrived at Shelter #9 – our home sweet home for the weekend – we discovered that the Park Staff not only left the light on for us by the door, but they had also turned on the a/c so that it would be cool upon our arrival. <3 The FSP Staff could not have offered a better welcome to their park for us – a feeling of safety and chill.
You served us well, air conditioned shelter #9 with the locked door.
Once we unpacked the Jeep, set up our beds, and ate our Fry-day dinner (Smith family camping tradition dictates deep fried food on our first night camping, which usually falls on Friday/Fry-day.), we headed toward the beach for some fishing. We parked at the boat launch parking lot, planning to do some shoreline fishing only to discover the water level wasn’t quite up to snuff. We prepped ourselves for some hiking to actually get to the water when a Park Ranger entered the parking lot. He explained that if we just drove through those trees there, we would be able to reach the beach in our Jeep.
Me: Um, really??? We’re allowed to drive our vehicle off road?!?!
At this point, I should probably point out that there are always, always, always taboo roads or paths at Texas State Parks and while your first instinct may be to explore them, the signage clearly indicates that it would be a no-no. This is the first time we have been invited to be “naughty” and explore off road and I’ve gotta tell you, we were having it!!
We navigated the Jeep past trees and deep ruts in the combo sand/dirt path, smiling and squealing like school girls as we were tossed about the interior of the car on our first off-road adventure in the Jeep. Not too far away, we saw several extra-large pick up trucks attached to boat trailers in what appeared to be the make-shift boat launch/parking area. We parked the Jeep beside one of the behemoth trucks and just as we were beginning to feel some size-related issues, the same friendly Park Ranger drove by and suggested we go further.
Friendly Park Ranger: Keep driving until you get to the beach. You can park over there.
Me: Are you for real?
Friendly Park Ranger: Yes, ma’am.
And we did just that, dear reader. We drove further off road. We parked on the beach. Like rule breakers. Like rebellious fisher-people.
And then, giddy and completely feeling ourselves, we fished. And photographed. And explored the beach. And watched as other awesome people did the same, but with jet skiis, kayaks and boats, too! It was the magic moment during our weekend spent shelter camping on the border of Mexico. Sure, we enjoyed the bat show in the evening and the peccaries that came to see us off at 6:30am, but that off road fishing adventure? That was epic.
Breathtaking beauty at the border
Like Father…
…like son.
Why We Love Falcon State Park
Air Conditioned Shelters. No need to let the Texas summer heat keep you from enjoying camping. Staying in an air conditioned shelter was a new experience for us and we loved it! The a/c worked so well in our beloved Shelter #9 that we felt like we needed more blankets. Awesome problem to have when it’s 100* outside! (Note: The outlets are very high on the walls, so bring an extension cord for electronics.)
Off-roading. The fact that you can drive onto the beach is priceless! Seriously awesome! (Just make sure you have a vehicle that can take the beating of the uneven, deeply rutted sand/dirt paths.)
Water. Fishing, kayaking, boating, jet skiing, swimming, wading…Falcon State Park offers it all!!
Wildlife. Fish. Butterflies. Bats. Scorpions. Peccary. We had some pretty amazing encounters, and all of them ended positively. Awesome!
Safe. Initially I was afraid, but this park takes safety seriously. Not only do they have Park Rangers, but they also have State Park Police and Border Patrol. Oh, and those bolted locks on the screened shelters are a nice addition.
Must Do’s
Camp. FSP’s peak season is winter when all the northerners head south for a milder winter. Take advantage of that during the summer months. We felt like we had the whole park to ourselves and we loved that! And with the Shelters with A/C, there’s no reason not to enjoy all that Falcon State Park has to offer, year-round.
Beach. Look for shells. Build a sand castle. Go off-roading (in an appropriate vehicle). Swim. Kayak. Jet ski. Fish. Boat. The water is where it’s at in the summertime in Texas, but FSP takes it one further and has a genuine beach! Felt like we were at the Gulf of Mexico for a fraction of the cost of vacationing there! You’re welcome.
Photograph. It’s too beautiful not to point out – the beach at sunset was gorgeous. The lighting, divine. The scenery, dreamy.
Explore. There are almost 3 miles of trails to explore, but there is a lot of beach, as well! The park has geocaching, which is one of my favorite ways to explore because it’s exercise with a purpose!
As The Man walked back to the car from the garbage, Kinder Frau pointed out the locals coming to say good bye.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Falcon State Park! Please share your thoughts on this awesome border beauty 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.
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
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.
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.
Only, I won’t because we had such an incredible time there mid-June 2018 that I need to get out all my feels about it, so here goes. But first…
Enchanted Rock is full of boulders and rocks to climb and these three have that carpe diem thing down. This was shortly after sunrise, the best time to enjoy the park in the summer as far as I’m concerned.
Enchanted Rock was a place The Manling and I had originally planned to explore in early June on our first State Park road trip. Because of storms the night before that stubbornly lingered into the morning, we ended up postponing our visit because who wants to trudge through muddy trails or scale thoroughly wet granite, right?
Second time around, we scheduled an early morning visit over Father’s Day weekend with The Man and Kinder Frau in tow. When I say early, I mean really early. As in, I am usually the only one that sees this part of the day in our family – which is why when our iPhone alarms did their jobs at 5am, no one was feeling it but me. I had called ERSNA earlier in the week to see what time the gates opened (which, in many cases, is before the HQ opens) and was thrilled to learn we could enter the park as early as 6:30am, which is pretty close to sunrise in June in the Texas Hill Country. Since the HQ would still be closed at that hour, the friendly Park Staff spent time with me during my phone call to help me plan an excellent route for an early morning hike at her park.
Once we arrived and registered our vehicle at the self-pay station, we headed left toward the trail head for The Loop, located near the playground and tent camping sites. The Loop trail, which was blissfully wide (as the Park Ranger had promised), consisted of crushed rock and, for the most part, was a gentle ascent. The Loop trail soon made us forget our 5am woes with its breathtaking beauty bathed in the early morning sunshine. We chatted. We laughed. We photographed. We passed a few who were heading down, having slept in more primitive spots in the higher elevation. In short, we (ahem, “I”) was so diverted by the scenic views and sparkling conversation that I barely gave a thought to what slithery critters might be lurking in the crevices of the park…
…until we switched to the Echo Canyon Trail at Moss Lake, a narrower trail, but still do-able by my city standards. As we progressed on that trail and passed the lake, the trail seemed to morph into a narrower path that would occasionally open onto wide granite flats before narrowing further still.
Switching from the w i d e Loop Trail to the slightly narrower Echo Canyon Trail
Scenic Moss Lake
At this point, is this even still considered a proper trail?
We passed some areas where rock climbing was permitted (all rock climbers must check in at the HQ), which proved a great inducement for us to want to return to Enchanted Rock since we love rock climbing!
Eventually we made our way to the Summit Trail at which point The Man and The Manling took off, leaving Kinder Frau and yours truly to catch our breath and enjoy the scenery before following the menfolk.
I’m not sure in degrees how steep the Summit Trail actually is, but it is the great equalizer in a race to the top. Once Kinder Frau and I began hiking it, we soon caught up to the menfolk and began an almost choreographed ascent as Kinder Frau, The Man and I took turns as 2nd, 3rd and last while The Manling left us coughing in his dust.
After several “false summits” –
You know, when you look up and think you are surely about to crest the thing you’re climbing only to see that you were oh-so-wrong and you’d better just look down and focus on putting one foot in front of the other because if you undergo even one more disappointed hope that you’ve finally made it to the top, you may suffer a fainting spell like in ye days of ol’, which would be very, very bad because of math & science – ie. the aforementioned steep angle of the Summit Trail “times” the physics that would guarantee your speedy descent should you faint “equals” disaster –
we finally – nay, GLORIOUSLY! – reached the Summit of Enchanted Rock!
The 360 degree views of this land called the Texas Hill Country that I am, in fact, falling head-over-heels in love with…oh, seeing them as the mid-morning sun’s rays brilliantly broke through the fluffy clouds made my heart feel full and a smile spread across my lips. It was the kind of brilliant feeling that makes you want to hug your loved ones and feast your eyes on the spectacle before you – like when the Griswold’s are on the front lawn awaiting Clark’s Christmas lights, arms enter-twined, on National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It produced exactly those kinds of warm and fuzzy feels.
Why We Love Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Hiking. ERSNA has almost 11 miles of beautiful trails. Talking with the Park Staff helped us choose which trails we would enjoy the most. (Basically The Loop on the left side of the map is more scenic; on the right side of the map is more shaded. Since we were there in the coolest part of the day, we opted for scenic and were not disappointed. From The Loop Trail, we connected to Echo Canyon Trail on the back side of the park to cut through the middle and connect to the Summit Trail to the top of Enchanted Rock on our visit. Our Park Staff could not have planned a better route for us!)
The Summit. Not too many places in Texas are high. This is a huge selling point for The Summit. The views are gorgeous and the birds fly “beneath” you while you’re atop Enchanted Rock. Pretty cool.
Rock Climbing. We love parks that offer rock climbers a place to do their thing “in the wild.” Huge kudos for offering several spots to climb. Just make sure you check in at the HQ before you begin.
Must Do’s
Arrive Early. This is a super popular park and because of that, they periodically have to close the park to more guests. Check the website before your visit and plan to arrive early – as in before they open early to have the best chance at getting in.
The Loop. Half of it is shaded; the other half is scenic. Seems like a win-win whatever the time of day. Make sure you carry enough water with you because it is over 4 miles in length.
Echo Canyon. Unlike the part of The Loop we hiked, it is actually pretty lush in a lot of spots and completely seems like a different park. Plus, it’s where the rock climbing spots are located.
Moss Lake. While you cannot swim there and the park website doesn’t list fishing as a park activity, Moss Lake is really pretty and peaceful. Definitely makes for great photos.
Photograph. It’s beautiful at Enchanted Rock. Take lots and lots of photos. And then take some more. In my opinion, filter-free. It’s that gorgeous…naturally.
We’d love to hear about your experiences at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area! Please share your thoughts on this enchanting place 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.
