Tag: park staff

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Brazos Bend State Park

I have been mulling over how I would share our visit to Brazos Bend State Park since we visited in August 2018. Honestly, when we first arrived, I wasn’t feelin’ it. I was completely over sitting in the car; the older gentleman that was registering his RV took exactly forever; I felt on the verge of literal starvation; the entrance to the park featured an alligator, which gave me a deplorable sinking feeling; and quite frankly after visiting 44 state parks over the course of just a few months, I wondered if this one located roughly in the middle of Nowhere, TX, could offer anything worth the drive. This was the lovely frame of mind I was in when the older gentleman {finally} finished checking in and it was our turn. I have no doubt that the two Park Staffers wondered what my deal was when I less-than-half-heartedly asked for suggestions on what to see and do during our stay only to shoot down their suggestions one-by-one because, like I said, I wasn’t feelin’ it. I remember a lot of talk about alligators “here” and “there” (as spots were pointed out on the Park Map); there was some mention of birds around dusk (yawn – We’d already visited 3 bona fide birding centers, man! You can’t top that here!); yada-yada. Oh yeah, I was a delight.

As the Manling and I headed to our little tiny house (aka a screened shelter) to unpack, inflate, and introvert before we gave thought to what we felt like doing, my inner-toddler began whimpering for home, her bed, and some much needed solitude. After unloading our gear (basically our air mattresses, a camping toilet, and two portable mini-fans), The Manling (in the prime of his life) fell asleep with the sun still high in the sky. Not in the prime of my life, I can manage a quick nap maybe once a year, and today was to be my day. I fell asleep, too. Apparently, we were both road weary.

Isn’t our tiny home-away-from-home absolutely adorable with that little porch?! LOVE it!
Just because I’d be interested to see inside the tiny house, here ya go. This is right before our accidental naps, mere minutes into our introverting.

About forty-five minutes later, I jerked awake and thought, “We’d better do something about my imminent starvation.” I remembered one of the Park Staff saying something that sounded like “J-Cafe” and it being roughly 30 minutes away, but worth the drive for the “best food around.” I Yelped it, woke The Manling, and we headed toward our dinner with fingers crossed. Thirty minutes later, sitting unassumingly beside a two lane country road in Needville, TX, we pulled into the parking lot of “The Jay Cafe.” Within a minute, we found ourselves seated at the best seat in the house with our server attending to our every need.

Don’t beat around the bush. Order the chicken fried steak dinner. And treat yourself to a slice of their chocolate sheet cake because life is short. Live a little.
Our table was next to the only picture window in the room and overlooked a sweet little garden area. Peaceful, just like the doctor ordered.

An hour later, we were fat and happy from tried-and-true Texas favorites and we headed back to BBSP. This time, as we passed by the alligator sign, I felt cheerier and ready for an adventure. We headed for Hale Lake for some fishing and photography, both of which ended up being rewarding!

The Manling didn’t catch anything he’d consider worth mentioning, but I was impressed that he kept catching little guys off this really tall pier. That’s gotta take skill.
While The Manling fished, I walked part of the Hale Lake Loop Trail. Until I came across this sign. And like The Man says, they choose the wording on warnings for a reason, so I guess at some point in the past an alligator was…molested?

Next, we decided to drive around to explore the park, which eventually led us to Elm Lake. We decided to park and walk around this beautiful area on foot, which is how we stumbled across the wildlife viewing area on the water – and the first of two truly unforgettable encounters with nature we experienced firsthand at BBSP.

This needs to be attached to my house – the covered porch AND the view.
We saw lots of alligator trails through the water. No alligators though.

While we were enjoying the setting sun through the trees, the calm serenity of the lake, the shade of the wildlife viewing area, and the few birds enjoying this lush paradise, we were startled out of our moment of peace by quite a racket overhead as hundreds (if not thousands!) of birds entered BBSP to roost for the evening. SERIOUSLY. Hundreds (or possibly thousands!) of birds flew just over our heads, continuing past our perch on the wildlife viewing deck in search of their own for the night. Never has either of us seen such an awesome spectacle! “This must be what the Park Staff was talking about when they mentioned the birds,” I commented to The Manling with due awe infusing my words. Dear reader, put this on the top of your To-Do list for Brazos Bend State Park. Trust me.

Next we drove to 40 Acre Lake with just enough sunset left for The Manling to fish a little before we called it a night. I don’t remember if he caught anything off of the pier. What I do remember is this:

These are sobering signs. Especially at dusk. We, however, didn’t cross any alligators. Thankfully.

Fast-forward past showers in some of the most incredible State Park bathrooms you’ve ever used.

Past this guy enjoying our tiny house’s porch as much as we did…

We almost walked into this guy (about the size of my palm) while we were unloading the car). He was still there when we left the following day.

Past a great night’s sleep (once we got used to the bright lights our neighbor was using. He had hung white sheets around his porch and had bright lights atop tripods to attract bugs so that he could photograph them, which I guess was kind of cool. At least he was quiet. And in the end, better his porch than ours. Have all the bugs, neighbor. They’re yours.).

We awakened just as the sky began turning from the black of night to the gray of pre-dawn when our phone’s alarms simultaneously pulled us from sound sleep. After the obligatory stretches and yawns, we pulled on shoes, nodded our Good morning’s, and drove the car back to 40 Acre Lake to catch the sun’s rise from the Observation Tower. By the time we arrived, there was enough light to justify walking the 40 Acre Lake Trail (a loop around the lake), the Observation Tower being located on the other side of the lake from the parking lot. This early morning hike was the second of those two truly extraordinary wildlife encounters, for The Manling and I saw dozens of alligators in the water on either side of that trail by the time we finished the loop! And lest this doesn’t fill you with some kind of emotional response, let me share that there is nothing between you and the alligators. Nada. The trail is raised a few feet above the water, so that is something. But these are not the safe encounters you are used to in a zoo setting where safety precautions abound. Here is your safety precaution at BBSP –

Back to our sunrise walk. The Manling and I were making our way to the halfway point of the loop so that we could climb the Observation Tower, him all fearless and me all jumpy, when S P L A S H !

“What was that?!” whispered I.

“That was probably just a bird, Mom,” said he.

Yes, he really did reply that the huge splash! we’d just heard was probably a bird. I was all, “How big a bird do you think that was???” Seriously?? A bird?! Then we saw this swimming our way –

The Manling said oh-so-nonchalantly, “It was probably that alligator getting into the water.” And let me tell you, friend, we didn’t see it until it had gotten into the water from the trail we were on. Sobering. Like those signs posted every 50 feet or so. It just got real all up in here.

We continued on the trail, more vigilant than ever, both of the trail and the water. By the time we made it to the Observation Tower, we had already seen almost 10 alligators in the water, most so inanimate that the one who spotted it had to point it out to the other.

Our reward for getting up so early and braving a sunrise hike around a lake known to contain alligators was this view.
We saw plenty of fishing birds on the other side of the Observation Tower.

After this early morning “hike” surrounded by dozens of alligators (big. small. everything in-between.), The Manling and and I returned to our tiny house to load up the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside), sweep out our digs, and bid Brazos Bend State Park a very reluctant Goodbye. As we were exiting the park, we had one last interaction with one of the local ‘gators who came out to bid us adieu.

Cute. Seems like a missed opportunity, tho. Just a little.

Until next time, Brazos Bend State Park. We most assuredly will be back. Guaranteed.

Why We Love Brazos Bend State Park

  1. Facilities. Having used the facilities in over 56 Texas State Parks, I feel I am becoming a subject matter expert on the subject. Trust me when I say Brazos Bend State Park has some of the nicest I’ve had the pleasure to use!
  2. Alligators. Go on an alligator hike. The Park Staff can tell you where they’ve been spotted recently. Mind the signage. (Be safe, not sorry.) And have an awesome firsthand experience like we did. (P.S. Don’t molest the alligators. And hold on to your dogs. Just sayin’.)
  3. Birds. IDK if this is a year-round occurrence, but during late summer the birds flock there by the hundreds (nay, thousands!) to roost for the night. It is a spectacle not to be missed. It was awesome!
  4. Tiny Houses. You’ve simply got to live tiny while you’re there. The little tiny house ‘hood is adorable! Private. Quiet. And you can bring your fans to keep you cool.
  5. Trails. Thirty-seven miles of trails to explore and enjoy! It’s quiet. Peaceful. Beautifully lush.
  6. Sunrise/Sunset. Both are incredible! We recommend the Wildlife Viewing Area for sunset and the Observation Tower for sunrise. Or vice versa.

Must Do’s

  • Observation Tower. You truly cannot get a firm grip on the terrain of BBSP without seeing it from this bird’s eye view. Totally worth the mini-hike to climb this tower. Incredible 360 degree views of beautiful.
  • Fish. I believe The Manling caught somewhere every place he dropped a line. Nothing terribly large, but big enough to feel on your line. And anytime you can catch something, it’s better than not.
  • Stay. Camp. RV. Shelter. Cabin with amenities. Whatever your preference, BBSP has you covered. (Get it?)
  • Explore the Trails. There are lots of them through some of the most lush parts of Texas. It’s beautiful, serene, and filled with wildlife. Hike ’em. Bike ’em. You can even ride ’em (on your horse). Go make a memory!

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Brazos Bend State Park! Please share your experiences at this phenomenal {if a little fearful} wildlife retreat 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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McKinney Falls State Park

We first discovered McKinney Falls State Park several summers ago when The Man and I took The Manling and Kinder Frau on a “Tour of Texas Waterholes.” It held fond memories for us, especially the wet trek down Williamson Creek while holding an impromptu rock skipping contest. We swam in the Lower Falls, and the guys fished a bit that visit, but we didn’t explore the park properly that first trip because we were on a schedule and had to get to the next waterhole.

Pay attention to this photo out of yesteryear. It will be important later during the test-taking portion of this post.
The water felt so good on that hot, hot Texas summer day. Soon we were skipping rocks and talking big and having a grand ole time until we decided to change into our swimsuits and submerge ourselves in the Lower Falls.

The second time we visited MFSP was in mid-June 2018. The weather was threatening a pretty big thunderstorm, so we weren’t sure exactly how long we’d have to explore the park before we had to take shelter. As we arrived, people were exiting because of the aforementioned thunderstorms headed our way. Exactly like Superheroes, we headed the opposite direction from the fleeing masses. Toward the danger. Into the unknown.

Okay, in reality, some people left and they may have just been tired. I can’t know everything. What I do know is that when we took this entry selfie –

Test-taking portion of the post. Find ten things that are different in this entry photo than the one out of yesteryear. (Answer at the bottom, but don’t cheat and scroll down without first really trying. That’s no way to go about life.)

– the sky behind us was blue and the sky in front of us looked pretty scary. Like, I-think-we-might-be-in-Kansas kind of scary. But we headed in anyway because, honestly, we’d bothered to drive all this way and it was not going to be for nothing. Because we’d already done some of the things in this park previously and because it was Father’s Day Weekend and The Man loves to hike, we focused primarily on hiking. Well, that and fishing because The Manling had just turned the big 1-8 and life is colorless for him unless he can drop a line in the water.

After constructing a good attack pattern with the Park Staff in the HQ (and buying a cute window sticker for the Tiny Toyota Tardis – because the Yaris in bigger on the inside), we pointed the Jeep toward the Lower Falls. Even though the park sometimes has to close due to capacity, we found a great parking spot recently vacated by a park evacuee. We headed on foot to the rock flats. We hunted for the famed “ruts” in the rock caused by wagon wheels in the days of the Old West. We stared at the people swimming in the Lower Falls. And then we began hiking the pleasant (and mostly shaded) Rock Shelter Interpretive Trail.

The vast rock flats aren’t far from the parking area and lie between that and the water of the Lower Falls. Notice the blue skies on the left, and the heavy dark clouds on the right.
We “think” this is the Rock Shelter (#4 on the Trails Map), but it was a neat spot overlooking the water even if it wasn’t.
Heading toward the Rock Shelter Interpretive Trail from the rock flats for a quickie hike.
A stop along the Rock Shelter Interpretive Trail to enjoy the view of the creek below.
A view of the creek they are enjoying in the above pic.
The Manling, longing for his rod & reel.
I love this pic because it’s not even staged! The Manling took the narrower path that followed the creek more closely while The Man led his ladies down the wider path.
At this point, I haven’t the faintest idea where we are. The trail seemed to close ahead, so we turned back after admiring the view in the next photo.
We think that’s a beaver’s dam.

We divided and conquered after that first hike. Kinder Frau and I opted for the air conditioned Jeep while The Man and The Manling went fishing. This translated into us rating all the campsites (see below under Must Do’s) as we explored every single road in the park from the comfort of our car while the guys headed back to the Lower Falls area to do their thing.

When we met back up, we decided to explore the other side of Lower Falls in search of both the Gristmill (#9 on the Trails Map) and the McKinney Homestead (#8 on the Trails Map, and for which the park is named). Both were packed with lush foliage, and cool breezes because of the thunderstorm rolling into the area.

This was a pretty, green, well-maintained path through tall trees with lush undergrowth – and plenty of places for snakes to hide. But I was motivated. I’m a sucker for the historical stuff.
The Man admitted that once the trail narrowed this much with the lush greenery thick all around, he walked faster and kept well ahead so that I couldn’t easily engender his sympathies with my rapid breathing and force us to head back to safer grounds where rattlers weren’t waiting to wound us, thereby missing the focal point of our hike – the McKinney Homestead. I’m so thankful for him because I loved this hike and stepping back into history at the homestead.
The remains of the McKinney homestead. Well worth the panic I paid to get there.

We enjoyed a few hours pleasantly spent rediscovering a history-rich, water-filled state park located in the state’s capital with exactly no run-ins with my arch-nemesis the rattlesnake. Or a Texas summer thunderstorm. #winning

Oh, and about the test-taking portion of the post. There isn’t one. I just thought it was cool that the three of them were almost identical to the photo from years ago…before selfies were a thing and I was always behind the camera instead of in front of it. Don’t hate me. I thought it would be funny.

Why We Love McKinney Falls State Park

  1. Water. This is an essential ingredient to enjoying any summertime activity in Texas. Wade down a creek. Swim at one of the falls. Float down the creek. Fish in the water. Trust me.
  2. Trails. The foliage even in the heat of an oppressive Texas summer is so lush and beautiful! It’s like MFSP didn’t get the memo that it’s time for everything growing to turn brown under the summer sun. It’s beautiful with lots of shade. There’s no downside to that winning combo.
  3. History. Pick up a Trails Map from the HQ. Pick a trail. Follow it, reading the bits about certain spots you pass along your walk. Read the signs. The place is rich with Texas history!

Must Do’s

  • Hike. The trails are well-maintained, marked and easily traveled. In fact, I would say the trails are more like paths than most of the hiking trails we’ve traveled at other parks. We even came across an elderly couple with their yippie dogs coming from the homestead and gristmill trails and they said it was an enjoyable walk when we asked them.
  • Swim. Both times we have visited MFSP, the water levels were low. But that didn’t keep anyone from enjoying either of the falls. I’m telling you, opportunities for wet fun in Texas in the summer is what you want and MFSP has it.
  • Camp. We were hard-pressed to find a bad camping spot. All of them were shaded and spacious and completely delightful for a weekend visit or a week-long trip. We look forward to returning and taking our own advice!
  • Explore. One of our fondest memories continues to be the time we explored Williamson Creek and had a rock-skipping contest. Bring your sense of adventure and have fun exploring the capital’s own State Park.

We’d love to hear about your experiences at McKinney Falls State Park! Please share your thoughts on this Texas State Capital gem 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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Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park

Captured the only blue skies that day. A summer thunderstorm was chasing us as we continued north along the Rio Grande.

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park was our third birding center on our Father’s Day weekend trip in mid-June 2018. It was over a hundred degrees that day as we skirted the Rio Grande trekking ever northward, keeping just ahead of a summer thunderstorm that doggedly pursued us from the Gulf of Mexico. We were hot and tired and a teeny bit concerned about the storm catching up to us and kind of just over birding centers and state parks and nature and driving and sweating and all the things. Our enthusiasm had evaporated with the sweat earned at the first two birding centers and now at our third and final stop on our tour of the World Birding Centers operated by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, we just weren’t feelin’ it.

And then we began a conversation with a Park Staffer in the HQ that changed our lives for the good. She offered this option –

I confess, I wanted to cry happy tears when we discovered the availability of this. It was June 16. Yes, the very day they began offering shuttle rides every hour! Praise be!

It was 4:25pm. The tram stop was only a couple hundred feet away. No walking. No backpacks of water. No fear of rattlesnakes preying on our calves. No heat exhaustion. Just sitting and enjoying. Yes, please!

We sat and enjoyed almost a half hour tram ride through BRGVSP while our own personal Park Staffer (OJ) gave us a V.I.P. tour! The day of our visit happened to be OJ’s two year anniversary working at the park. We asked lots of questions, which he answered in the friendliest way possible at this point in our day – from the driver’s seat of our terrific tram. Since our interests lie more with ground animals than with flying ones, he happily shared about all of the animals that call BRGVSP their home – which we loved! He stopped when we saw a threesome of armadillo and allowed us to get out and take closer photos. We saw a wild turkey, butterflies, lizards (including an endangered one!), a Texas tortoise, and a few different types of birds (of course).

Look at OJ being all cool with us. Look at our smiles. This was the best blessing, you guys. It totally won the day.

OJ also shared a little about the history of the park, including how the boundary line between Mexico and the U.S.A. was determined in the past (see photo below) and how the area used to have cacti until a flood changed all that. The park has exactly one cactus left, and OJ pointed it out (see photo below) so that we could photograph it.

We were enamored with the little armadillo family on the side of the tram road. We’ve never seen one…alive.
Pretty old school how they used to determine where the border was located, right?
The sole remaining cactus in the park? It’s at the top of that tree!
Wild Turkey, anyone?

I have no harrowing stories of close calls with nature (real, or imagined) from BRGVSP to share. There were none. It was just a thoroughly delightful time on a tram tour with our new friend OJ learning about the park he has enjoyed up-close and personal for the past couple of years.

Why We Love Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park

  1. Tram. This was so much fun! When someone offers you a tram tour, take them up on it. It’s relaxing. Educational. Conversational. Breezy. You hit the highlights, basically, without exhausting yourself by hiking. Win-win.
  2. Trails. The place looked fun to explore. The tram road was wide and paved. The trails we saw from our perch in the tram looked well maintained and easily marked. If this had been our first stop, we definitely would have taken advantage of the trails.
  3. Wildlife. Armadillos. Butterflies. Birds. Lizards. There are more, but these came out to say hello to us while we rode through the park with OJ.
  4. History. It’s fascinating to hear about the past and the Park Staff are great story tellers! Make sure to ask about the flood and the border markers.
  5. Staff. We were so weary. The Park Staff completely changed our perspective on the park by their friendliness and willingness to go the extra mile in making our visit the best.
  6. Newness. This park seemed like a combo of the first two birding centers we visited – newness in the HQ area with a more historical wildness in the back part of the park.

Must Do’s

  • Tram Tour. Cannot recommend this enough! I would take it any time of year they offered it because the one-on-one interaction with the Park Staff is such an educational encounter. Take the tour first. Then figure out what you’d like to go back and explore further, perhaps by bike.
  • Bicycle Tour. The park rents bikes very affordably, which would be another excellent way to explore the park.
  • Hike. The trails are short according the park map. We would definitely want to explore them if we were ever in the area again.

 

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park! Please share your thoughts on this Southwest Texas 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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Estero Llano Grande State Park

Estero Llano Grande State Park was the second birding center we visited on our South Texas trip in mid-June 2018. We thought we knew what to expect. We had, after all, already done this birding center thing once. But…

Estero Llano Grande State Park was vastly different from Resaca de la Palma State Park both in it’s Jurassic Park vibe, and in the overall look of the place. Where Resaca was unspoiled (wild, if you will), Estero Llano was manicured. While Resaca had the feel of the country, Estero Llano had the feel of a masterfully planned city park.  You felt the history of Resaca de la Palma while Estero Llano Grande felt more like a modernized zoo – the kind where habitats are designed to be more natural and the patrons observe said animals in habitats that mimic the animals’ natural environment even though they are not the animals’ natural environment. So, two birding centers that couldn’t have more contrasting vibes if they had tried.

Once we parked, we followed the cute bird tracks on the ground to the HQ, which is nowhere near the parking lot. Brilliant move, those tracks. After explaining our gap year goal (99 Texas State Parks. 12 Month State Park Pass. 1 Awesome Adventure.), our enthusiastic Park Staffer called a co-worker to help us all plan just the right adventure for us. And while they talked of this bird, or that nest, even pointing to photographs taken presumably at the park decorating the wall behind their desk, they completely had us at alligators. Yes, friend. They have alligators at Estero Llano Grande State Park!!! We basically left the stack of Park Maps scattered in the wind of our hasty departure as we set out for some alligator sightings at birding center number two.

Where’s Waldo time. Find Jesse. Go!

As we walked the clearly marked eight foot wide trails, enjoying the nicely manicured park that presumably houses wonderful flighty creatures, we were singularly focused on seeing us some alligators at aptly named Alligator Lake.  Seldom a thought of snakes hidden in the tall grass (or reeds) entered my mind. Just alligators. There may have been some birds. They might have even provided a cheery soundtrack to our time at ELGSP. Honestly, I don’t remember. I was excited (and a teeny bit scared!) that we might soon see some ginormous reptiles that could end us in a habitat that didn’t appear to have the safety precautions you’d appreciate at the aforementioned modernized zoo.

At this point, I’m just going to go ahead and spoil the end for you. We didn’t see any alligators. Nada. Zilch. Not even a trace of an alligator, unless you count this sign –

This was a quickie photo op because I was a little hesitant to have them with their backs to the water at this early point in the game.

– which I did not. Kinder Frau? She is in the throws of big fears in the pics, which – like my snake-infested imaginings – were for naught. We walked all the way to the other end of Alligator Lake, as seen here –

This raised platform felt marginally safer than the previous photo for turning your backs to the water. Just marginally, though.

Still nothing. These alligators have that “Leave No Trace” thing down. We took some side trails as we headed back to the HQ, Kinder Frau thankful for a true Jurassic Park experience (meaning the animals were a “no show”).

Why We Love Estero Llano Grande State Park

  1. Jurassic Park. Admittedly, we hummed Welcome to Jurassic Park while we were exploring, but that is only because it really did have that vibe. It was cool.
  2. Alligators. Um, yes, please! Ironically, Alligator Lake is the only natural part of the park, we were told in the HQ. It is shaped like an alligator, but we were assured it was naturally so and that it was the rest of the park that was planned.
  3. Park Staff. We loved their enthusiasm and appreciated all that they {tried to} teach us about the birds there, even though they lost us at alligators.
  4. New Feel. Hey, we’re city people. After spending time at the wilder Resaca de la Palma State Park, it was nice to relax my muscles and enjoy the familiar city feel of Estero Llano Grande State Park.

Must Do’s

  • Alligators. Try to see them. And then post about it in the comments! We’d love to read about your experience with them!
  • Birding. There is a scope-type binocular available on the porch of the HQ overlooking Ibis Pond. Spend some time getting “up close” with our feathered friends from the comfort (and safety) of the shaded porch either before or after you wander the grounds.

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Estero Llano Grande State Park! Please share your thoughts on this masterfully planned 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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Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

I feel like Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is so phenomenal that I should just post pics and let it speak for itself.

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

  1. 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!)
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  • The Summit Trail. It rocks! (Get it?) It is steep, it is full of false summits, but it is absolutely worth it. Your heart will love it, even if your calves complain. And consider trekking poles like these that I borrowed from a friend. I heard more than one fellow hiker complain that he didn’t have trekking poles when I passed by with these bad boys.
  • 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.
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Fort Parker State Park

Kinder Frau’s got selfie game!

Waking in the wee hours of a Saturday morning in mid-June 2018, the final four of our fam set out on a day trip to Fort Parker State Park in Mexia, Texas, with our family mascot, Rosie. The park promised a little something for everyone: hiking for The Man, fishing for The Manling, photo ops for Kinder Frau, frolicking for the Awesome Aussie, and history for The Mom.

Introducing our Awesome Aussie, Rosie. She loves swimming, running, barking, wallowing in dirt, peanut butter, and her family. She is up to an adventure anytime, anywhere.

We arrived about an hour after the HQ opened, one group out of a few checking in at that time. When our turn for some face time with the Park Staff came, we were made to feel surprisingly unhurried. No “treat ’em and street ’em” mindset at FPSP. Each guest is made to feel like a V.I.P. and that definitely deserves a shout out, in my opinion.

Once we were squared away with our registration, our Park Staffer helped us plan our day enjoying this new-to-us State Park. And that’s saying a lot because all four of us had different ideas of how that would be best accomplished. First off, he said, I would hike while it’s still cool. If you park by the Recreation Hall here on the map, you can easily get to the pontoon bridge here (circling it on our map) and then you’ll be on the Springfield Trail which will take you past the cemetery (a San Jacinto survivor is actually buried there!), Group Camping, Springfield Lake, the Dam – oh, and if you listen for the spring about here (pointing to the map), you can follow the sound to see the spring! – and then past the historical marker where…” All that to say, Mr. Park Staffer hooked us up with an excellent adventure that checked all of our boxes!

An example of some of the great trails at FPSP.
One of the more ferrel trails

Following the Park Staff advice, we followed the Springfield Trail to all of those wonderful spots, which happen to contain signage along the way to educate adventuresome hikers like us on the unique history of FPSP. With our morning hike behind us, The Manling settled in for some fishing at one of the three spots that Mr. Park Staff highlighted on our map while The Man played fetch in the water with our Awesome Aussie (She’s quite ferrel when it comes to getting her country on.), Kinder Frau updated her online presence, and I got some reading done.

Shoreline fishing at “The Point,” which is just past the Recreation Hall. Nada. (A nearby fisherman told us he hadn’t caught either and was going to try the river near the boat launch.)
Rosie is a country dog at heart. She LOVES getting wet followed by a good wallow in the dirt and a nap.

Finding spot #1 a dud, we moved to spot #2, which looked to have a small Boy Scout troop getting ready for a canoe trip upriver. We cast in the full sun. We cast from a tree that had fallen into the water. We cast from the shade. We were using lures, corn and worms. Nothing. Because catching is more fun than fishing, I was about ready to throw in the towel and read while the guys continued their quest. I cast one last time in a shaded spot to the left of the boat launch and BAM! My bobber disappeared! I yanked and reeled her in only to find that my worm had disappeared, too! The Manling hooked me up with another worm and I dropped a line in the same spot. Within seconds, my bobber was underwater AGAIN. I yanked and reeled her in a second time to find my worm was MIA again. I asked The Manling what I was doing wrong. “Is my hook too large for this fish’s mouth, maybe?” No, it’s fine. You’ve just got to…(insert man-spanation here because – teenager).  This song-and-dance continued for several more casts before I managed to hook something – the tree that was providing the shade over the water. While The Man helped me disengage my hook from the tree (via the snapped line method) and then repair my reel, The Manling thought he would drop his line in where I was getting the only action on the river. And BAM! The Manling quickly landed the thing that had been stealing my worms! Super happy for him, I offered him a heartfelt congratulations and asked him how he did it. Smaller hook, he replied sheepishly. Really, man? (In his defense, he truly felt guilty for catching “my” fish. I spent quite a while assuring him that I was just glad the little booger was caught and even more glad that he was the one that got to catch it. I think he was maybe feeling guilt about the mansplaining about how I was somehow fishing incorrectly when it ended up being the very thing I had asked him about, but I’m his Mama and I could exact my revenge when I wrote about it later. Patience is a virtue the old possess.)

This is another spot near the boat launch on the river that we fished.
I spy The Man, who found the shade of the trees to the right of the boat launch the best place to drop a line. (That tree in the foreground? That is all I caught that day.)
THE catch of the day was this little guy caught by The Manling in the shaded water under the tree I caught.

Why We Love Fort Parker State Park

  1. Park Staff. Truly some of the finest people on the planet! Ours hooked us up! Our hike even did double-duty, checking off the physical with the historical!
  2. Beautiful. One of the Boy Scout leaders that The Manling had early on in his scouting career said you should always take into consideration what you’re going to be looking at when you camp. Beauty is important. FPSP has beauty in spades and around every corner. It’s just gorgeous greenery against the backdrop of the water and the bluest skies. Every location is picture perfect.
  3. Fishing. The Park Staff can direct you to where the fish have been biting lately, but we found the river to be our luckiest spot on our visit. FPSP also loans fishing gear for use during your visit. AND…they have worms you can buy at the HQ. They go out of their way to help turn your fishing into catching.
  4. Rentals. You can rent canoes and kayaks at FPSP and really enjoy the water on hot summer days.
  5. Hikes. Their trails are (mostly) wide with the shade of the tree canopy overhead. Plus hiking the Springfield Trail gives you a historical tour of the place at the same time. Win-win.
  6. Trees. There are tall trees everywhere at FPSP and because of that, most of the picnic tables and camping spots are gloriously shaded.

Must Do’s

  • Springfield Trail. Did I mention how much The Man loves hiking and I love exploring the history of the area? This trail combines the two and throws in beauty, shade and water features. It might just be the perfect hike, so don’t rush. Linger. Explore. Enjoy.
  • Fish. Start at the river. Drop a line in the shade on the right side of the boat launch using worms that you just bought at the HQ. Trust me.
  • Camp. They have some EXCELLENT spots! We recommend #43 and #49 in the primitive area because they are really big; spots #13-16 at the end of the camping loop are equally spacious sites and provide privacy and shade in spades.
FPSP has some of the most beautiful views. They were literally everywhere, like this view of the lake from the Springfield Trail.
Pier fishing mid-afternoon proved hot and fruitless this trip. But a group of three buzzards came hopping around the fish cleaning station and then went under the pier for some shade. They reminded us of the buzzards in The Jungle Book – remember them?

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Fort Parker State Park! Please share your thoughts on this precious 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.
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Old Tunnel State Park

Old Tunnel State Park. The night that I went (early June 2018), it was at the end of a long day spent state parking with The Manling. We had adventure after adventure after adventure already on this particular day, but since seeing the bats emerge is a sunset activity and we were only an hour away, we decided to go for it.

First off, if you’re wondering what the big deal is, I’ll tell you, dear reader. The fine folks in the Texas Hill Country have this thing about watching bats emerge at sunset. All of these Mexican free-tailed bats hole up in the Hill Country for some reason April – October. Google it. You’ll see. There’s a bridge in Austin where millions emerge in a whispy-type ribbon that is completely mesmerizing. There are caves on privately owned Hill Country land where the things fly like bats outta you-know-where just because the sun is setting (see photos below) and you’d better not be nearby if one falls because, Hello! They will crawl up your legs until they are high enough to launch themselves back into the air from hanging on you! Knowledge is power, my friend, and that little tidbit of knowledge was enough to make me seriously consider power walking back to the car! And now? We discovered that there is a whole Texas State Park completely devoted to the little guys. Just go with it.

The Man and me a handful of years ago. The smiles were before the bats emerged from that abyss behind us.
Exactly half of us were “into” this several years ago when we Groupon’d a deal for viewing on someone’s private land in the Hill Country. Surprise, surprise, The Manling was in that camp.
I gotta say, on the private land with the hole-in-the-ground cave, we definitely saw bats. Maybe a little too closely? But we saw, smelled and heard them. Plus, the bit of education regarding the possibility of them crawling up your legs if they collided and fell is kinda priceless information in my book.

We arrived at OTSP about 8:35pm, quickly parked and made a beeline toward the people congregated on the upper viewing deck. Everyone was mostly quiet. I figured they must be anticipating the awe until I read the signage asking everyone to be library quiet. I started whispering to The Manling at this point because there was park staff on-site and I didn’t want us to get the boot so close to what was sure to be an amazing spectacle. After waiting – quietly – for about 10 minutes, we noticed another park staffer down near the tree line waving her hands to our park staffer, who let us know that they had begun their emergence. We saw nothing. We waited with baited breath. We still saw nothing. We kept our eyes peeled. Finally we saw what appeared to be the smoke monster from Lost smudging the view of the trees. We {quietly} asked our park staffer if that smoke was the colony emerging. She excitedly explained that it was! Bless her. She really digs the bats.

We eventually allowed the strongly-scented ammonia air (um, guano) to signal that we were good-to-go…home.

We hoofed it back to the Tiny Toyota Tardis (because the Yaris is bigger on the inside) and headed her toward our home away from home. As we were sharing our perceptions, The Manling noticed something traveling in the sky about 10 feet above our car. Bats!! Those little buggers were swarming just above our Tiny Toyota Tardis, helpfully devouring the mosquitoes that like to feast on our flesh during the summer here in Texas. They continued to travel with us for a couple of miles down that tiny Texas back road** until we finally out horse-powered them. (I envisioned our Tiny Toyota Tardis bursting free from the ginormous sand storm of bats that had completely enveloped us. It was epic.)

I just want to point out that the mom in the lower left of the picture is having to point out where her minion should be looking. The bats emerge into the trees and it’s hard to see from the upper observation deck. (The lower observation deck wasn’t open on the day of the week we visited.)
I seriously need to figure out how to up my selfie game.

Why We Love Old Tunnel State Park

  1. Bats. Make sure you plan your visit April through October. And time your departure while they are still emerging because while we didn’t really see them from the upper observation deck, we definitely experienced them up close and personal on the road as we left!
  2. Park Staff. These folks are enthusiastic about these bats. Ask questions – quietly, of course.

Must Do’s

  • See the bats emerge. It’s a Hill Country must.
  • Drive away while the last rays of sunlight are disappearing. Cross your fingers, drive slowly and maybe the bats will make your trip to OTSP as memorable as ours.

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Old Tunnel State Park! Please share your thoughts on this twilight Texas 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.
**Tiny Texas back roads are narrow. Please use extreme caution, especially when deer are present. We had two dart in front of our car as we drove home that night, a very dangerous thing when their weight rivals your Tiny Toyota Tardis! Upon the advise of friends, we bought these for future trips.
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