Tag: walk

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Abilene State Park

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Tent camping? yes

RV camping? yes

Lakeside Cabin? yes

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

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

Why We Love Abilene State Park

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

Must Do’s

  • Um, see the above list.

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

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

 

 

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Lake Colorado City State Park

Mater, circa 2014

We first met Mater when we visited Lake Colorado City State Park about four years ago, chillin’ in the field across from the park entrance. We waved a friendly “hello” as we headed home after a few hours at the park, glad that he’d come to see us off that uneventful day. Uneventful in the truest sense because our first visit to this self-proclaimed desert oasis was kind of a dud. Not only was the park desolate in an eerily creepy kind of way, the park was in the deep, dark part of a severe drought at the time and what was left in it’s wake looked to our eyes like the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. Mangled docks looked like a shockwave had rendered them completely unusable and almost unidentifiable had they not been standing so tall on parched ground that was, in former days, the lake.

Imagine our surprise when we saw Mater again during our revisit mid-July 2018, sitting in the same spot across from the entrance to the park, reminiscent of the good ole days when hard working folks sat a spell on the porch, sipping sweet tea, enjoying the gentle breeze of the summer evening after a long day of sweaty labor on their land. Love.

Kinder Frau, The Manling, and me – circa 2014

But there ends any similarity between our first visit and our second.

On our second trip to LCCSP, what we happily discovered was a park slowly, but surely, recovering from the devastating effects of years of drought. The fishing piers that were formerly disfigured and damaged by the drought were replaced with sturdy, robust piers that hosted a small, but continual rotation of anglers eager to drop a line in the water, which now delightedly covered the ground under them once again.

Where the park was desolate years before, we now encountered a handful of families both in the RV camping area and using the lakefront, air conditioned shelters, all of which look like newly build tiny homes complete with shaded front porches.

On our first visit, the lake was deserted, unused. On our more recent visit, we crossed paths with a family setting up a canopy in preparation for a day in the sun and surf once again available at Lake Colorado City State Park.

On our first visit, our imaginations were stirred for hours, imagining various scenarios that could have caused the undisclosed apocalyptic event. On our revisit, our minds were engaged geocaching. The park has a couple of great finds, by the way. And this is a great way to explore the park on foot for singles, couples, or the whole family.

While we restricted our explorations to the main roads on our first visit, this second time around Park Ranger Sky encouraged us to discover the roughly 1.5 mile (round trip) of bike trail they have been working to clear.

This park that was once fodder to spark conversation and creativity, is slowly becoming one that we can imagine will again hosts hoards of West Texans seeking to escape the heat in the cool waters of Lake Colorado City, on the cusp of becoming a desert oasis once more.

Why We Love Lake Colorado City State Park

  1. Mater. I know he’s not technically a part of the park, but he has been a part of our park experience both visits and we love him. Make sure to wave a friendly “hello” to him when you see him.
  2. Water. It’s hard to not hit a home run during the Texas summer heat when water is part of the equation. Thankfully, LCCSP is making a comeback in that department.
  3. Fishing. Boat docks and fishing piers in the early morning and evening are the best times to drop a line.
  4. Geocaching. There are one or two in some pretty ferrel areas, but there is one that is hidden in a truly spectacular location. Let the treasure hunting begin!
  5. Trails. The trails were still under construction while we were there, but they are already taking shape and I think they will be pretty awesome either on foot or by bike in the near future.
  6. A/C Shelters. I’m a sucker for tiny homes and these cute little shelters with a/c look like a newly built community of them, all lakeside. Bonus!

Must Do’s

  • Geocache. Hands-down, I think this is the absolute best way to get up close and personal with a new area. State Parks included.
  • Fish. The Manling wasn’t able to catch much on our visit, but we were there during the middle of the day. He will definitely try again the next time we are at LCCSP. You can count on it.
  • Swim. The water is making a comeback. A family was enjoying their floats on the water when we were there. Dip a toe in.
  • Stay. Tiny homes. RV’s. Even tent camping (in a more hospitable time of year). LCCSP can accommodate all budgets and preferences.
  • Explore. The trails look like they will be nice, wide, level trails for mountain biking…or exploring on foot. I’m especially psyched to try the one that runs adjacent to the lake. That promises to have some pretty great views.                                                                                                             

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Big Spring State Park

The landscape as you drive I-20 in West Texas is flat. Really flat. It is literally mile after flat mile of basically the exact same view, which isn’t necessarily bad. It can, however, become monotonous. Which is why you take the five minute detour when you see the one raised portion of earth in Big Spring jutting out of it’s utterly flat surroundings.

We have visited Big Spring State Park twice now and both times it served as a fabulous diversion from the monotony of travel and lent fresh eyes to the vastly flat West Texas landscape. Our first visit was years ago in the heat of a hot Texas summer afternoon. Even with the soaring temps, BSSP was sprinkled with locals walking pets, running, and hiking it’s winding incline. Our second visit in mid-July 2018 was just after the gates opened at 8am and it was again populated by locals getting their exercise on during the cooler part of the day. Young. Old. Two-legged, or four.  Everything in-between. BSSP is absolutely loved by the locals and even the hottest day of the year doesn’t keep them from enjoying their park.

And here’s why –

Why We Love Big Spring State Park

  1. Free. That’s right. Visiting this Texas State Park is absolutely FREE. You literally have nothing to lose and elevation to gain. Go for it.
  2. Views. Appreciate the vastness of the West Texas landscape from the Big Spring State Park vantage point – 200 feet up!
  3. Inspiring. If you need motivation to get moving, look no further than the parking lot of BSSP. The cars arrive before sunrise to claim one of the limited spots at the bottom of the bluff while its inhabitants get their exercise on. Walk your dog. Hike. Run. You will be inspired toward fitness at BSSP.

Must Do’s

  • Early or Late. You’ve got to treat yourself to a spectacular West Texas sunrise or sunset. Just mind the times the gates are locked.
  • Hoof It. Walk your dog. Hike. Run. Just get out of the car and experience BSSP the right way – on foot!

We’d love to hear about your experiences at Big Spring State Park! Please share your thoughts on this State Park that is loved by the locals 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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