This Hike will Rock Your Socks Off The Lake Trail and Woodland Trail at Inks Lake State Park will deliver a magical show of rocks and rocky landscapes. When I arrived at the trailhead for the Lake Trail at Inks Lake State Park, I wasn't sure what my 4.5 mile hike was going to cover. Would it be slow, meandering gravel trails or steep grades and drop offs. It turned out to be neither. Right out of the parking lot, the trail was wide and well marked and mostly smooth. But after about a half mile things changed and it happened quickly. I stepped out of a shady section and was faced with a wall of rock. The only way I could tell where the trail was, was to look for smoother, worn rock that told the place where most of the footwear had traveled. As I climbed to the top of the huge boulder I spotted a vertical park marker. From there on I followed painted dots on rocks and upright markers to make my way past Stumpy Hollow and on the the Woodland Trail. I meandered through a magical chan...
Why you should do the Bosque and Shinnery trails at Meridian State Park To get a full-fledge shady hiking experience in Texas, you can't beat Meridian State Park. I hiked the Bosque Loop and the Shinnery Ridge trails on a Tuesday morning and afternoon. The day started out cloudy but by about noon most of the clouds had burned off. Both trails offer ample shade. The Bosque Loop trail is quite a bit more technically challenging than the Shinnery Ridge trail so I was glad I had tackled it first. What do I mean by technically challenging? Almost immediately there were gentle hills followed later on by some steep, gnarly rock climbs. Some of the rocky climbs were improved by stone steps built into the grade. Along this trail you will cross three bridges, two roads, see a magnificent stone building and cross an earthen dam. The Shinnery Ridge Nature Trail (it's official name) is different. Taking it on counterclockwise, you start on a long slow, gradual climb and then level out. F...