Hiking In Texas

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...

Making Photography Easy on the Hiking Trail Here's what's working for me these days. I went through a lot of experimentation, and a lot of frustration, trying to find the right rigs for hauling my cameras when I'm out on the trail. So here are my solutions. But first, a few words about how I view trail photography and my uses for the photos, and videos, I record. After more than 40 years of practicing photography and videography I arrived at a term to describe the type of visual recorder I am: I'm an archivist. That is to say, I capture photos and videos for the simple joy of making a record of events, times, places and memories. Of course, I also want the archive to have well-composed and acceptably-exposed images.  I use a fraction of the images and videos I capture in venues like this. Others I release on my BeHance profile and on my YouTube channel . Some I share with family and friends (always interested in making new acquaintances). Another very small fraction of...

Have you ever been on a hiking trail like this?  Probably not. From the time you step out of your vehicle in the parking area at the trailhead for the Gorman Falls trail, until you return, your feet are walking on a geologic window into the Paleozoic Era. It is all revealed here. The rocks you walk over and stand upon were formed 541- 252 million years ago, right after the very first animals appeared on earth. This type of geology is often well-buried beneath tons of newer landscapes. But here, it was eroded to the surface by the Colorado River . How special is that! And, there are caves below!  A side note for the geographically-challenged: This is NOT in Colorado. This Colorado River is in Texas and is the major water feature in southwestern Texas, along with its tributaries and an underground aquifer system. The trail starts out from an oversized trailhead parking lot with restrooms.  This is the Colorado Bend State Park's busiest trail so you will likely see other peo...

Accessibility gets high marks at Bastrop State Park's Tree Army trails If your once-ambulatory hiking companion ends up having to use a wheelchair then you know how difficult it is to enjoy your shared hobby of hiking in a world that's still designed mostly for walking people. National and state parks tend to cater to the those who can walk. After all, when we think about wilderness settings we seldom see images of people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters rolling through them. So, when we discovered Bastrop State Park in Texas (30.110567 -97.2930493), and its Tree Army Trails that are all solid surfaces with mostly flat elevations, we were ready to explore. Tree Army was a nickname for the Civilian Conservation Corps that did much of the work building the park , and many other public works projects in the 1930s.  A sufficiently-charged power wheelchair or mobility scooter should handle these trails well. If you are powering your own chair, or someone is pushing, you'll ...

Texas Oak Trail with Opossum Loop and Alternate return on Council Bluff Trail Lake Brownwood State Park has some scenic and challenging waterfront hikes . If you want to enjoy a variety of landscapes and trail types, look no further than the Texas Oak Trail. This 1.4 mile trek with connection to the Council Bluff Trail to take you back to the parking area at the fishing pier, provides a round trip of about 1.7 miles.  If you add a jaunt around the Opossum Loop and then do the .14 mile portion of the Texas Oak Trail two times because you have to backtrack, you get a nice 2.25 mile journey through some fascinating woods and fields. You will also do some rock scrambling and pass through some very cool rock-walled inclines. Oh, and you just might see one of those Scissor-Tailed Fly Catchers that start showing up once the mesquite trees leaf out. The most rugged portions of these combined trails are at the beginnings of the Texas Oak Trail and the Council Bluff Trail when approaching f...

Deep dive on the Nopales Ridge Trail at Lake Brownwood State Park The Nopales Ridge Loop trail at the Lake Brownwood State Park is a true gem of a trail. It offers a good long hike with a few rocky portions, a small elevation gain, some long distance views of the lake and if you go there in March and April you'll likely get treated to expansive stands of wildflowers.  In the summer months you'll find some nicely shaded spots interspersed with full sun sections. On clear winter days you will have lots of sunny trail and stands of trees and brush to provide a break from any northerly winds that might intrude. Special note for those using wheelchairs or mobility scooters. The early portions of the trail in either direction are flat and wide so if you wanted to get a little deeper into nature beyond the picnic table and bench at the trailhead, you have that option. Small stands of oak make wonderful places to sit and commune with nature. This trail gets used by mountain cyclers, ...

Hike the Dogleg Canyon Trail at Colorado Bend State Park When was the last time you took a really challenging hike where you surprised yourself at how incredibly fit you were? Well, if it's been awhile, and you are hankering for that feeling again, then consider setting out on the Cedar Chopper to Dogleg Canyon hike at Colorado Bend State Park . Unlike many hikes, on this one you go downhill first, leaving the more challenging uphill portion for later in the day when you are more tired! When you pull into the parking area (31.0426123 -98.4766015) for the Cedar Chopper Loop trail, you'll get the impression the trail is pretty tame. While that might be true for the portion of the Cedar Chopper Loop you'll use to connect to the Dogleg Canyon trail, once you've covered that initial 8/10ths of a mile, you'll get into the more challenging stuff. From the parking lot you go a tenth of a mile across grassland punctuated with junipers. At the junction to Cedar Chopper, you h...

Spicewood Springs Trail The Spicewood Springs Trail at the Colorado Bend State Park delivers a refreshing journey through crystal clear water features, rocky ridges, and quiet, secluded paths meandering through forest and canyons. On the 3.5 mile round trip, you should be prepared to do some scrambling up and down rock faces, expect to get your feet wet and be ready to backtrack when you lose the trail. Spicewood Springs trail and the Spicewood Canyon trail share the same river front access trail from the southwestern river front parking area. Access to the Spicewood Springs Trail runs along the banks of the Colorado River where you will enjoy an easy hike with intermittent shade. I was there on a clear day in late February and started my hike at about 10:30 a.m. At that time, this 1/2 mile stretch leading to the Spicewood Springs trail was a comfortable temperature. But, on the way back, it was pretty hot and with little shade for my hatless head ( I totally forgot to bring the hat)!...