Author Archives: rick0427

There really is one…what? A ROUND ROCK! Yes, and from this Round Rock, Texas gets it’s name. Post civil war, cattle drives from Texas to the railroads in Kansas became big business. Jesse Chisholm and his Lenape Indian friend Black Beaver laid out the trail north from the Red River to near Kansas City. InContinue reading “Urban Hiking-There really is one….. Chisholm Trail Crossing, Round Rock, Williamson County, Texas”

Barton Creek. Every time I tell people I like to hike they ask “Have you been to Barton Creek”. ugh! Ok Austinians it’s a nice walk, it’s not that good of a hike. A very unchallenging trail except the far end where the “Hill of Life provides some elevation gain. Otherwise it’s a flat trailContinue reading “Urban Hiking-Barton Creek Greenway, Austin, Travis County, Texas”

Balcones District Park is somewhat small and is better known for it’s public pool then it’s hiking. It is the southern terminus of the trails coming out of Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park. Quincy and I have done the paved trail from here to Walnut Creek Park but it is somewhat boring except for an abundanceContinue reading “Urban Hiking- The Unexpected Waterfall-Balcones District Park, Austin, Travis County, Texas”

Finally mountains! And mostly desert. All I can say is WOW! WOW! WOW! Big Bend is one of the most amazing places in the United States. From the flat desert the Chisos Mountains rise to over 7800 feet. The Chisos are the only mountain range entirely within a single national park. We started our tripContinue reading “Big Bend National Park, Terlingua, Brewster County, Texas”

Government Canyon is right outside the City of San Antonio. San Antonio gets some of it’s water from the Edwards Aquifer and Government Canyon sits right on top of a big section of it. This is for protection from development and to preserve the history and another item in the park. Nate is coming toContinue reading “Government Canyon State Natural Area, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas”

Always , always I am looking for elevation. Someone told me that Hill Country State Natural Area had the best views outside of Big Bend. I looked at the maps of the area and found that the hills here reached up to 2000 feet. Ah Yeah, this is more what I am looking for. IContinue reading “Hill Country State Natural Area- Tarpley, Bandera County, Texas”

One of the Hill Country’s most beautiful areas is Pedernales (pur-de-nal-iss)( another Texas pronunciation that makes no sense), Falls. It can also be one of the most dangerous! The Pedernales River runs 106 miles, rising near Junction Texas flowing to the Colorado River at Lake Travis. The Pedernales is hyper prone to flooding, rising toContinue reading “Pedernales Falls State Park, Johnson City, Blanco County, Texas”

All hikers kind of develop their go to place or “home park” so to speak. I have three Dana Peak, a Corp of Engineers park at Stillhouse Hollow Lake, Lake Georgetown which I have written about earlier and Inks Lake State Park. all are about an hour or less from the house so I getContinue reading “Gneiss Place, Inks Lake State Park, Burnet, Burnet County, Texas- Part 1”

One doesn’t think of race horses in 1840 but that was exactly what transpired on the land owned by Thomas Freeman McKinney. McKinney Falls are just not gorgeous but this area is steeped in Texas history. On the sign it also reads “Camino Real de los Tejas.” The Camino Real de los Tejas translated meansContinue reading “Raising race horses in 1840?…. it happened here…. McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, Travis County, Texas”

If you have been to the homepage of my site you have seen a picture of a nice hill by a pretty lake. That is one of the Twin Peaks at Dana Peak Park at Stillhouse Hollow Lake. This is an outstanding hiking venue. You can get an ample amount of miles, there are threeContinue reading “Hills, Desert and Prairie, Dana Peak Park at Stillhouse Hollow Lake, Harker Heights, Bell County, Texas”