Author Archives: rick0427

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”

Lake Granger, the one that no one really wanted but the one the government was determined to build. In my story in the last post I talked about the book I read on the history of the San Gabriel River dams. Well here at Granger, just above Laneport is Lake Granger. So I figured I’dContinue reading “San Gabriel River Lakes- The Bridges of Madis….er Williamson County and the Comanche Bluff Trail- Granger Lake, Granger, Williamson County, Texas”

One of my go to places when I don’t have a reservation is Lake Georgetown. A reservation you say? Yes. In Texas it is advisable to get an online reservation to visit most state parks. Texas State Parks all have a fee for entry and a capacity limit, so the good ones fill up quickly,Continue reading “San Gabriel River Lakes-Lake Georgetown and Crockett Falls, Georgetown, Williamson County, Tejas Camp-Leander, Williamson County, Texas.”

Moved to Texas in the Fall of 2018. The hiking here is…. let’s say different. It’s hot. There is little to no shade in most areas. But the state has it’s own type of beauty. And I am talking about Canyons not Mountains. We have lived here for about three weeks but with all theContinue reading “Ah! Finally Hiking in Texas, Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, Bertram, Burnet County, Texas”

One last place before I move on to Texas. For a quick hike early before work or late after getting off, I loved my hometown hiking venue, Clemmons State Forest. It was hilly, the trails were good ,about 5 miles worth, I knew it like the back of my hand and it was close onlyContinue reading “Clemmons State Forest, Clayton NC”

After our trip on the Appalachian Trail in 2018 we went to the Cullasaja Gorge and the Great Smokie Mountains. Refresher: in 2018 I planned a trip to hike on the Appalachian Trail. This was my goal when I renewed my interest in hiking. My sister from Montana and my niece and her boyfriend cameContinue reading “Mountains and Waterfalls, Cullasaja Gorge and Hiking the Great Smokie Mountains-2018”

My last hike in North Carolina was the Standing Indian Loop in the Nantahala National Forest. Standing Indian? Yes, Standing Indian. It’s the name of a couple things in the far south western corner of North Carolina. A very nice campground and a rather large mountain. A place I know my wife got tired ofContinue reading “Standing Indian Loop, Franklin NC”

The last leaf peeping episode for a while. I promise. Some friends wanted to go leaf peeping with us. It was pretty last minute so I got a cabin near West Jefferson instead of the Smokies. Why, well it was closer and they left a few days before us. Mt Jefferson made for a perfectContinue reading “Leaf Peeping in the High Country-West Jefferson NC-2017”