Wimberley Texas only has a population 2839 people, but it has a fantastic park system. Wimberley was first settled in 1848 as a small unnamed trading post. In 1856 William Winters built a mill on Cypress Creek and it became known as Winter’s Mill. Pleasant Wimberley bought the mill in 1874 and expanded operations to include lumber, shingles, flour, molasses and cotton. When the Postmaster in San Marcos applied for a post office for the area, he called it “Wimberleyville”. The approved application had the name changed to Wimberley. Wimberley was a census designated place until its incorporation in 2000.
Today Wimberley is a resort city and touristy place, with quirky shops and restaurants.
So, let’s get to hiking. I started at Blue Hole. And yes, there is another Blue Hole that I wrote about in Georgetown Texas.
This Blue Hole has about 3.5 miles of trails. Unfortunately, except at the swimming area, none of those miles are on Cypress Creek and there is a fence with purple poles between the trail and the creek.
Although not particularly challenged I did my due diligence and hiked about 2.5 miles of the trails, just to see what was there. I was also looking for the trail that connects Blue Hole with the Cypress Creek Preserve.
Blue Hole’s claim to fame is its swimming, so popular that you need reservations in the summertime. The spring fed Cypress Creek has water so clear that you can see the bottom of the creek just about everywhere.
After passing by the swimming hole, I found the trail I was looking for. It appeared to be heading into a group of houses but at the last minute veered across the road and continued through a narrow field. After the houses the trail got really good.
Cypress Creek Preserve protects a narrow strip of riparian area between the cliffs of the canyon and the creek.
The trail hugged the creek for most of the way. There was also an old rock fence known as the “historic wall” along the trail for quite a way.
After the historic wall ran its course, I was in the canyon. There are buildings atop the canyon which are actually some of the shops on the edge of the downtown tourist area.
The trail ended in another Wimberley city park.
I backtracked to the car and did the short drive to Old Baldy.
Old Baldy is also known as Prayer Mountain. Those colored stones I have you wondering about from the picture above ( upper right corner)…are placed by people and have different scripture verses. Why? I don’t know but it seems to have been a cultural thing in the area for a while. At 1182 feet Old Baldy is the shorter of the two peaks that rise sharply from the surrounding area. Known as the Little Twin Sisters the other peak is just known as the Twin Sisters High Point and tops out at 1219 feet.
To call this a hike is a stretch. It is less than a half mile to the top, and it all accomplished on a limestone stairway built by the Wimberley Parks Department.
The 360 degree views were outstanding. SW was the Twin Sisters High Point.
So that’s the Wimberley three-fer! One trip three areas to hike!
Old Man Wandering 