Texas

The trail up is a combination of manmade and natural stairs that take you up to the top. At the summit, you will find beautiful views of the area, and a pavilion where you can have a picnic lunch. To head back down by a different route, continue on the northern trail, which will take you past more s...

Hamilton Pool Preserve, about a 45 minute drive from Austin, TX, is one of the most beautiful places to spend a hot, Texas afternoon. A short hike from the parking lot through a wooded forest opens up onto a scenic, natural pool. The small beach to one side is usually dotted with sunbathers and picn...

Cedar Hill State Park and Joe Pool Lake are located just outside of Downtown Dallas. While Joe Pool Lake has many access points, I prefer the picnic area I marked on the map. From this side of the lake you can watch the sunset drastically over a completely flat horizon, and if there are clouds you c...

Sculpture Falls is a hidden gem that is part of the 7.9 mile long Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin. It's considered an urban oasis and is part of the Edwards Aquifer making the water temperatures in the summer about 70 degrees, and is a perfect way to cool off in the Texas heat! To find the trailhea...

Memorial Park is a hub for Houstonians looking to escape that busy day-to-day urban rush. With a 3 mile running loop and 10 miles worth of multi-use trails to offer, the park does tend to get pretty busy, however it is rare that you would not be able to find parking on any given day. The best trails...

Jacob's well is a 12 foot opening that goes 23 feet deep in a riverbed in central Texas and makes for an awesome spot to escape the summer heat. Once you reach the parking lot there are signs that direct you on the very shot walk to the riverbed. The underwater cave is situated below a rock face whi...

Hubbard City Lakes Park is located about two miles south of the town center of Hubbard off of Highway 31. If you're heading south on 31 you'll make a right on to Country Road 3360 (and if you're heading north you'll make a left). It will be a dirt road, but I took my VW wagon on it so most cars shou...

Gorman Falls is truly a gem of the Texas Hill Country. This waterfall is situated in Colorado Bend State Park, one of the most diverse state parks in the area, and is what is considered a "living" waterfall. While most waterfalls will get smaller over time, Gorman Falls gets bigger. This is due to t...

To start this trail you'll enter Caddo Lake State Park located on Park Road 2, Karnack, Texas. Immediately after turning into the entrance, you'll see the park headquarters where the park rangers will get you set up with a key to a canoe. You'll drive to Saw Mill Pond after that to find a small cabi...

West Peak is situated in the beautiful Hill Country State Natural Area which is located near the popular Lost Maples and Garner state parks. The scenic overlook located on this peak gives an unparalleled view of the Hill Country Valley and definitely worth the hike if you're in the area. Once you've...

Caprock Canyon State Park is equipped with two primitive campgrounds: North Prong and South Prong. These campgrounds are equipped with pit toilets as seen in the above photos. For camping at the North Prong Primitive Campsite, the hike from the parking lot to the campsite is 1.25 miles. The hiking t...

Once inside the park, you can't miss either parking lots that are surrounded by picnic tables and well marked signs pointing towards the trails. There are also some public restrooms and a truck with some snacks. Once geared up, head straight towards the Summit Trail and begin your adventure! The tra...

Pedernales Falls drops 50 feet in elevation over 3,000 feet of titled, layered steps of limestone along the Pedernales River in Blanco County. In order to reach the falls you must enter Pedernales Falls State Park and follow the park road until the very end. There you'll find a parking lot and it's ...

If you're looking for excellent views of hill country, the skyline, or just an awesome place to watch the sunset this is the place to be. If you're heading southbound from 183 on 360 just before you reach the bridge there will be a dirt parking lot on your right. There are trailheads on the eastside...

Enchanted Rock is one of the most popular destinations in Texas, but if you want to enhance your experience at this treasured site, I suggested primitive camping at Moss Lake. The majority of the campsites are drive-up or walk-in and become overcrowded, especially on the weekends. Moss Lake is the f...

This hike is not for the faint of heart or the out of shape. Bolstering 2000ft of elevation gain over 10 miles of rough terrain, this hike will challenge you but grant you an immense reward if you can persevere. Make sure you've packed plenty of water. There are NO backcountry water supply points so...