Texas

Santa Elena Canyon is one of the crown jewels of Big Bend National Park, and something you surely don't want to miss if you pay the park a visit. To get here you will take the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive from Panther Junction, the park's headquarters. This drive has many pull-offs to take advantage...

About a half mile west from the Hwy 183 bridge that crosses the South Fork of the San Gabriel River lies approximately 12 dinosaur footprints embedded in the river bed. Not many people know about the dinosaur tracks just northwest of Austin in Leander, Texas. This is not a marked trail, there ar...

Witness the Milky Way in all of it's glory at Fort Griffin State Historic Site. The site offers a monthly Star & Skies of Texas viewing party and this is the only way inside of the Historic Site at night. The event itself lasts about 2-3 hours but they allow individuals to stay in the park as...

Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve is managed as part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve and consists of 227 acres of beautiful Hill Country woodlands owned jointly by Travis County (164.4 acres) and St. Edwards University (62.6 acres). Wild Basin is open to visitors who can hike the 2.5 miles of t...

To get there, first talk to park ranger at the Pine Springs Visitor Center. There is a gate that you may need to borrow a key for. You will need to actually drive out of the park to get to the gypsum dunes, leaving and heading west on 62/180 for 14 miles and then take a right (head north) on priv...

The Cathedral of Junk is a hidden gem within the Austin City Limits, actually located in the Artists backyard. Construction was started back in 1988 by Vince Hahnemann and he still continues to add to it to this day! Climb to the top of the tower to rock out on the drum set or maybe even catch a ...

The Window Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Big Bend National Park. Whether you're visiting for a day or camping at one of the sites in the park, the Window Trail is a hike worth doing, and can be done in just a couple of hours at a leisurely pace. The Window itself is a V-shaped canyon ...

Just north of 1604, off I10 is Friedrich Wilderness Park. This park, within the city limits of San Antonio, has about 10 miles of hiking trails varying from paved and appropriate for all ages and abilities, to challenging uphills and quick drop offs.This is just for pedestrian, so if you have a b...

The Monahans Sandhills are a surprise. They aren't as big as Great Sand Dunes National Park, but they are still fun for an afternoon or weekend adventure.  The State Park entrance fee is $4 per adult daily. There are sand toboggan/ disks rentals at the park's headquarters. If you are looking to s...

If you're staying at Chisos Basin, the sunset at Window View Trail is one to see. The Window View Trail is a paved, wheelchair-accessible, 0.3 mile loop that starts near the Chisos Basin Store and leads to a viewpoint. The viewpoint provides an excellent view of the desert floor framed by the Ch...

Big Bend Ranch State Park is certainly one of Texas most beautiful "hidden" gems. Boasting over 300,000 acres of wild, rugged high desert terrain, this park is an explorers paradise. Bordering the Rio Grande, the line between the US and Mexico quickly blurs by through mesas and desert peaks. Sta...

Most people don’t know that there are 8,000-foot peaks in Texas, but in the exceptionally remote southwest corner of the Lone Star State, Big Bend National Park’s Chisos Mountains soar high over the Chihuahuan Desert. The South Rim of the mountain bowl features a few backcountry sites that allow ...

Garner State Park is one of the best parks in Texas Hill Country if you are looking for some hiking with elevation. It is incredibly scenic, has plenty of campgrounds, and is also nearby to Lost Maples State Natural Area - a park very well-known for its fall foliage. If you happen to visit Garner...

Spend the day swimming and exploring or stay the night and see everything this privately owned park has to offer! From the spring fed concrete pool, to natural spring fed swimming hole, waterfall, butterfly gardens and more! Bring your tent or even your RV! They take reservations for RV hookups o...

Arbor Hills Nature Preserve is a free, fantastic get-away for a quick dose of the outdoors in the middle of the busy city. Safe and family-friendly, this preserve has a wide variety of visitors doing every type of activity, from jogging to mountain biking to drone flying. The playground sits nex...

Lost Maples State Natural Area is the go to place if you want to escape to New England-like Fall scenery in Texas, which is hard to believe for some. Tucked away deep in Hill Country near Vanderpool, TX, Lost Maples has a unique supply of Maple trees thanks to the deepness of the canyons found in...