Take a Hike
Presenting the TOP TEN trails across the state— plus TWENTY more great routes— covering everything from the Chisos Mountains to the Big Thicket. So grab your backpack, your boots, and your sense of adventure and…
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It’s a crash course in the wild, writhing, cannibalistic aliveness of nature in the raw, and on a recent visit, I was both awed by the flora and cowed by the fauna. Mosquitoes hovered in Starfleet battle formation, waiting for me to take the slightest pause; huge golden orb spiders had built their webs right at mouth level; and underfoot tiny toads (smaller than a fingernail) and miniature snakes hopped and slithered out of the way as I walked by, dripping with sweat. Despite the discomfort and the ick factor, this short hike was one of my favorites, especially since I had taken the time to study the exhibits in the visitors center. It’s amazingly satisfying to know the name of what you are staring at.
Twenty More Great Routes
Barton Creek Greenbelt
LOCATION: Austin
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Numerous access points around Town Lake include Camp Craft Road, Loop 360, and Spyglass Drive.
DISTANCE: 7 miles on multiple trails
FEE OR FREE: Free
CAUTION: Watch out for the gung ho bicyclists.
TRAIL MAP
EIGHT HUNDRED ACRES of greenery make an idyllic retreat for hikers, bikers, kayakers, swimmers, and sunbathers for whom this is no escape from city life—it is city life. For that, residents say, “Amen, brother.”
Bentsen–Rio Grande Valley State Park
LOCATION: 5 miles southwest of Mission on Bentsen Palm Drive
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Trails begin at various points on Park Road 43.
DISTANCE: 4 miles on multiple trails
FEE OR FREE: $5
CAUTION: None
TRAIL MAP
THE WORLD BIRDING CENTER does indeed attract (human) visitors from all over the world, who flock here to see both indigenous avian rarities and their friends from over the border. Join the Hawk Watch in October to see migrators such as Swainson’s hawks and Mississippi kites.
Bush Mountain
LOCATION: Guadalupe Mountains National Park, 110 miles east of El Paso on U.S. 62/180
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Trails begin in the RV parking area next to the Pine Springs campground at park headquarters.
DISTANCE: 17 miles round-trip
FEE OR FREE: $3 park entrance fee (good for seven days)
CAUTION: Watch for high winds and winter storms.
TRAIL MAP
ANOTHER WONDERFUL HIKE in the Guadalupe Mountains, although the strenuous ascent from Pine Springs and the high altitude—much of the route is above eight thousand feet—make this a no-no for beginners. Experience is rewarded with unbelievable views and, most likely, complete solitude. A must for serious Texas hikers.
Canyon of the Eagles Lodge and Nature Park
LOCATION: Lake Buchanan, outside Burnet on FM 2341
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Trailheads are along the paved road through the park.
DISTANCE: 14 miles on multiple trails
FEE OR FREE: $5
CAUTION: None
NO MAP AVAILABLE
WANDER FOR HOURS around a network of trails that ranges from the lakeshore up to 1,100 feet (you’ll never get lost, thanks to the sturdy and accurate trail maps that the lodge provides). Bald eagles nest here, joining the Hill Country’s two most famous endangered species, the black-capped vireo and the golden-cheeked warbler, so bring your binoculars.
Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway
LOCATION: Quitaque, 3.5 miles north of Texas Highway 86 on FM 1065
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Park trails and the trailway have numerous access points; maps are available at texasmonthly.com/hiking.
DISTANCE: More than 90 miles on multiple trails
FEE OR FREE: $3
CAUTION: Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
TRAIL MAPS: Park Trailway
WHAT A BOUNTY! Some 30 miles of trails (a few are still under construction) in the park as well as the 64-mile trailway make for a hiking paradise. In the park, the 7-mile Upper Canyon trail is the best (but toughest), with spectacular views of the red rock formations, and Eagle Point trail is a great choice for the less experienced hiker.
Cibolo Wilderness Trail
LOCATION: Boerne City Park, off Texas Highway 46 on City Park Road
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Follow signs to the trail and park at the pavilion.
DISTANCE: 3.5 miles
FEE OR FREE: Free
CAUTION: None
TRAIL MAP
TUCKED AWAY in the back end of Boerne City Park, this trail is a forgotten gem where you can find tranquillity while you rest under tall cypress trees near beautiful Cibolo Creek.
City of Denton Greenbelt
LOCATION: East of Denton between Lake Ray Roberts and Lake Lewisville
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Access from Elm Fork Park on FM 455, City Park on FM 428, and Greenbelt Corridor Park on U.S. 380
DISTANCE: 10 miles one way
FEE OR FREE: Free
CAUTION: None
NO MAP AVAILABLE
THIS FLAT PAVED trail shadows the Elm Fork of the Trinity River between the two lakes and passes underneath the cottonwoods and other tall hardwood trees that flourish in the river bottoms. A nice shady walk on a summer afternoon.
Davis Mountains State Park to Fort Davis National Historic Site
LOCATION: Davis Mountains State Park, 1 mile north of Fort Davis on Texas Highway 118
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Trails begin on Park Road 3A (Skyline Drive).
DISTANCE: 7.5 miles round-trip
FEE OR FREE: $3 entrance fee for the state park, $3 for the historic site (good for seven days)
CAUTION: Be aware of some steep, rocky sections.
TRAIL MAP
A LOVELY HIKE from the state park into Fort Davis takes you over high grasslands, rocky juniper, and oak-covered slopes on your way to the beautifully preserved fort. Stop at the highest point to enjoy the view of Fort Davis and the Chihuahuan Desert.
Lake Mineral Wells State Park
LOCATION: 4 miles east of Mineral Wells on U.S. 180
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: From park headquarters, turn left across the spillway, then take another left to the parking lot by the Cross Timbers camping area.
DISTANCE: 5-mile loop
FEE OR FREE: $5
CAUTION: None
TRAIL MAP
AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED in cowboy country, most of the trails in the park carry a good amount of horse traffic, but the route out to the backcountry camping area is for hikers only and makes a beautiful evening stroll as the sun goes down. You scramble over rocky terrain through a bantam oak forest for the first half mile before the trail leaves the lake behind and continues through grassy clearings to the camp site.
Lake Somerville Trailway
LOCATION: Lake Somerville State Park, outside Somerville
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: The trailway links the Nails Creek and Birch Creek units of the state park. Nails Creek: From Giddings, take U.S. 290 east for 6 miles, then turn north on FM 180 and proceed to the park. Birch Creek: From Somerville, take Texas Highway 36 north for 4 miles, turn west on FM 60 for 7.6 miles, then turn left on Park Road 57.
DISTANCE: 13 miles one way
FEE OR FREE: $3
CAUTION: None
TRAIL MAP
OPEN TO MOUNTAIN bikers and horseback riders as well as hikers, the sandy trail makes a loop round Lake Somerville through shady post oak and hickory forests. Look for bright red berries on female yaupon holly trees. Various loops and spurs allow you to customize the route, with the circumnavigation of Flag Pond a popular choice when starting from Nails Creek.
McKinney Roughs Nature Park
LOCATION: 8.4 miles west of Bastrop on Texas Highway 71
DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD: Trails start near the visitors center.
DISTANCE: 16 miles on multiple trails
FEE OR FREE: $3
CAUTION: The trails are long and rugged, so know your limits.
TRAIL MAP
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