Texas RV Travel blog

Horseback Trails

McKinney Roughs Nature Park is located about 15 miles east of Austin on Highway 71. McKinney Roughs spreads over 1,100 acres and includes horseback riding (not camping). McKinney Roughs has two equestrian trail heads. Several of the trails offer scenic overlooks, cross pine groves and grasslands, as well as offer access to the Colorado River.

Trailhead gates are opened at sunrise and closed at sunset every day to allow trail riders access to the trails during optimal riding times. Fee is $10 per rider. Equestrian passbooks can be purchased for $250, which includes 50 passes. To check if equestrian trails are open, call the 24-hour trail information hotline at 1-800-776-5272, Ext. 7427.  Link to the trail map in PDF.

BastropTexas.net has some great photographs of McKinney Roughs park.

Hiking Trails

McKinney Roughs contains the most extensive collection of hiking trails to be found in Central Texas. The official park website mentions over 15 miles of trails, with more planned in the future. $3 per person. No biking and no dogs on trails. View the details at Texas Hiking website.

Photograph from Happy Horse Hotel website. All rights reserved.

Area Campground

Happy Horse Hotel has tent and rig camping (water and electric only). There are a few openings for the May Full Moon Ride on May 16 and May 17) . $35 for each horse/rider, which will include the $5 ride ticket. The ride will last 60 to 90 minutes after mounting up, and riders must be able to comfortably trot and canter their horses, since timing is everything. Call 512-303-0589 for more details and exact times.

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Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

16710 Ranch Road 965
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(325) 247-3903

To Native Americans, Enchanted Rock was the gateway to the next world. They named it Gahe, meaning Spirit of the Mountain. Kiowas, Apaches and Comanches journeyed to Enchanted Rock to achieve enlightenment. There are some phenomena that keep the spirits of Enchanted Rock alive. Ghost lights, moaning, creaking and drumming are reported periodically by visitors to and residents of the area.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area consists of 1643+ acres on Big Sandy Creek, north of Fredericksburg, Texas, between Gillespie and Llano Counties. At the urging of Lady Bird Johnson,The Nature Conservancy of Texas purchased Enchanted Rock in 1978. In 1984, it opened under the aegis of Texas Parks and Wildlife. Enchanted Rock is a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome, that rises 425 feet above ground, 1825 feet above sea level and covers 640 acres. It is only one of many batholiths in the area and several in the park.

The islands of vegetation, called Vernal Pools, on the bare granite summit of Enchanted Rock are some of the most ecologically significant and severely threatened features of this state natural area. While in the SNA, do not disturb ANY plant or animal life, geological features, or Indian or historical artifacts. No trailers or RVs over 20 feet are allowed. Some of the camping is primitive (hike in), fires are only allowed in fire rings at each site, and wood gathering of any type is not allowed.

This is a gorgeous rock and a wonderful natural area. For an aerial or walking tour, pictures from the top, and many other pictures and information, please visit the E-rock website, maintained by an Enchanted Rock aficionado. Another website that has some wonderful photographs and useful information, please visit the Enchanted Rock page on American Southwest. Enchanted Rock is a wonderful place to learn to climb. Check the ErockOnline forum for help.

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While researching the information for the Big Bend Open Road Race, I found a wonderful tool to use to explore Big Bend. VisitBigBend.com has added an interactive map that allows you to take a virtual trip to Big Bend. There is a layer for Google Earth that you download.

However, if you do not want to download a layer for Google Earth, there are two other interactive maps you may view. These maps are annotated with photographs, points of interest, driving loops, trails and parks.

• River Road Flyby Video
• National Park Flyby Video

Over one million acres of public land in Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park offer endless opportunities for camping, hiking, mountain biking, canoing, kayaking, horseback riding and off roading. Click a link below to find out more about Big Bend activities.

• River Trips
• Backcountry Vehicle, ATV & Jeep Tours
• Horseback Trips
• Mountain Bicycles
• Hiking
• Bird Watching

RVers

Big Bend National Park has three campgrounds with paved access that are suitable for tent camping, trailers, and RVs. Campsites are $10 per night, and a small fee is charged for using the reservations system (www.ReserveUSA.com or 1-877-444-6777). Each of the three improved campgrounds has a dedicated group campsite available for reservation, for $3 per camper.

Rio Grande Village, located on the east side of the park, has the only available hook ups for RVs. No reservations taken, just register at Rio Grande Village Store. The campground has 100 sites, flush toilets, running water and a dump station.

The Basin Campground, Is rugged and hilly, most sites are unsuitable for RVs. The main road to the basin has lots of curves, and a 15% grade. Trailers over 20 feet and RVs over 24 feet are discouraged. Of 60 sites, 23 are on the reservation system.

Cottonwood Campground, on the west side of the park, is along the banks of the Rio Grande, near Castolon and convenient to Santa Elena Canyon. There is potable water pit toilets, but no dumping station. The 31 sites are open year round and are first-come, first-served basis.

Primitive Backroad Sites exist at 30 locations scattered along back roads in the park. Many of these sites require a high-clearance or 4-wheel drive vehicle to reach. Camping at these back road sites is free, but a back country permit from Park Headquarters is required.

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Bastrop and Buescher State Parks lie within the Post Oak Savannah, a mix of pine, oak, grasslands and mixed flowering plants. This diverse environment shelters wildlife including the pileated woodpecker and the endangered Houston toad.

Check the event schedule for interpretive activities including historic tours of the CCC structures, evening presentations and guided nature hikes.

Bastrop State Park-Historic CCC-built native rock cabins, lodges, freshwater swimming pool and bathhouse. Lake Bastrop offers boating, fishing, swimming and water skiing. Camp amongst the pine trees or tee off at one of the most scenic 18-hole golf courses in Central Texas. Dogs and people love the sandy, shady 7-mile long Lost Pines Trail or one of several shorter trails.

Scenic Drive-Experienced bike riders will enjoy Park Road 1C between Bastrop and Buescher State Parks. You may also drive this scenic route through the Lost Pines, a remnant of an extensive pine-oak forest covering much of Central Texas during the last ice age.

Beuscher State Park-Land contained in the original Stephen F. Austin’s grant offers historical sites found with GPS. Watch wildlife and 250 species of birds. Stocked fishing lake with non-motorized boating. Beuscher Hiking Trail is a 7.7-mile trail that follows Park Road 1C towards Bastrop SP. The easy trail is covered in pine needles and shaded most of the trail.

• Right click to download PDF of hiking trails from TPWD website
• Visit TexasHiking.com page on Bastrop SP
• Visit TexasHiking page on Beuscher State Park
• Stargaze the skies above Bastrop State Parks

Accommodations include primitive camping, cabins, lodges, RV spots and campsites. You may reserve through the ReserveAmerica system or contact the parks directly.

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We journeyed out to Lockhart State Park for two nights to see the Perseid showers. I thought we would have better luck out in the country than close to San Marcos where we live.

However, I did not count on the city lights of Lockhart being so bright, nor did I consider that the airport would have a rotating search light shining up at the sky all night long. There were just enough clouds that when the light hit them, they glowed and blocked night vision except for directly overhead.

Despite the lights, we did see a great many Perseid meteors at about 4 am on Monday morning. Not as many as I would have liked, but they were beautiful. Streaking across the sky, sometimes two at once, we were “ooohing and aaahing” for hours.

On Tuesday morning, the meteor count was less, but still amazing. Mars was bright red and rose with the meteor shower. I was hoping for the meteor- a-minute that a dark sky would show, but it was not to be.

Next time, I will just have to go west into the desert.

Tags: Perseid meteors, Mars rising, city lights, Lockhart State Park

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