South Llano River State Park, 4/3 - 4/5/15

25. Scampsite #17, we camped over Easter weekend.  We did most of the proper hiking trails, but there are many more hunter trails that we didn't do.  There are 3 birdwatching blinds, and we saw deer and rabbits, but no turkeys.  Apparently turkeys roost and breed at this park.  The river bottomlands provided a gorgeous contrast to the hilltop limestone and cedar.  The weather was grey, drizzly and chilly but still lovely.  And since it was Easter, we hid "eggs" (treats) for the dogs to find.

Scampsite #17.

Easter treat hunt.

Pioneer home.

River bottomlands.

One of the birdwatching areas.

River trail.

Lunch break near the top of the hill, Golden-cheeked Warbler Trail.

Birdwatching blind.

Buck Lake.

Junction is the nearest county seat to this park.  We have eaten at Plumley's Country Store and Cooper's BBQ, but sadly, there's not much else happening in Junction yet.  It feels like a town waiting to happen, and there's certainly potential.  Junction is the site of the legendary football camp by Bear Bryant.

San Angelo State Park, 3/19 - 21/15

24. Scampsite #15.  It was a lovely afternoon when we arrived, so we walked the nature trail nearest our site.  The next morning it started raining, but managed to hike some more trails despite it.  The lake is dry and has been for years now, and some of the trails go right through it.  Lots of red dirt and small hills.  The dam was originally built by the Army Corps of Engineers and was operated by them until 1995, when Texas Parks and Wildlife took over management.  The facilities the Army Corps built look more barracks-like than state park facilities usually do and some are locked up and decaying.  Parts of the park look "post-Apocalyptic", as Aaron said.  The bathrooms are also notably far from the campsites, again, different from State Park construction.

Scampsite #15.

Nature trail.

View of the dam.

San Angelo State Park is almost in town, which is a great little city.  It's home to San Angelo State University, the county seat, and tons of shopping, restaurants, hotels, parks, and brewery.

Update, 4/2 - 4/16: We returned to this park after Texas has had tons of rain and it was very different!  There is water in the lake now! We spent more time at the North Shore of the park, the bird blind and in town and loved the entire weekend. 

Part of the State Bison Herd.

Scampsite #10 with the lake and dam in background.  This is right across the road from the site we had in 2015.

Concho River trail.

Bird blind at sunrise.

Monahans Sandhills State Park, 3/18 - 19/15

Scampsite #25 was our final choice (first assignment was in the middle of a giant puddle).  We met our friends for some dune action, but they left shortly after we all got there.

Scampsite #25.

Scampsite #25 from the road.

We saw our first other Scamp in Texas!!!  The owner, Doug, is a scorpion biologist from Oklahoma University, studying scorpions' homing instinct. We climbed the dunes, walked to the Visitors' Center and walked the Nature Trail there.   Sunset was stunning!

Sunset in the Sandhills.

Thursday morning we woke up early enough to climb the dunes and watch a spectacular sunrise!

Sunrise in the Sandhills.

Monahans is the nearest county seat;  it is home to the 1928 Million Barrel Oil Tank and Museum.

Davis Mountains State Park, 3/16 - 3/18/15

23. Scampsite #50.  We arrived here after lunch in Balmorhea.  Our friend's family stayed in Indian Lodge, Aaron and I Scamped in the park.   Monday evening we hiked down from the top of the Scenic road with our friends.  We made shishkabobs on the campfire for dinner and baked apples on the coals.  We cooked rice in the trailer and discovered that the water in the campground made it taste odd!

View from the Scenic road trail down the canyon.

Scampsite #50.

Tuesday was drizzly and chilly, so our friends went to Marfa for the day while Aaron and I hiked the Old CCC Trail and Skyline Trail.  After our hike we met them in Ft. Davis to investigate the local shops and Aaron and I visited the inside of the gorgeous old courthouse.  We talked to the Judge, who was a real character and looked like she stepped off a movie set: plaid shirt, neckerchief, vest and cowboy hat!

At the top of the Old CCC Trail, the grill part of the stone overlook shelter, built by the CCC in the late 1930's and early 1940's.  

View of Ft. Davis from the Old CCC Trail.

We decided to go to Alpine for dinner since it was still raining, which ruled out a campfire and the Scamp isn't big enough to feed 6 people and 2 dogs!  We found an Italian restaurant, La Trattoria, and ate there.

Wednesday was still rainy and cloudy, so Aaron and I visited the bird blind, which was lovely.  The nice thing about bird blinds is that sometimes there are more-knowledgeable birders there who are happy to help my novice self!  When we all left the Davis Mountains, we headed to Monahans Sandhills State Park.

Javelina are nuisances and unafraid - this one is right next to our trailer! Gordie just about had a fit barking at it from inside! 

Balmorhea State Park, 3/15 - 3/16/15

22. Scampsite #5, we met our friends at the pool after we settled in.  The pool of course is what makes this park: upon construction by the CCC in the 1930's, it was the "world's largest spring-fed swimming pool."  San Solomon Springs pumps 23 million gallons of fresh water daily to the pool and local agriculture.

Scampsite 5.

One side of the pool.

The other side of the pool.

Aaron and his friend underwater with the fish!

After swimming, we had dinner at the Golden Goose Grill, inside a gas station.  The beer fridge was available for purchase and the food was good.  Once it got dark, we had a campfire, made s'mores and looked at the stars.  

The next morning we made breakfast, went back to the pool and had lunch at Cueva de Oso before continuing on to Davis Mountains State Park.

Balmorhea isn't really near any other towns, so it's perfect that we can camp there and spend a lot of time at the pool.  The town is very small, but the irrigation ditches from the Springs criss-cross all over town.  It really is a lovely oasis in the desert.

Pedernales Falls State Park, 2/21 - 2/22/15

21. Scampsite #64, we found hordes of Boy Scouts upon arrival again!  We arrived Saturday morning, put together lunches and set off to hike the 5.5 mile loop trail.  After that, we rested a little and then hiked to the Twin Falls Overlook.   Sunday morning we visited the bird blinds, which were fabulous, and then went to the Falls and climbed around a bit.  

Us at the top of the loop.

Scampsite #64.

Twin Falls.

Birding blind.

Pedernales Falls.

Johnson City is the nearest county seat and it's an interesting place too.  There is a burgeoning art scene, antique shops, a brewery, restaurants and coffee bar, and Lyndon B. Johnson State Park.  The courthouse is illuminated every Christmas with hundreds of lights and the local electric cooperative lights up its oak trees at the same time, making Johnson City an Illuminated Wonderland.  

Lost Maples State Natural Area, 1/17/15 - 1/19/15

20. Scampsite #21, there were troops of Boy Scouts in the campground when we arrived Saturday evening.  Sunday we hiked the East Trail, which is some of the more challenging hiking in the Texas Hill Country.  It reminded us a little of the South Rim in Big Bend.  Hilly and rocky, with amazing views.

Our nights were cold (20's in the morning), but days were perfect.  We would like to return in the fall to see the changing maple leaves and hike the West Loop trail.  Wear good hiking shoes and bring poles - hikes are steep and rugged! 

Pond from the shore.

Pond from the hiking trail above! 

We found a new winery very close to the park: Lost Maples Winery at Polvadeau Vineyards.  Their tasting room had only been open for 4 days! They grow Black Spanish grapes (Lenoir), which are well-suited to the ecology of the area and have been grown there for over 100 years.

Bandera is the nearest county seat and is worth a visit; there are shops, dance halls, and of course, a lovely old courthouse.  The roads around Lost Maples are also well-known to motorcyclists and driving clubs for their windy, hilly, picturesque experience.