RVing – Page 23 – Wandering Dawgs

Palo Duro Canyon – The Grand Canyon of Texas

April 23, 2015May 24, 2015Posted in Road Trip, RVing, State Parks, Texas, WildlifeTagged hiking, Lighthouse Hike, mule deer, Palo Duro Canyon, Texas Horned Lizard, Texas Longhorns, wild turkeys21 Comments

I was really looking forward to camping in Palo Duro Canyon. Just the idea of looking up at the canyon walls from our campsite was enough to plan our trip around a stay in the park. It was worth the two mile drive into Palo Duro Canyon down several switchbacks and a 10% grade to get to one of our most memorable campsites in all of our camping years. Our site in the Sagebrush campground had great views of the canyon and a private little sitting area behind our RV.

Known as the Grand Canyon of Texas, Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon in the United States. With 16 miles of paved roads through the canyon and miles of hiking, biking, and horse trails, there is enough to make everyone happy.

One of the most popular trails in the park is the Lighthouse Trail through the canyon for a close up look at the Lighthouse formation, the symbol of the state park. The multi-use trail is about a 6 mile round trip from the parking lot. We started out early on a cool Sunday morning and encountered cyclists, runners, and other hikers but no horses along the trail. A transplanted Georgian who now lives in Amarillo stopped to chat as we passed each other on the trail.

The trail was packed red dirt and rock but not difficult. Our plan was to go to the base of the lighthouse but when two different hikers stopped to tell us about two rattlesnakes ahead of us I was done. Henry went a little farther and tried to convince me there was no sign of them but I wouldn’t budge! I was tired and ready to head back so we turned around about .2 miles before the end of the trail. We were done for the day when we got back to the campsite and loafed the rest of the afternoon.

Starting the Lighthouse Trail

Along the Lighthouse Trail

Juniper on the trail

Is this a purple sage beside the trail?

Our first view of the lighthouse from the trail

Hoodoo on the Lighthouse Trail

The Lighthouse

Hoodoo on the Lighthouse Trail

Henry searching for rattlesnakes on the trail

Although there was no wildlife along the trail (except for the rattlesnakes we didn’t see) there was plenty of wildlife in the park. On the first afternoon I spotted a threatened Texas Horned Lizard in our campsite.

This Texas Horned Lizard ran through our campsite

This Mule Deer beside the road wasn’t afraid of me.

Wild Turkeys wandered through the campground one evening.

We took a short hike to explore the Hole In the Wall.

Hole in the Wall

Henry climbed up to explore while Blondie and I waited below

And explored the replica of a Cowboy Dugout.

There was a rainbow one afternoon.

We saw T-Bone, one of the resident Texas Longhorns in the park.

We enjoyed our stay so much I think this is now my favorite state park!

There are several campgrounds in Palo Duro Canyon State Park with backpacking, equestrian sites, tent sites, and RV sites with water and electricity.Our site in the Sagebrush Campground had large private sitting area with a covered shelter over the picnic table and a fire ring. There are hiking, biking and equestrian trails. There are also several day use picnic areas, cabins, stables with guided horseback rides, an interpretive center, and the Trading Post Restaurant and Park store. If you would like to read my detailed campground review of this park, click here.

Into the Texas Plains

April 18, 2015May 26, 2015Posted in Historic Sites, Road Trip, RV Parks, RVing, State Parks, Texas, Tourist AttractionsTagged Abilene, Buddy Holly, Buffalo Gap, Frontier Texas, Lubbock, The Crickets17 Comments

The landscape changed from vibrant green rolling hills and roads lined with bluebonnets to flat, brown plains as we drove north to the small town of Buffalo Gap where we camped at Abilene State Park. Huge buffalo herds once traveled through the area where the town is today. Many of the cattle drives also came through the area.

Visiting with my friend Tim was the highlight of the day!

We had a great visit with my high school friend Tim, a 7th generation Texan who has lived in Arlington most of his life. He picked a beautiful, sunny day to drive over to Buffalo Gap to see us.

We drove to nearby Abilene to see the western heritage exhibits at the Frontier Texas museum in Abilene. We learned a lot about the history of the area from the prehistoric days to the wild west. Everything was very well done through exhibits and two excellent films.

Outside the Frontier Texas Museum in Abilene

Buffalo Skulls

Closeup of one of the skulls

Map of Texas Cattle Trails

Buffalo Hump was the name of a fictional character in Lonesome Dove

Buffalo Weather Vanes

Giant buffalo skull at Frontier Texas

From Buffalo Gap we continued through the Texas panhandle driving through miles and miles of plains to Lubbock. Around Sweetwater we saw huge wind farms on top of the buttes and lots of oil pumps across the plains. As we approached Lubbock there were huge cotton fields on either side of the road.

The highlight of our trip to Lubbock was a visit to the Buddy Holly Center. Buddy Holly was born and raised in Lubbock and began his music career there. Two of his biggest hits with Buddy Holly and the Crickets were “That’ll be the Day” and “Oh Boy”.

Buddy’s music was a big inspiration to many of the British bands who became superstars later. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Elton John all credit Buddy Holly as a big influence in their music. The Rolling Stones first hit, “Not Fade Away”, was a Buddy Holly song.

Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. Richardson (“The Big Bopper”) died tragically in a plane crash on February 2, 1959 while touring across the Midwest. One of the members of Buddy’s touring band for the tour was Waylon Jennings. Waylon was supposed to be on the plane but gave up his seat to J.P. Richardson who had the flu.

Buddy Holly Statue and West Texas Hall of Fame

Buddy Holly

We toured the house where “That’ll be the Day” was written

McCartney Oak commemorating Sir Paul McCartney’s concert in Lubbock on October 2, 2014

Crickets Avenue in downtown Lubbock

Chopped brisket sandwich at Triple J Chop House, Lubbock

The Lubbock Railway Depot now houses art exhibits at the Buddy Holly Center

Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, Texas

To visit Abilene we stayed at Abilene State Park in Buffalo Gap. Our site was a large back in surrounded by woods with water and electric hookups, a picnic table and fire pit. Go here to read my review of this park.

To visit Lubbock we stayed at the Mesa Verde RV Park in Wolfforth. Our site was a large pull through with full hookups. The park has a swimming pool (not open when we were there), two laundries, free WiFi, two enclosed dog walks, and very nice, helpful owners. Go here to read my review of this park.

More of the beautiful Texas Hill Country around Inks Lake

April 7, 2015August 13, 2015Posted in Birds, Restaurants, Road Trip, RVing, State Parks, Sunset, Texas, Tourist Attractions, WildflowersTagged barbeque, birding, bluebonnets, Cooper's BBQ, Devil's Waterhole, Inks Lake, Llano Texas, Longhorn Caverns, Scenic drives, Texas brisket13 Comments

Bluebonnets lined the roads around Inks Lake

Inks Lake State Park in Burnet (pronounced BURN-it DERN it) was our home for the 4 nights before Easter weekend. Thanks to my friend Tim in Arlington for recommending this park.

We arrived early in the day and were able to get a beautiful waterfront site. The bad news is we would have to leave on Good Friday because the park was full for Easter weekend. I knew we would love the area when we saw bluebonnets lining the roads to the park.

Our waterfront campsite was a great place to watch ducks, geese and all the water activities. We saw people paddling canoes and kayaks, floating on tubes, and fishing from motor boats. The sunsets were gorgeous.

Mallards at Inks Lake

Dove at Inks Lake

Canada Geese at Inks Lake

Hooded Merganser at Inks Lake

Turtles on a log at Inks Lake

Sunset at Inks Lake

I love talking to locals to find out the best places to see. We stopped at Longhorn Caverns State Park one morning to ask about the tours. The ranger had seen me taking pictures of bluebonnets beside the road and he told us about a great scenic drive south of Llano. We were headed to Llano for lunch so we were off on a bluebonnet hunt after we stuffed ourselves with brisket and ribs.

Cooper's Barbeque in Llano, Texas — Cooper’s Barbeque in Llano, Texas

Indian Paintbrush

Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush along Park Road 4

Bluebonnets beside a stream

Boots and bluebonnets

Beth in the bluebonnets

One afternoon we toured nearby Longhorn Caverns. During prohibition the cavern was privately owned and the cavern was run as a honky tonk and restaurant. In one of the large rooms was a bandstand with tables set up all around. When prohibition was repealed the owner gave the land to the state of Texas.

Crystals in Longhorn Cavern

This dog was formed naturally

Longhorn Cavern

Eastern Pipistrelle bat about three inches long at Longhorn Cavern

Longhorn Cavern State Park

Built by the CCC in the 1930’s at Longhorn Cavern State Park

One morning we took a hike on the Valley Spring trail in the state park. The trail started out beside the lake and wound through the woods with wildflowers growing beneath the trees.

Blondie getting her feet wet at Inks Lake

Deil’s Waterhole on Inks Lake

Bluebonnets beside the Spring Valley trail at Inks Lake

Top of the waterfall

Beside the waterfall

Waterfall at Inks Lake

Inks Lake State Park has moved up near the top of my list of favorite state parks. Our site was a back in paved pad with water and electric hookups, a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook. We had a huge area beneath shade trees to set up our chairs and watch the world go by. There are two fishing piers, a marina and boat launch, canoe and kayak rentals, playground, camp store, and several hiking trails. Click to read my campground review of Inks Lake State Park.

Exploring the Texas Hill Country around Canyon Lake

April 5, 2015May 26, 2015Posted in COE Park, Parks, Road Trip, RVing, Sunset, Texas, Tourist Attractions, WildflowersTagged barbeque, bluebonnets, Canyon Lake, Cranes Mill, Dripping Springs, Fredericksburg, LBJ Ranch, Luckenbach, Salt Lick, Texas dance hall, Texas Hill Country, Wimberley13 Comments

There is so much to see and do in the Texas Hill Country we could have stayed a month and not seen in all. Unfortunately, we only had about two weeks to explore this beautiful area in the heart of Texas. The hill country includes San Antonio and Austin and extends west about 200 miles. Driving through the area on mostly twisting, two lane roads we saw canyons and creeks, dance halls and wineries, historic sites and ranches, quaint small towns and old homesteads, green grass and more wildflowers than I ever imagined. We dined on barbeque and schnitzel and I bought a cowboy hat!

Our first home base in the hill country was Cranes Mill, a beautiful Corps of Engineers park on Canyon Lake near New Braunfels. We enjoyed driving on the country roads to explore the area. The bluebonnets were really starting to bloom and we saw more and more each day.

The first order of business was to eat some Texas Barbeque. One of my brothers lived in San Antonio for a few years and told us not to miss the Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas. We started out our first full day in the hill country driving the back roads to have our first taste of brisket, ribs, sausage and turkey. After our delicious lunch we stopped to visit the Dr. Joseph Pound homestead. Dr. Pound and his family settled there in 1853 and raised 9 children. His descendants lived in the home continuously until 1983.

Salt Lick Barbeque

Buckboard used by the Pound family

Ball Moss on live oak at the Pound Homestead

Pound Homestead in Dripping Springs, Texas

On a beautiful sunny Friday we took a drive to Luckenbach and a winery near Fredericksburg.

Luckenbach, Texas

Luckenbach Dance Hall

Music on a sunny Friday afternoon

Down in Luckenbach, Texas, ain’t nobody feeling no pain

Luckenbach, Texas

Fat Ass Winery, Fredericksburg, Texas

We enjoyed touring the LBJ State Park and Historic Site in Stonewall. Lyndon Johnson was our 36th president and spent much of his presidency at his ranch on the Perdanales River. Adjacent to the ranch is the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, a working farm which recreates a Hill Country farm at the turn of the 20th century.

The driving tour of his ranch goes around the air strip where he would land in a small plane he called Air Force One Half because Air Force One was too large to land on the landing strip. President Johnson left the ranch to be enjoyed by all the people so there is no charge to tour the park.

Hog at the living history exhibit

Saddles at the LBJ Ranch

At the LBJ Ranch

In the show barn at the ranch

Bluebonnets on the LBJ Ranch

Air Force One was to big to land on the landing strip so he called this plane that flew him from Austin “Air Force One Half”

We also enjoyed visiting some of the towns in the area. Many of the older buildings in the hill country are made of stone because of the lack of wood for building.

Gazebo in New Braunfels, Texas

Henne Hardware in New Braunfels – since 1857

Comal County Courthouse in New Braunfels

One of the stone buildings in Fredericksburg

Home in Gruene, Texas

On a sunny Palm Sunday we strolled through the town of Gruene where we enjoyed music at one of the oldest dance halls in Texas. Our Sunday drive continued to the artistic town of Wimberley and a walk along the banks of the Cypress Creek.

Gruene Water Tower

Gruene Hall is one of the oldest dance halls in Texas

Gruene Hall on a Sunday afternoon

Totem beside Cypress Creek in Wimberley

Cypress Creek in Wimberley

While driving around we passed many interesting ranches and the Albert Dance Hall and Twin Sisters Dance Hall. Although we were still a little early to see the bluebonnets in all their glory we enjoyed seeing patches of them beside the roads.

Sculpture at the entrance to a ranch

Gotta love Texas

Bluebonnets near Stonewall, Texas

Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush

When we weren’t sightseeing we enjoyed our large lake front campsite at Crane’s Mill.

Cranes Mill Campground on Canyon Lake

We saw deer almost every day at Cranes Mill Campground

Deer, Canyon Lake

Sunset over Canyon Lake

Bluebonnets in Laredo, Texas

March 29, 2015March 29, 2015Posted in Parks, Road Trip, RVing, State Parks, Texas, WildflowersTagged bluebonnets, Lake Casa Blanca, Laredo, Texas Bluebonnets22 Comments

We hated to say goodbye to the Texas Gulf coast. Even with the overcast gray skies, fog and rain the whole time we were there we loved it. We knew we would miss the salt air and the sound of the waves from our campsite at Mustang Island but we had lots more of Texas to see.

Our journey from the Gulf took us across miles and miles of Texas to Laredo. On either side of the road were fields of cactus, mesquite and blooming Yucca plants. I spotted the tail of a wolf or coyote going into the brush on my side of the road. Henry and I both saw wild turkeys.

We arrived at Lake Casa Blanca International State Park on a beautiful, SUNNY Sunday afternoon. Finally, blue sky! The park was filled with families enjoying Sunday afternoon picnics.

Indian Blanket Flowers

Lake Casa Blanca

Lake Casa Blanca State Park

One of the goals of this trip was to see the Texas bluebonnets in bloom. The state flower of Texas, the bluebonnets usually reach their peak in late March and early April. Texas is the only place in the world where two of the bluebonnet species are found growing naturally.

We didn’t expect to see any blooms until we were farther north in Texas but Mona Liza over at Lowe’s RV Adventures had spotted bluebonnets around Lake Casa Blanca before we arrived. Thanks to her I was on the lookout and found a small patch in the campground and one of the park rangers told us about a patch near one of the picnic areas in the park. The small field was covered with bluebonnets! What an unexpected treat to see bluebonnets so early in our trip!

Texas Bluebonnets in Laredo

Bluebonnets in the campground

Texas Bluebonnets in Laredo

Bluebonnets in the campground

We spent 2 nights in Lake Casa Blanca International State Park. Our site was a paved pull through with water and electric hookups, a picnic table under a covered shelter, and a fire ring. There were willows and other trees around our site and we could see the lake through the trees. There is a boat launch, fishing pier, and many picnic areas in the park. The park is located near the loop road and close to restaurants and shopping.