Exceeded my expectations
User:
batbubs - 7/19/2011
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 9.00 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 30 minutes
I was pleasantly surpised by this hike. It is true that you are within earshot of the park's roadways, and will occasionally pass through the picnic areas used by campers. However, the trail is remarkably secluded and natural. Your solitude experience will depend upon how many campers and boaters are at the park. If you go on the weekend when the weather is perfect, you can expect that you won't have so much solitude. The ability to bail-out of the trail if you have an emergency makes this a good training or beginner's hike. I hiked the entire trail from Armadillo hill to marker 14 and back. The trail guides list it as 9 miles for the loop and that felt about right. As the trail map shows, the trail is a lot of up, down, and back up. I took my time exploring fossils and the rocky shoreline. After 5 and half hours, I felt like I had a good work out. At marker 14 (Fossil Ridge), there is a large picnic area with plenty of shaded tables that are tucked into the woods. The area also has restrooms and water source. Perfect for the halfway mark. I started the hike at noon on a weekday when it was 100 (non heat index) outside. Neededless to say, I didn't encounter anyone else on the trail, and I rarely heard a car on the roadway. The heat also negated the need for any bug repellant. I didn't get a single bug bite. Most of the trail is along limestone outcrop, so you are walking on gravel and rocks for most of the trail. I couldn't imagine anyone with a bicycle or stroller on this trail, although I did spot a few tire tracks here and there. The trail had many opportunities to explore fossils and drop down to the rocky shoreline. The hike takes you right past the lake's official beach and several other access points for swiming. Bring your water shoes and swim suit in your back pack. If you are going to do this hike in the summer, bring at least 60 ounces of water with the expectation to refill with your micro filter at Fossil Ridge.
Trail is really clean and kept up.
User:
kemery - 8/21/2010
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 6.00 Miles
Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Started hike at 10:30 am. Finished at 2:00 pm. Hi temp for the day was 106. Stopped by swimming area and let wife cool off in beautiful Lake Texoma. Beach could be cleaned up a little but not to bad. Between geocache and wife taking a dip, trip took about 45 minutes longer than it could have. Been on this trail before in winter with snow on ground and lots of deer can be seen. Trail is good all year around. They do an excellent job with up keep.
User:
jeepy_girl - 4/11/2010
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.00 Miles
Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Close to Dallas, so convenience was a huge plus. Crosses the road numerous times and trail is very close to campsites & picnic areas. Saw a few people out hiking and a few bikers. LOTS of spiders and an unidentified dead animal on the trail. Also very muddy. Not too bad for a quick hike close to home.
Enjoyable Hike
User:
JamesSpangler - 11/2/2008
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 4.00 Miles
Duration: 4 hours
My family and I leisurely hiked about half of the trail. Beautiful scenery, easy to follow trail, and quite a few fossil finds. Taking frequent excursions off the trail to the shore of the lake for fossil hunting provided some challenging hiking and climbing.
Enjoyable
User:
TXSOUTHPAW - 9/24/2008
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Rating:
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 14.00 Miles
Duration: 5 hours, 45 minutes
Like many have stated before you are never more than a few feet away from the lake roads. About the time you feel that your getting into nature a truck drives by and you get a reality check. Once you get used to it you don't get too bothered. i went on a weekday so the park was not too busy. There are some great views of the lake that made the hike worthwhile. Trail was in good shape and the fee is now $3 per person.
A very fun local hike.
User:
dewgar - 1/3/2007
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Distance: 2.00 Miles
Duration: N/A
I brought 2 of my kids along for this hike. We had the whole trail to ourselves and greatly enjoyed it. The trail was in good shape and easy to follow along.
Nice for a close quick trip from Dallas.
User:
mstrunc - 5/26/2003
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Rating: N/A
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.00 Miles
Duration: N/A
Intended to do the Cross Timbers trail (or part of it) but that trail said no pets. And if Sparky doesn't get to go then Liz won't want to go and I am hiking alone!
Fairly nice little hike
User:
RLHamer - 9/8/2002
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Rating: N/A
Difficulty:
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Distance: 3.00 Miles
Duration: N/A
I found the hike over all very nice the trail was hard to find at first the trail head is between two residence and took a little finding. The trail itself was not will maintained and in several places had to move off the trail to find ways around tree falls and places were trees had been cut and left laying across the trail. The trail close to the park roads but they did not interfer to much with the sense of solitude I found on the trail. Part of this could have been the weather it was raining off and on (more on than off) and there were few people in the park. One very pleasen surpirse was seeing two white tail deer cross the trail just a couple of feet in front of us, must likely the rain was masking our scent from the deer. so we got a good look at them. Over all it was a nice hike not to far from Dallas.
A largely unsatisfying experience
User:
jschner - 8/30/2002
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Rating: N/A
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 7.00 Miles
Duration: N/A
TexasHiking.com has drastically over-rated this hike with a "Solitude" rating of "3." The trail is never more than a few feet from busy park roads and campsites. Expect unceasing vehicle, jet ski, boat, and campsite noise and no wildlife encounters. The "Difficulty" rating is accurate - you'll have to bushwhack around fallen trees and scramble in a few places where the trail disintegrates into ravines - but the park road is usually right next to the trail and often the easiest bypass. If you would like to a hike highway service road with your boombox on loud then this is the hike for you.
Not what we expected, both good and bad
User:
Austin Explorer - 7/5/2002
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Rating: N/A
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 3.50 Miles
Duration: N/A
First off, this hike produced more chiggers than any we've encountered in quite a while! The overgrown grasses gave the stinkers a perfect path to our legs. Now for the good stuff. This hike was rougher and provided far more solitude than I expected. Somehow the trail just seems to meander in such a way as to avoid too much contact with the large number of camping sites in the park. The trees provide excellent cover from the Sun and one is rewarded now and then with a great view of the lake. A pleasant surprise overall.