An easy afternoon hike
Chalk Ridge Falls Park
- 7/11/2004
[View Log Page]
Rating: N/A
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 4.00 Miles
Duration: N/A
I hiked the trail pretty much as described except for an extra loop around the falls. When you get to the falls area, the trail branches to the right & left. The left branch leads to the suspension bridge, while the right leads to a small concrete dam on the creek. You can walk across the dam, jumping over the spillway. From here the trail leads up the hill and is very steep. Eventually you get to a place where you have a good view of the falls from the other side of the creek. The trail continues on and meets the main trail near the suspension bridge. The river trail does get monotonous, but the second falls is worth it. It's only a foot or two wide, but is 10-15 feet high and very pretty. You have to cross the stream to get a good look at it. I turned around at this point figuring there wouldn't be much to see beyond this point. If you're coming from the north, exit I35 at US290 and proceed for about a mile to the FM1670 exit. Go south (you don't have any choice) and cross the dam. The park entrance is on the left just after you cross the dam.
Two nice day hikes
Meridian State Park
- 7/9/2004
[View Log Page]
Rating: N/A
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 4.00 Miles
Duration: N/A
There are two nice hikes here. The shinnery ridge trail is only about 1.5 miles through the woods. The other, the Bosque trail, is from 2.5 miles to 4 miles depending on the route. I started at the scenic overlook, which is the first stop on the one-way road, and hiked counterclockwise around the lake. The first part of the trail leads down the bluff to the edge of the lake and is fairly steep. Much of the trail is at lake-level and not too strenuous. Apparently at one time there was a bridge across the creek at the top edge of the map, but it was gone when I got there. I had to walk upstream aways to find a suitable crossing. There is a second lookout point just before you get to the primitive camping area. The end of the hike leads across the earthen dam that created the lake. Although the map shows the trail ending at the campgrounds, this area is impassible. It is necessary to turn the other way and descend into the creek area. You will want to do this anyway, because the creekbed is stunning, and invisible from anywhere else. It is easy to pick up the trail at on the other side of the creek. The extras are the Little Springs Trail and the Little Forest Junior Trail. I tried to hike the Little Springs Trail, but the trail is not well marked. I enjoyed wandering around in the area, but I was definitely not on the trail. The Little Forest Junior Trail was easier to follow. It has a short prairie section before crossing the road. Except for the dam, the rest of this hike is through forest. I made it to the first parking area OK, but I had a hard time picking up the portion of the trail that leads between the two parking areas. All-in-all, an enjoyable hike.
Cool hiking spot in the middle of Waco
Cameron Park
- 7/9/2004
[View Log Page]
Rating: N/A
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 5.00 Miles
Duration: N/A
Although a favorite spot for mountain biking, the many trails and beautiful scenery make for great hikes of many different lengths. Trails can be accessed from many different points. The main trail runs along the river, but the more interesting ones wind up and down the hillsides. There are many unofficial trails that do not appear on the map, and the map is somewhat inaccurate. Many of the unofficial trails lead to breathtaking cliff-edge views, but be warned that the cliffs are not stable and can be dangerous. The trails shown on the map are easy (the rating is for bicycles, not for feet) but some of the unofficial trails require the use of both hands and feet.
Surprising variety of terrain
Mother Neff State Park
- 7/9/2004
[View Log Page]
Rating: N/A
Difficulty:
Solitude:
Distance: 4.00 Miles
Duration: N/A
There is a surprising variety of terrain for such a small park. There are rock formations woods and prairie all in a small area. The entire park can be explored in an afternoon. The official park map has a few errors, for example, the Bluff Loop Trail is marked in the wrong place. It is actually the short loop that joins the two trails that fork away from the wash pond. The loop does not cross the stream bed as shown, but joins the main trail on the side opposite the wash pond. This is one of the prettiest stretches of trail in the park, so don't miss it. Also, the prairie trails are mowed through the grass and subject to change. The map was not too helpful with them.