A visit to any of these special places allows time and the natural world to unfold.
By E. Dan Klepper Whether you’re a novice hiker or veteran backpacker, or whether you
simply like to relax in the sun or shade, a visit to any of these
special places allows time and the natural world to unfold. Stopping
along the trail to catch your breath, admire the view, or simply watch
the migration of dawn on its way to dusk means to savor a moment in the
Texas natural world unmatched by any that may precede or follow it.
1) Guadalupe Peak
A hike up Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park offers
Texans access to the highest point in the state. Views from the top, at
8,749 feet, are stunning, particularly on bright, clear mornings. The
Guadalupe Peak Trail (8.4 miles round-trip) provides visitors with a
way to the top, but it’s a strenuous and challenging hike, even for the
physically prepared. The round-trip hike requires about six to eight
hours to complete, but the stellar vistas are worth the effort. Bring
plenty of water and avoid the peak during thunderstorms.
2) Santa Elena Canyon
Santa Elena Canyon, in Big Bend National Park, is world-renowned for
its rugged beauty and spectacular desert landscape. On an approach by
land to the remote head of Santa Elena the canyon looks as if some
great force had begun to split the planet apart. An approach by water,
either in a raft, canoe, or kayak, offers an even more dramatic view.
(Both require a several-day commitment.) The mouth of Santa Elena
Canyon, on the other hand, can be visited easily via the Santa Elena
Canyon Trail, an easy trek (1.7-miles round-trip) that hugs the bluffs
along the canyon’s mouth. The trailhead is eight miles west of Castolon
in the southwestern end of the national park. 3) Enchanted Rock
Enchanted Rock, the 425-foot-high dome that is the centerpiece of
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, is one of the largest exposed
batholiths in the country, It is a massive pink granite dome that
formed when molten rock solidified beneath the surface more than a
billion years ago. The summit of Enchanted Rock is easily accessed via
the park’s Summit Trail. The trail begins at the Westside parking area,
where it descends briefly into an arroyo before ascending quickly. Once
on top, visitors are free to roam the granite dome and explore.
4) Big Thicket
Big Thicket National Preserve represents the only protected piece of
what once was an eco-region of 3.5 million acres. Made up of nine land
units and six water corridors, Big Thicket is composed of upland
hardwood and pine forests, savannahs, flatland palmetto hardwoods,
floodplain forests, and blackwater swamps. The Pitcher Plant Trail is
ADA accessible and follows a short, raised boardwalk across a landscape
dense with pitcher plants, bluestem grasses, and other bog-loving
species, with an overstory of longleaf pines.
5) Palo Duro Canyon
At more than 100 miles long and 1,000-feet deep in places, Palo Duro
Canyon is the second largest canyon in the country. Called the “Grand
Canyon of Texas,” it was formed less than a million years ago by
erosion. A great way to see the canyon is to hike the six-mile
round-trip Lighthouse Trail. The popular trail is moderately difficult
to negotiate and crosses several arroyos where, after a wet season,
water may be flowing. The final ascent follows eroded steps up to an
odd but beautiful lighthouse formation where you can rest and ponder
the Lighthouse’s interesting natural architecture.
6) Padre Island National Seashore
Padre Island National Seashore is considered the longest undeveloped
barrier island in the world. Its vast acreage, 130,434 in all, lies
entirely within Texas. Visitors can drive to their favorite spot for
fishing or beachcombing at almost any place along this 60-mile ocean
stretch if they have a four-wheel drive vehicle. But if you wish to
avoid vehicular traffic, your best option on the national seashore is
beautiful Malaquite Beach, near the northern end of the island.
Visitors will discover an abundance of nature’s treasures including
plenty of fresh Gulf air and sand dollars along the storm-swept
beaches.
7) Caddo Lake
Caddo Lake, with its network of bayous and sloughs covering more than
26,000 acres, is the Swamp Thing’s idea of home-sweet-home. The lake’s
depth, around eight feet in the shallows and up to 20 feet in the
bayous, sports 70-plus species of fish. A visit to the lake often
begins at Caddo Lake State Park where one will find Big Cypress Bayou,
a major watershed for the lake. Just above the swamps are hardwood
bottomlands that slowly ascend to piney woods. Both Texas and Louisiana
share the Caddo Lake shoreline, where fishing guides, boat rentals,
camping, lodging, and restaurants abound.
See the full article in the September 2008 issue. Subscribe Order back issues |
