My Christmas break started off great with a backpacking trip on the Ouachita Trail through the Flatside Wilderness. The weather, trail and company were great. But things were about to change. Snow was forecast for the Ouachita's on Christmas day and so I headed back to Texas. Our forecast called for the possibility of snow flurries with no accumulation so I didn't think much about it when big fat wet flakes began to fall Christmas afternoon. The wind was furious, blowing sideways and from all directions and I listened to it well into the night. The next morning I woke to find nearly 2" on the ground...well so much for forecasts. It was fun to play in and photograph, as we don't see the white stuff much here. Emails from friends farther north in Arkansas had upwards of a foot and had no power for days as it turned out, and the very trail I'd just left likely suffered from the storm.
My plan was to be home over Christmas then head back to Arkansas the following long weekend to hike a section of the Eagle Rock Loop with friends, but after talking with the forest service, the trip had to be canceled due to snow accumulations. I was getting sick of the cold and the snow which after two days had not melted (I would not make it in the north, lol.) With no trip to look forward to and an abundance of time off, I decided to pretend to be a snowbird and head south. When all else fails over the Christmas break, south Texas can usually be counted on to be a tad warmer, and without snow. So, Friday morning I hugged the dog as I left her once again at the kennel and headed west and then south to Seminole Canyon on the Texas/Mexico border. I had never been there and had wanted to visit ever since my last trip to Big Bend. It was misting rain as I drove I-20 west and the farther I got the temperature continued to drop...I was trying to get away from bad weather, not drive into it! Finally just as the temp hit 29 I turned south and eventually it warmed and I even saw the sun after a while. It took nine hrs. to reach the park but it was well worth it. I saw Caracara along the way, which will always remind me now of a poet I know Jim Blackburn, and I enjoyed a beautiful sunset looking off toward the mountains to the west before having dinner and settling in for the night.
This area is part Edwards Plateau, part Chihuahuan Desert and part South Texas Plains, and is renowned for it's prehistoric rock art, fossils, and a more recent history of ranching, especially cattle and goats. There are two in particular, the angora goats and the Rambouillet merino sheep are abundant.
First thing the next morning I joined about 7 other folks to tour the Fate Bell Rockshelter. What an amazing place! And to think there are so many more in the canyons. Along with the rock art were several fossils, and one of the wonderful things for me about this rockshelter was an ancient mesquite tree tucked into one corner. The guide had no idea the age, but the gnarled trunk was beautiful.
The rock art style is distinctive of the Rio Grande, Pecos, and Devils River and I was told that there are more than
200 pictograph sites of this style in the area. After having lunch I headed out to hike the canyon rim. Hikers are not allowed in the actual canyon in order to preserve the fragile ecosystem and rock art. I saved a little time that afternoon to drive across the Pecos River bridge and on to Langtry, the home of Judge Roy Bean, famous (or infamous) law man. One of the highlights of the museum is one of the best cactus gardens in Texas.
I got up early the next morning and drove to Lost Maples to hike the west loop that I hadn't had time for on my last Hill Country trip. When I left the temp was 52 but it gradually started to drop and I drove north. On the short drive from Leakey to Vanderpool, which climbs over a "hill" the temp started at 39 and hit 32 at the top and of course it was raining, so I was hoping not to encounter any ice on top! Fortunately as I headed back down the temp crawled back up and by the time I set out for my hike it was 40 and the rain had stopped. The hike was 7 miles in all and there were times I hiked with my light down jacket on. The canyons were sheltered from the wind but once on top it was very cold and windy. There were still a number of folks out hiking and a few birders as well. Once again, there were fossils, and while hiking the west end loop extension I came upon two sole madrones that were just hanging on to the soil, with their characteristic flaky bark. It was like a treat for hiking the extra 2.5 miles.
After the hike I spent a few minutes with my binoculars in a bird blind, but didn't see anything spectacular so I headed to Garner SP to spend the night then headed toward San Antonio to check out Government Canyon. I'd missed this one the last trip too and it was on my "list." Driving east on 90 there were border patrol vehicles everywhere, even
driving between the highway and fence line. Our homeland security on the
job, no doubt. And of course I had to drive through the checkpoint with
its pleasant guards and drug sniffing dogs.
When I arrived at Government Canyon mid-morning on New Year's Eve the rain was light but steady. I talked with one of the staff about the possibility of hiking and was told as long as I was careful I should be fine, that the worst issue was the clay and it would make walking on the rocks dangerous. So with raingear donned and supplies for the day I headed out once again. I passed a couple of birders coming back as I was heading out, and saw a couple of mountain bikers as I was leaving my car, but aside from them I had the trail to myself all day. (Turned out there was a reason for that.)
After about 30 min. the rain stopped and I was able to remove my rain jacket. I kept on my rain pants because they helped shield my pants from the clay muck. Most of the time I could walk on rocks and gravel, but there were stretches where it was just black soil (clay) that stuck to the soles of my trailrunners like glue and I could feel the weight as I walked until I had to stop and scrape it off on a rock; an act I repeated often.
It was a cool grey day wrapped in fog that didn't lift for the entire hike. I hiked the 8 mi. round trip Joe Johnston route, taking the Overlook trail and then did a mile in and out on the Wildcat Canyon trail. I could see where others before me had also shed the clay from their shoes at intervals along the trail, but never saw a soul.
There was one area that on the trail that was thought to have been an indian midden, but unfortunately it was looted years ago. It was the only area on that trail where the oaks were covered in spanish moss. Between the mist, moss and story on the kiosk, it had an eerie feel to it, like you somehow felt it was sacred ground.
About 5 hrs. later, just as I was about to take a side trail to check out the last couple of scenic overlooks, a voice near the trailhead shouted at me to come that way, and said the trail was closed, that it had been closed for 2 hrs. My first thought was, "it's not raining"...but they gave no explanation except they would reopen when it stopped raining. Later after I'd changed clothes and washed up for lunch in the restroom I saw a sign that said "Beginning Jan 1,2013 the trail will close during any inclement weather to protect the area from erosion caused by foot and bike traffic" along with a picture of a deeply rutted mucky bike trail. Well that made more sense and I thought it was a good idea, especially considering the erosion and abuse I'd seen the day before at Lost Maples, which has been "loved to death." Even so, I regretted not getting to finish my hike.
Government Canyon, in addition to being a really cool place to hike and bike, like a lot of the Hill Country is karst topography, and protects a portion of the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone and habitat for endangered species such as the Golden-cheeked Warbler and several cave invertebrates.They actively practice conservation by collecting rainwater for landscaping and the toilets. There are solar panels that run the cistern pumps and the aerators for the composting toilets. The buildings, which are not placed over the recharge zone are insulated with with shredded, recycled blue jeans. Even the wood planks on the boardwalk are made from sustainable growth forests.
After a late lunch I headed north and arrived at my destination for the night,Guadalupe River SP, just before dark. I didn't have big hiking plans for the next day, but did want to get at least a little hike in on New Year's Day to start the year off right, and I wanted to see an old friend. It rained gently throughout the night.
First thing the next morning I unpacked my muddy hiking shoes and hiked Loop 3 in the park which at one point runs along the bluff with a view down the river valley. More black clay and muck, more mist and fog. Then down to the river for a visit. The park has one of the largest and oldest bald cypress trees
in the state, and I visit it every time I go to the park. If trees could
talk what stories it would have!
As I arrived at the river parking area a young family was getting into their car for the drive back home. The youngest, a little girl 4 or 5 years old, started crying as mom strapped her into her seat, "I don't want to go home" she cried over and over. I knew how she felt. We all want the journey to go on and on. I grew up close to the Hill Country with all its ecological wonders, and spent a lot of time enjoying her rivers,wildflowers, hills and caves. But now it was also my time for the long drive home, stop to collect the dog, greet the cat and relax for a couple of days before heading back to work until the next adventure.
There is much more information on all of these areas available on the web, just google.
More trip pics can be seen here: https://picasaweb.google.com/110332770924917579462/SeminoleCanyonSNA122912?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNvXwPHv65738AE&feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/110332770924917579462/LostMaplesWestTrail123012?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNmsqebempmuHg&feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/110332770924917579462/GovernmentCanyonSNA123112?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPW9_ZiG7vT77QE&feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/110332770924917579462/GuadalupeRiverSP1113?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOaQt6KSgNi5MQ&feat=directlink
