Lost maples state park full#

Unfortunately, clouds soon arrived after dark making the anticipated Orion meteor shower unobservable.

Lost maples state park full#

The full moon rose hazily on the opposite horizon while I settled down to enjoy a brief fire before turning in. I finished my dinner to a stunning pink-orange sunset. However, by evening the winds had calmed somewhat making it a little easier for dinner prep. So, I managed to burn about four hours of daylight round-trip from my constant stop and starts investigating the local flora and fauna along the way! The day had been blustery with some wind gusts up to 20 mph. Of course a one-mile hike doesn't take most folks very long. Reluctantly, I picked up my backpack and set out for the return hike back to camp. No matter how hard I wished, he didn't surface for a good photo op. I've read they can stay underwater for at least an hour.

When I didn't cooperate, he lost interest and moved away slowly. I swear he stared at me as if I was a tasty morsel about to drop into the water for him. So, I eventually gave up and just enjoyed his company. I tried to get some photos, but the water's reflection and ripples prevented me from getting any good ones. The snapping turtle and I stared at each other for a good 15 minutes. It was a large alligator snapping turtle! The bank was a little steep, so I cautiously sat on the ground and scooted closer to the water's edge. That's when I noticed something staring intently at me from under the water. My perch, however, was just above a very clear area, allowing me to see to the rocky bottom. The opposite side of the pond had a layer of thick algae, and I could see the trails left by the turtles as they swam through it. I spent the the better part of an hour just watching several red-eared slider turtles glide through and under the water. I offloaded my backpack and climbed up on the table top and sat looking out over the water. I managed to score a nice table in a less-populated area at the beginning of the West Trail intersection. However, most of the area was roped off to reduce negative ecosystem impact from foot traffic. One side of the pond has a scattering of picnic tables with plenty of shade. After meandering along, I finally arrived at the pond and day-use area. The elevation changes aren't too dramatic, but the trail does have a bit of loose rocks in some areas forcing hikers to pay closer attention. There are a couple of water crossings with helpful stepping stones and a nice shaded bench about halfway in. The East-West Trail is a leisurely hike that runs along one of the tributaries that feeds the Sabinal River and is filled with beautiful grasses and shade trees along the way. It leads to the day-use pond area and from which the more challenging East or West Trail loops are accessed. So, I changed course and chose to hike the short one-mile East-West Trail that begins near the bird blind and overflow parking area. I reasoned by the crowds in the day-use area that the East Trail would be crowded too. As I walked to the parking lot for the East Trail, I saw that it was full. By that afternoon, the park had become quite busy.

I spent the morning of my first full day being lazy and just hanging around camp. By the way, if you've ever been charged by a tarantula, you'll never forget it. I kept a careful watch for cars while also doing my best to avoid stepping on several tarantulas when the autos forced me into the grassy areas. It would allow walkers to more safely appreciate the beauty along the park road. Perhaps someday the park might create a designated path for those people who want to walk from the campground to the trailheads. Vehicular traffic doesn't always keep to the posted speed limit. Unfortunately, there is no pedestrian path along a large stretch of the road, so you walk it at your own risk. On my first afternoon's outing, I wandered along the paved park road between the first river crossing and the bird-blind area. This trip, I planned to stay at the lower elevations.

However, a large portion of the trails are rather challenging as they twist and turn through riverbed rocks and climb up steeply to several overlooks with one perched above a 2,200 foot cliff. That may not seem like a great distance when compared to some of our other parks. Lost Maples SNA has over 10 miles of hiking trails.