claireBGC's Logbook

Stats
Total Log Entries: 4  [List Them]  [Map Them]
Average Rating: 3point5stars (3.55)

Earliest Log Entry: 11/25/2008
Latest Log Entry: 5/20/2009

Average ratings are based on the published values and not the values entered in your own log entries.

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Log Entries
Noisy, but some good scenery
Mayfield Park [Hiking] - 5/20/2009  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 1star
Distance: 1.50 Miles Duration: N/A

Trails were easy to follow and pretty.  One trail leads up a small bluff at the edge of the property - a nice view of a creek valley and I stopped and had lunch on top of the rock.  Saw very few other people on the trails, but I could hear the peacocks (and the kids calling to the peacocks to get a response) throughout the park.  Traffic and construction on nearby houses also intruded.

sunny and pretty
Pedernales Falls - 5.5 Mile Loop [Hiking] - 5/19/2009  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 5.00 Miles Duration: N/A

We started off from the beach access point and walked along the river to the trammel crossing, instead of at the normal trailhead.  The beach is really beautiful and had some great places to just hang out.  The hike was easy once you get past the first hill, but a couple of people in the group I was in slipped on the ashpalt/gravel path in the steep parts.  There are some great views of the hill country, and some very pretty fields of wildflowers and cactus, but large parts of the trail are surrounded by cedar breaks and are just a little boring.

Overall, a nice, relaxing hike.  It was very sunny and there's very little shade on this very wide path, so we were all hot and tired by the end of it.  Looping back to the river and just cooling off and sitting in the sun was a nice way to end the day. 

Nice enough
McKinney Roughs [Hiking] - 5/18/2009  [View Log Page]
Rating: 3stars Difficulty: 2stars Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 3.50 Miles Duration: N/A

We did parts of the Woodland, Ridge, Riverside and Bluestem trails, adding up to about 3.5 miles.  There are some nice overlook points and we saw very few people.  It was somewhat muddy as it had rained just a couple of days before, but the trails were well marked and maintained for the most part.  The Colorado is not the prettiest river to hike along, but overall a good short hike.  Very shady for the most part, which would be nice in the Texas summer.

Balcones Canyonlands NWR - Doeskin Ranch [Hiking] - 11/25/2008  [View Log Page]
Rating: 5stars Difficulty: 3stars Solitude: 4stars
Distance: 4.00 Miles Duration: N/A

One of my favorite places to hike in CenTex.  I've been several times, both spring and fall.  If you go at the right time, the oaks that are sprinkled in the woodland area circling the top of the hill are a really pretty red - mid to late November.  Saw quite a few birds, too.  Most of it is unshaded, so in summer I would definitely make sure to bring a hat.