learning about texas hiking (San Antonio, Austin: house, scorpions, high school)

[jbgreg]

I'm moving to the Austin area next spring (yes I'm another transplant) and I want to start learning how to hike there, so to speak. I currently live in Vermont and all of my hiking is done in either the Green or Adirondack Mountains. The only things I really have to watch out for are black flies, mosquitos, the occasional moose and threat of a black bear. What are some of the things I need to plan on encountering while in Texas backcountry? I know nothing about snakes or spiders, and have no idea what other types of wildlife I might run into.

Also, are there alot of backcountry opportunities within a 2 hour drive of Austin? I don't really campgrounds, and prefer to do extended trips where I don't sleep in the same place twice.

[neddy]

Go to the Texas Parks and wildlife website.Besides the Big Bend area of Texas, I am not real sure of any really long, never sleep in the same place twice type of hikes. Hopefully, someone can help ya.

[texastrigirl]

No "real" hiking in Austin or anywhere near it. Big Bend has "real" hiking but is a heckuva long way from Austin. We moved to TX from Colorado and are now in Seattle so those are my comparison points. We spent a lot of time hiking in the Austin area. Getting outside was better than not at all but now that I have real hiking within 10 minutes of my house, I realize what I was missing. Barton Creek Greenbelt has the better hikes in the Austin area and Enchanted Rock is not far away (just under 2 hrs). There is likely some hiking in the Bandera area of San Antonio as well. Hamilton Pool is another hiking area...by no means are any of these comparable to what you have in VT or I have in WA but for TX, they are pretty good. That being said, water sports are great in Austin, the biking is interesting and the sailing is good in the winter months. You might get invested in some new activities?

[texastrigirl]

Also, you will have to watch for poisonous snakes and scorpions. Most trail heads are marked with varieties of snakes to watch for - coppers, rattlers and corals to be more specific. I am missing one I know but can't remember it? Maybe water moccasins? No bears though! Now that has been something new in WA that I didn't have to deal with in TX. We are always getting letters home from school about black bear sightings or cougars, bobcats, etc. In Austin schools, they teach kids about not touching snakes until they have checked with a grownup. There is no where that I can think of where you can do the kind of camping you are asking about. I know because my husband whined about that very fact for 12 years in TX and eventually made me move from my beloved Austin with that as one of his reasons. Personally if you do the campground route, we loved taking our kids to Bastrop to camp. Pedernales Falls is also okay. Good luck. And don't get too hung up on it. Ausitn is a really great town otherwise. It is just a different kind of outdoors like than you have now.

[twange]

The Bandera area is very nice. Spent a few days there last year. While not really a "backpacking" area, their campsites are primitive as it's not a state park but a "natural area". If you go during the week you probably won't see anyone. Inks Lake area is nice too.

There's a lot of nice hiking opportunities in the Hill Country. Don't compare it to Vermont or Colorado or Washington or places like that...it's called the "Hill Country" for a reason. Rugged but not overly dramatic. Great terrain to hike, car-camp, trail run and mountain bike. But for real backpacking, I would head to West Texas(or even NM). Lots to do out there. 8hrs+ drive, but this is Texas, that ain't sh*t

Just for the record, I've backpacked all over the country, including your beautiful Green State and I find the Hill Country to be very beautiful. I keep trying to think of what it reminds me of but I think it's just its own thing.

In fact, Vermont was my very first pack trip! Just out of High School, with three buddies hangin' out on Mt. Mansfield.

Good times!

[another_hot-day]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

No "real" hiking in Austin or anywhere near it. Big Bend has "real" hiking but is a heckuva long way from Austin.

Agreed.

[dfarmer002]

As said, there is no real hiking more like nice half day strolls. That said, there is some very pretty oak woodlands with limestone canyons and gottos to be seen on many of those strolls. Having moved from so cal we are most certainly missing the idea of jumping into a natioanl forest and having essentially unlimited mileage available.

As to the mosquitos, they are there and you will get bites..period.

And the heat and humidity doesnt aid in the strolling much either during a large portion of the year

[another_hot-day]

Originally Posted by dfarmer002

And the heat and humidity doesnt aid in the strolling much either during a large portion of the year

TRUE! We often look for trails near a lake, creek, spring, etc... Otherwise it can get miserable.

[Trainwreck20]

There used to be (maybe still is?) a fairly nice hiking trail around Lake Georgetown. The whole loop was 16 miles, and there used to be a camping spot out there about halfway. Didn't used to be much traffic at all out around the lake, and still pretty densely wooded around the trail. Not sure if all that is still true, though, it has been many years.

[300zxtwinturbo]

Im a native texas to and the unfortunate fact about texas is that you have to drive, but if your willing to make it a 3 day trip theres some great hiking within a day's trip of austin, or even houston for that matter, from about 9 hours from my house in houston is the scenary below.


big bend national park


davis mountains somewhere around 8,000 feet, west texas


view from guadalupe peak