Saddleback Butte State Park: Little Butte Loop (Blog Hike #992)

Trails: Little Butte, Saddleback Butte Peak, and Dowen Nature Trails
Hike Location: Saddleback Butte State Park
Geographic Location: east of Lancaster, CA (34.68894, -117.82352)
Length: 4 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A loop hike to the summit of Little Butte.
Park Information: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=618
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=955965
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 21, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: From downtown Lancaster, take Avenue J east 18 miles to the entrance for Saddleback Butte State Park's day-use area on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and park near the signed trailhead for the Dowen Nature Trail on the south side of the Saddleback Butte Picnic Area.

The hike: Anchoring the southwest corner of western North America's vast Great Basin, the Antelope Valley comprises 2200 square miles bounded by the San Gabriel Mountains to the south, the Sierra Paloma Mountains to the west, the Tehachapi Mountains to the northwest, and the Mojave Desert to the east.  The high valley gets its name from the large number of pronghorns that used to roam this area.  Unfortunately, few pronghorn live in Antelope Valley today: most of them got killed by hunters, died of starvation, or moved to the Central Valley in the 1880's.

            Rising to an elevation of 3651 feet, Saddleback Butte stands prominently over the east end of the Antelope Valley.  Interestingly, the 2955 acre Saddleback Butte State Park was established in 1960 not to protect its namesake butte but to protect the Joshua Tree desert habitat around the butte's base.  The lightly developed park offers only a primitive campground, some picnic areas, and several hiking trails.

            The park's most famous trail leads to the Saddleback Butte's summit, which offers commanding views of the surrounding desert and of the San Gabriel Mountains to the south.  I came here on a chilly morning in mid-February with a long afternoon drive ahead of me, so I did not have time to make the steep, difficult climb to the butte's summit.  Thus, as a consolation prize I chose to do a loop hike that features Little Butte, a prominent sub-peak of Saddleback Butte that features excellent desert scenery.

Trailhead at picnic area

            From the signed trailhead in the picnic area, head south on the concrete ADA-accessible Dowen Nature Trail.  In only a couple hundred feet, you reach a trail intersection.  Turn left to leave the concrete and begin the Little Butte Trail.  Lined with small boulders on either side, the Little Butte Trail heads east with Saddleback Butte visible in the distance.

Starting the Little Butte Trail, Saddleback Butte in distance

            At 0.1 miles, you reach the gravel park road that connects the park's day-use area and campground.  We will eventually return on the road going right, but for now continue straight to remain on the Little Butte Trail, thus going clockwise around this loop.  The trail dips to cross a small wash before beginning a gradual climb.  The desert scenery here includes some impressive Joshua Trees, and I saw some coyote tracks in the soft dirt under my feet.

Joshua Trees

            1 mile into the hike, a short moderate climb brings you to the summit of Little Butte.  Little Butte is a rocky point that stands several feet above its immediate surroundings, so even though Saddleback Butte towers over you to the east, the views from Little Butte are quite good.  The seemingly flat desert floor extends for many miles to the mountains, which were snow-dusted on my visit.  I enjoyed the views from Little Butte, and it makes a nice consolation prize for hikers unable to climb the larger Saddleback Butte.

View west from Little Butte

View south from Little Butte

            Past Little Butte, the Little Butte Trail curves south and continues its gradual climb.  At 1.5 miles, you reach the upper end of the Little Butte Trail at its intersection with the Saddleback Butte Peak Trail.  The trail going left is the one that leads to the summit of Saddleback Butte, but this hike turns right to continue our loop and head for the park's campground.

Hiking toward the campground

            Going this direction the Saddleback Butte Peak Trail is a wide, easy, downhill glide with all of Antelope Valley extending before you.  At 2.5 miles, you reach the park's campground.  Angle right to walk through the campground.  Only 1 campsite was occupied when I came here, and the numerous picnic tables make nice places to sit and rest before beginning the final leg of the hike.

Resting at the campground, Saddleback Butte in the background

            Exit the campground to the north on the gated gravel road that connects the campground and day-use area.  The gravel road is a gradual climb that is as easy as it is uneventful.  At 3.3 miles, you return to the Little Butte Trail and close the loop.  Turn left to return to the Dowen Nature Trail, or continue straight to follow the road back to the picnic area.

Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park

            To add a little more distance, you can hike the rest of the Dowen Nature Trail, which is a fairly flat loop past nice Joshua Trees and good interpretive signs.  Also, while you are in the area, be sure to stop at the nearby Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park, which offers free admission if you produce an entrance permit from this park dated the same day.  The museum occupies an interesting building with many exhibits from ancient local cultures, and it also has a 0.3 mile nature trail with good interpretive signs.

San Bernardino National Forest: Mormon Rocks Interpretive Trail (Blog Hike #991)

Trail: Mormon Rocks Interpretive Trail (Trail #6W04)
Hike Location: San Bernardino National Forest
Geographic Location: southwest of Victorville, CA (34.31755, -117.50088)
Length: 1 mile
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A loop hike with good Mormon Rocks views.
Trail Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/recarea/?recid=26543
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=955772
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming December 10)

Directions to the trailhead: On Cajon Pass in southern California, take I-15 to SR 138 (exit 131).  Exit and go west on SR 138.  Drive SR 138 west 1.4 miles to the signed Mormon Rocks parking area on the left.  Turn left and park in the gravel parking area on the left.  Do NOT park in the paved parking lot in front of the firehouse; it is reserved for the firefighters that live and work there.

The hike: Jutting out from the south side of Cajon Pass, Mormon Rocks have marked the west end of the Mojave Desert for over a century.  Historic US 66 passed the rocks only a few miles from its western terminus, and the rocks get their name from Mormon pioneers who camped in this area during the mid 1800's.  Made of sandstone that was uplifted by a subfault of the famous San Andreas Fault, the rocks today tower more than 200 feet over I-15 and SR 138.

            A roadside parking area lets motorists walk to the base of Mormon Rocks, but to get a more expansive view of the rocks, you will need to hike the 1 mile loop trail described here.  This trail was built by the Forest Service fire engine crew in 1975, so you can thank a firefighter while you hike this narrow but well-constructed trail.  I had a great short hike when I came here on a chilly Wednesday afternoon in early February.

Mormon Rocks Trailhead

            To begin a clockwise journey around the loop, head east through a gap in the metal-pole fence on a single-track dirt and rock trail.  The trailhead is marked only by a wooden post with a sign warning that the parking lot gate closes at 4pm.  Very quickly the trail begins climbing, using some switchbacks to moderate the grade.  You walk past some of the smaller Mormon Rocks in this area, but the big rocks lie across the road to the north.

Small rocks south of SR 138

            At 0.25 miles, the trail angles right and flattens to commence a sidehill course.  Good views of the larger rocks to the north and east can be seen now, and higher snow-dusted mountains to the west made for a fantastic scene on my visit.  The same "pineapple express" storm system that deposited that snow days before I arrived deposited plenty of water at this elevation, and I had to step over or through several wet areas on my hike.

Main view of Mormon Rocks

Snow-dusted mountains to the west

            After a short fairly level area, the trail climbs again to reach its highest point near 0.6 miles.  The difference between maximum and minimum elevation on this trail is about 200 feet, so the climb is over rather quickly.  The highest point sits on a knife-edge ridge that offers fantastic views in all directions.  There are no trees but plenty of grasses and low shrubs on this hillside.  A few interpretive signs are present but not as many as you might expect for an "interpretive trail."  A series of narrow but gradual downhill switchbacks deposits you at the firehouse, and a short walk across the parking lot completes the hike.

Salton Sea State Recreation Area: Ironwood Nature Trail (Blog Hike #990)

Trail: Ironwood Nature Trail
Hike Location: Salton Sea State Recreation Area
Geographic Location: southeast of Mecca, CA (33.49002, -115.90180)
Length: 2.2 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: An out-and-back with 2 short loops along the east shore of Salton Sea.
Park Information: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=639
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=955773
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming January 17, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: This hike can be started at either the Mecca Beach Campground or the New Camp Campground, but the parking is better for day-users at the Mecca Beach Campground.  Get there by taking SR 111 south 12.3 miles from Mecca to the signed state park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and park in the day-use parking area to the right of the beach parking at the rear of the campground.

The hike: With an elevation of 236 feet BELOW sea level, the Salton Sea is one of the lowest points on the surface of the earth.  The Colorado River now flows nearly 100 miles to the east, but it used to flow through the Salton Sea's valley.  The present sea was formed in 1905 when water from the Colorado River broke through an irrigation gate and flooded the previously dry river/lake bed.  The lake would have dried up many years ago but for local farmers who pumped in large amounts of Colorado River irrigation water and let the excess flow into the lake.

            Over time the Salton Sea became an ecologically troubled area.  The body of water is indeed a saline sea, not a freshwater lake, and the salinity has increased over the years as the sea has shrunk and contamination from farm runoff has increased.  By the 1980's, the toxicity had caused massive die-offs among area wildlife, and by the 1990's the shrinking sea exposed enough seabed to send toxic clouds of dust into nearby communities.  In fact, the Salton Sea has been dubbed the greatest environmental disaster in California history, and today the sea's salinity is twice that of the Pacific Ocean.

            Problems remain today, but a management program adopted in 2018 has mitigated the disaster.  Several wildlife areas and parks exist along the sea's shore, and the Salton Sea State Recreation Area on the sea's northeast shore has the region's best amenities.  The area features 5 campgrounds with more than 200 sites plus fishing, boating, and paddling on the Salton Sea.  For hikers, the area's best trail is the Ironwood Nature Trail described here.  The Ironwood Nature Trail offers a short nearly flat hike, but do not underestimate the heat and sun in the summer: there is no shade to be found on this trail.

Trailhead at Mecca Beach Campground

            The Ironwood Nature Trail connects the Mecca Beach Campground and the New Camp Campground, so in theory you could start at either end.  The day-use parking is better at the Mecca Beach Campground on the trail's south end, so this description will start there.  A small brown metal sign bearing a leaf symbol marks the trailhead.  The trail heads north into the desert on a sandy dirt track that is wide enough for a golf cart to pass.  The trail is unmarked except for some numbered wooden posts that correspond to an interpretive guide that was only available from a dispenser at the other (north) trailhead when I came here.

Salton Sea and Santa Rosa Mountains beyond

            The larger-than-life scenery of the Santa Rosa Mountains to the west and the Orocopia Mountains to the north immediately becomes apparent, and the sea remains in view to the west for most of this hike.  Despite the scenery, you never really get a sense of solitude: SR 111 and an active train track sit only a couple hundred feet to the east.  Trains first came through here in 1875, and the present-day track owned by Union Pacific carries over 50 trains per day.

Union Pacific train

            At 0.4 miles and near post #19, you reach a short loop in the middle of the trail that exits right.  This loop explores a small wash, and I recommend taking it on your way back when you have an interpretive guide in hand to help you understand the interesting ecology of the wash.  Staying left and taking the more direct route going north brings you to the other end of the loop and post #7 at 0.55 miles.

Small wash

            0.8 miles into the hike, you intersect a concrete trail that goes straight and left.  The concrete trail is the ADA-accessible loop portion of the Ironwood Nature Trail.  I suggest continuing straight for the shortest route to the New Camp Campground, which is reached just shy of 1 mile.  The aforementioned interpretive guide dispenser is located here, as is an elaborate and sturdy but purely functional concrete bench.

ADA-accessible loop

            I recommend taking both the concrete ADA-accessible loop and the loop through the wash on the way back southbound.  The ADA-accessible loop passes through an area with denser greenery than you have seen for most of this hike, an indication that more water is present in this area.  The interpretive guide calls this area Whitfield Stream, and it tells you about the spring (dry on my visit) that used to supply water reliably here.  The wash loop also has some interesting plants described in the interpretive guide.  Take your time to explore the area and admire the scenery on your way back to Mecca Beach Campground and the end of this hike.

Rockhound State Park: Jasper and Thunder Egg Trails (Blog Hike #989)

Trails: Jasper and Thunder Egg Trails
Hike Location: Rockhound State Park
Geographic Location: southeast of Deming, NM (32.18386, -107.61600)
Length: 2.1 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A mountainside loop hike with boulders, rocks, and views.
Park Information: https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/rockhound-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=955732
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming December 20)

Directions to the trailhead: From the east side of Deming, take SR 549 east 4.2 miles to SR 143.  Turn right on SR 143.  Drive SR 143 south 3.7 miles to Stirrup Road and angle softly left on Stirrup Rd.  Drive Stirrup Rd. southeast 1.9 miles to the park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, and drive the park road 0.6 miles to the Visitor Center on the right.  Park in the lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: Perched on the west end of southern New Mexico's Little Florida Mountains, Rockhound State Park protects 1100 acres with extensive but ancient volcanic history.  That volcanism produced a large collection of rare rocks and minerals including geodes, thunder eggs, quartz, jasper, agate, and opal.  The area was mined for precious metals, copper, lead, manganese, and fluorite from 1880 through 1956, and the park was established in 1966.  The park's name comes from the fact that it is one of the few parks that allows visitors to find and keep small numbers of those rare rocks.

            The park is somewhat light on amenities: it features only a small 34-site campground, a few picnic areas, and 2 short trails.  The campground sits on a fantastic mountainside location that offers extensive westward views across the desert.  The hike described here also takes advantage of those views, and it combines the park's two short nature trails to form one grand tour of Rockhound State Park.

Start of Jasper Trail

            From the Visitor Center parking lot, head northeast to pick up the Jasper Trail, which heads into the desert.  The trailhead is unsigned, but the single track dirt trail starts between two wooden posts and is lined with stones on either side.  Thus, the trail is easy to find.

Hiking among prickly pear cactus

            The trail climbs gradually as it treads along the park's south boundary, which lies only a few feet to the right.  Mesquite and prickly pear cactus dominate the flora, and my approach flushed an owl out of one of the bushes.  At 0.4 miles, the trail curves left, and the grade intensifies.  This entire hike lies between 4500 and 4800 feet in elevation, and the relatively high elevation can cause sea level people such as myself to get winded faster than usual.  Thus, do not underestimate the difficulty of this short hike.

Highest point on Jasper Trail

            0.55 miles into the hike, you reach a gap that is the highest point on the Jasper Trail.  A small knob rises to the left and a larger mountain rises to the right, but the trail continues north to begin descending.  At 0.7 miles, you reach the end of the Jasper Trail at an information kiosk and a picnic area.  You could turn left and walk the park road directly back to the Visitor Center if you want a short hike, but to get the full tour of this park's trail system, turn right to begin the Thunder Egg Trail.

End of Jasper Trail; start of Thunder Egg Trail

            Like the Jasper Trail, the Thunder Egg Trail begins by heading east and climbing.  Unlike the first trail, the Thunder Egg Trail passes some large boulders that add to the scenery.  Both of these trails are named for rare rocks, and the mountain you see straight ahead is a good place to look for those rocks.  Where the trail splits, you can go either way: the two options come back together in only about 500 feet.

Boulder beside trail

           Just past 1 mile, the trail curves left as you pass the highest point on this hike.  The view west over the campground and across the desert beyond is spectacular, and this would be a great place to watch one of the desert's famous sunsets.  A couple of benches and interpretive signs offer opportunities to rest or provide interesting information about the area.

View west over campground

            The descent that is the second half of this loop is moderately steep and rocky, so you have to take care where you step.  After crossing a small wash that was dry on my visit, you reach the park's campground at 1.5 miles.  The Thunder Egg Trail ends here.  To complete the hike, walk the campground road to the campground entrance, then turn right to walk the park road downhill to the Visitor Center.

Lake Colorado City State Park: Roadrunner Loop Trail (Blog Hike #988)

Trail: Roadrunner Loop Trail
Hike Location: Lake Colorado City State Park
Geographic Location: southwest of Colorado City, TX (32.32144, -100.93063)
Length: 2.2 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A lollipop loop through desert terrain with good Lake Colorado City views.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lake-colorado-city
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=955658
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming February 14, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: Just west of Colorado City, take I-20 to Farm-to-Market Road 2836 (exit 210).  Exit and go south on FM 2836.  Drive FM 2836 south 5.3 miles to the park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, then turn right at the first side road to reach the parking area for the trailhead, which is located just past the Mesquite Circle Camping Area recreation hall.  Park here.

The hike: When most people think of the Colorado River, they think of the major waterway that flows southwest from Colorado through Arizona and the Grand Canyon.  Yet the United States has another Colorado River that, oddly enough, spends its entire 862 mile course in Texas.  The 11th longest river in the United States, Texas' Colorado River rises near Lubbock and flows southeast through Texas Hill Country and Austin until it reaches the Gulf of Mexico near Matagorda.  The word "colorado" is Spanish for "reddish color," a testament to the red soil of the Llano Estacado where this river originates.

            Formed by a dam built in 1949, Lake Colorado City lies high in the Colorado River's watershed.  The lake was built to provide cooling water for power generation, and the park was formed in 1971 when the State of Texas leased 500 lakeside acres from the utility company.  The park offers the usual aquatic activities, a 112-site developed campground, some picnic areas, and 2 hiking trails that start from a common parking area.  This hike features the Roadrunner Loop Trail, which forms a lollipop loop through desert-like terrain and offers nice views of Lake Colorado City.

Trailhead for Roadrunner Loop Trail

            From the signed trailhead parking area, the Roadrunner Loop Trail heads south on a meandering course with gentle undulations.  A few large rocks need to be stepped up or down, but overall the going is fairly easy.  Mesquite, cedar trees, and prickly pear cactus are the most common plants here.

Rock step in trail

            Quickly you pass what the trail map calls the Picnic Overlook, a nice viewpoint high above the lake with some interesting and colorful interpretive signs.  At 0.25 miles, you reach the unmarked intersection that forms the loop portion of this hike.  Trails go left and straight here; I chose the one going straight and used the one going left as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  Some white brush-like trail markers sticking up from the ground mark the trail here, but these markers do not appear elsewhere where they are needed most.

Hiking the loop

            The trail rises gradually and curves left as FM 2836 comes within a few hundred feet on the right.  At 0.6 miles, you reach the rim of a steep rocky ravine with some rusty metal car remains scattered about.  The official trail angles left and descends into the ravine, but it does not climb out the other side as some wild trails do.  There are no trail markers here, and I had to scout around for a few minutes to find the official trail, which does not require any steep boulder scrambling.

Approaching Lake Colorado City

            Next the trail curves left again to head north.  At 1.2 miles, you reach the grassy and brushy shore of Lake Colorado City.  The electricity infrastructure visible across the lake downgrades the view somewhat, but I did see a large waterfowl (probably a crane or heron; I could not tell) take flight near the opposite shore.

Lake Colorado City

            After a short stint along the lake, the trail abruptly turns south.  Just past 1.5 miles, you reach an area the trail map calls "Rock Ridge," a dirt and rock knife-edge ridge that separates Lake Colorado City on the right from a small wetland area on the left.  When you get to the west end of the ridge, you need to angle right and climb a short, steep, rocky section to reach a nice overlook with an interpretive sign.  Again, there are no trail markers here, and I took a couple of brief wrong turns before I found the right route up the ridge.

"Rock Ridge"

            The balance of the trail is a meandering course with minor but occasionally rocky ups and downs.  Near 2 miles, you close the loop.  Turn right to retrace your steps out the entrance trail to return to the trailhead and complete the hike.  If you want to do more hiking, the Cactus Cut Trail starts from the other (north) end of this parking area, and it offers a 1 mile one-way out-and-back along the lakeshore to the park's Lakeview Camping Area.

Abilene State Park: Nature Trails (Blog Hike #987)

Trails: Elm Creek, Eagle, Oak Grove, and Bird Trails
Hike Location: Abilene State Park
Geographic Location: southwest of Abilene, TX (32.23316, -99.88261)
Length: 2.3 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A round-the-park loop with good wildlife viewing opportunities.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/abilene
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=955548
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming November 22)

Directions to the trailhead: From Abilene, take US 277 south 20.6 miles to Farm-to-Market Road 89.  Turn left on FM 89.  Drive FM 89 east 7.5 miles to the state park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the park entrance fee, and drive the main park road past the campground entrance to the parking area for the Elm Creek Nature Trail on the left.  Park here.

The hike: As you drive into this park from Abilene along US 277, it is hard not to notice the abrupt change in terrain from the relatively flat sparsely treed area around Abilene to the hilly semi-arid area near the park.  In fact, 529 acre Abilene State Park sits on the boundary between the Llano Estacado to the north and the Edwards Plateau to the south.  Thus, the imposing rocky hills start here and continue all the way south to Del Rio along the Rio Grande.

            The land became a state park in 1933 when the State of Texas acquired it from the City of Abilene, which accounts for this park's name.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) cleared land and built roads and buildings here, and the park opened in 1934.  The park is located on man-made Lake Abilene, a shallow lake that offers fishing and paddling.

            The main area of the park is located across FM 89 from Lake Abilene, and it contains the majority of the park's amenities.  On point, the main area offers multiple developed campgrounds with 69 total sites, several picnic areas, some athletic fields, and several miles of trails.  The park's longest trail is a 5 mile lollipop loop along Lake Abilene, but all you get to see on that trail is the lake.  The route described here forms a figure-eight route through the main part of the park, and it visits every point of interest in the park's main area.

Elm Creek Trail trailhead

            From the parking area, head west to begin the Elm Creek Nature Trail, which is the main area's longest trail.  The single-track dirt trail meanders through brushy forest dominated by elm and oak trees with some cedar trees mixed in.  Prickly pear cactus makes an appearance in the understory, and this area has very much a semi-arid feel.  The Pecan Grove Campground sits through the trees to the right, but the dense forest keeps it mostly out of sight.

Hiking the Elm Creek Trail

            At 0.4 miles, you cross an old (now closed) park entrance road as traffic noise from FM 89 can be heard to the left.  A few hundred feet later, you cross a wooden bridge over the outflow of Lake Abilene and reach a trail intersection.  As directed by a brown carsonite post, turn right to stay on the Elm Creek Trail.

Intersection with Buffalo Wallow Trail

            Soon you reach a small fishing pond known as Buffalo Wallow.  While I did not see any buffalo here, a wild hog ran across the trail as I was leaving this watering hole.  The next 0.4 miles heads east through a lowland area with wetlands on either side of the trail.  This section of trail could get quite muddy with enough rain, but I had no trouble keeping my feet dry when I hiked here.

Buffalo Wallow

            0.9 miles into the hike, you reach a parking area at the north end of the Elm Creek Trail.  We will eventually turn left here and do a short road walk, but first angle right, pass some picnic tables, cross a small creek on a stone bridge, and climb some stone steps to reach the CCC-built concession building and swimming pool.  Made of red sandstone, the stonework on display here is of the highest quality, and the red hue of the rock gives the cold stone building a warm glow.  This building is my favorite thing in Abilene State Park, so take a few minutes and have a trail snack while admiring the construction.

CCC-built concession building

            To continue this hike, backtrack to the parking lot, head north on the park road, then turn left to walk through a small campground and find the signed start of the Eagle Trail.  Built by the Chisholm Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the short Eagle Trail heads back toward Buffalo Wallow before curving left to cross the Elm Creek Trail you hiked a few minutes ago.  After crossing a small stream on a wooden footbridge and just before the Eagle Trail ends at the Oak Grove Campground, turn left to begin the Oak Grove Trail.

Start of Eagle Trail

            The short Oak Grove Trail treads a narrow strip of woods between its namesake campground on the right and the small stream you crossed merely minutes ago on the left.  At 1.7 miles, you reach the end of the Oak Grove Trail.  Angle left to begin walking the campground road, then angle left again when you reach the campground bathhouse to begin the Bird Trail.

View at bird blind

            The short Bird Trail gets its name from a bird blind located near the trail's south end.  When I came to this blind, I saw many common birds including cardinals, finches, chickadees...and also a lot of squirrels.  I passed the man who fills these bird feeders on my way out, and he related to me his frustration of unsuccessfully trying to avoid feeding the squirrels.  When you reach the campground entrance road, cross the road and angle left to begin the Connector Trail, which returns you to the main trailhead in only another 0.1 miles.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park: Red Waterfront Trail (Blog Hike #986)

Trail: Red Waterfront Trail
Hike Location: Lake Mineral Wells State Park
Geographic Location: Mineral Wells, TX (32.81422, -98.03063)
Length: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: February 2024
Overview: A rocky out-and-back past interesting slump blocks with views of Lake Mineral Wells.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lake-mineral-wells
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=955490
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming January 10, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: From downtown Mineral Wells, take US 180 east 4 miles to the park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and drive the main park road to the main picnic area, where this hike begins.

The hike: Lake Mineral Wells State Park opened only in 1981, but the area's reputation as a recreation and resort destination started more than 100 years prior.  In 1880, James Alvin Lynch drilled a well on nearby land that produced water that supposedly cured his wife's rheumatism.  People flocked to the area for the water's curative effects, and a resort destination was born.  In 1922, Lake Mineral Wells was built to supply drinking water for its namesake resort-based town.

            In 1925, the United States military came to the area and established Fort Wolters, which operated as a US Army base from 1925-1946 and as a US Air Force base from 1951-1973.  After the base closed, 3282 lakefront acres of its land were donated to the State of Texas to create the park we visit today.  Located less than an hour west of Fort Worth, the park offers many amenities including a 77-site developed campground, biking on the 20-mile paved Lake Mineral Wells Trailway, the usual aquatic recreation on the lake, and 12.8 miles of hiking trails.  The Red Waterfront Trail described here is the park's shortest trail, but it is also the most scenic due to the unusual rock formations it passes.  Those rocks also make this hike more challenging than you might expect for a hike of this length, so do not underestimate the difficulty of this hike.

Trailhead at picnic area

            The trail starts across the park road from the picnic area; an information board and interpretive sign mark the trailhead.  The rocky trail heads north, going steeply downhill through a forest of stunted and gnarled live oak trees typical of this region, which is called the Cross Timbers.  There are many wild trails in this area, and only occasional brown carsonite posts with red squares mark the real trail.  Look for the posts and keep picking your way downhill around the trees and rock outcrops.

Descending to the lakeshore

            After 0.1 miles of steep and occasionally muddy descending, the trail deposits you at the shore of Lake Mineral Wells.  A wooden boat dock sits here, and great views across the lake extend to the north.  Next the trail curves right and begins following the lakeshore.  This section of trail is flatter but no less rocky than the initial descent, plus more wet areas will need to be negotiated.

Lake Mineral Wells, 1st dock

Lake Mineral Wells, 2nd dock

            At 0.5 miles, a short-cut trail exits right to head uphill to the Penitentiary Hollow parking lot.  All of the trails in this area are marked with brown carsonite posts bearing red squares, so the markings can be confusing.  You want to stay on the trail closest to the lake to see the best scenery.  Soon you reach a second wooden boat dock that offers more excellent lake views.

Cave between slump blocks

            Just past the second dock, the trail curves right to begin heading uphill into the rock outcrops.  Just when there seems to be no way to climb further, the trail heads through a narrow cave formed by two huge slump blocks leaning against each other.  The large person I am barely fit through this cave, but I managed to slide through.

Stone staircase

            When you emerge from the other end of the cave, you can see the railings of an overlook atop the cliffs above and in front of you, but again there appears to be no path to climb up to the overlook.  The solution is to angle left, which reveals a steep, narrow, twisting stone staircase.  Carefully climb the staircase to reach the top of the cliffs and Penitentiary Hollow overlook.  This drive-up overlook offers a great view of the rock outcrops and slump blocks you just climbed through, and Lake Mineral Wells extends off in the distance.  Unlike the people who drove here, you made it to this overlook the hard way, so take some time to enjoy the view.

Penitentiary Hollow overlook

            After you have savored the view, you will need to get back to your car at the picnic area.  If you want to repeat the scenery you saw earlier, you could retrace your steps or use the short-cut trail, which leaves from the parking area adjacent to the overlook.  A less scenic but easier way back to the trailhead is to walk the park road, which features moderate traffic but good shoulders to help hikers avoid the cars.  Choose the option that seems best to you to conclude your visit to Lake Mineral Wells State Park.