Buck's Pocket State Park: Point Rock Trail (Blog Hike #1061)

Trail: Point Rock Trail
Hike Location: Buck's Pocket State Park
Geographic Location: west of Rainsville, AL (34.47527, -86.05100)
Length: 2.3 miles
Difficulty: 8/10 (Difficult)
Date Hiked: March 2025
Overview: An out-and-back, partly along cascading Little Sauty Creek, to fantastic Point Rock Overlook.
Park Information: https://www.alapark.com/parks/bucks-pocket-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=981260
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming May 29, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From Rainsville, take SR 75 south 9.3 miles to CR 400 and turn right on CR 400.  Drive CR 400 west 5.2 miles to CR 402 and turn right on CR 402.  Drive CR 402 north 0.8 miles.  Turn left and immediately turn right to continue north on CR 20.  Drive CR 20 north 1.8 miles to CR 557 and angle softly left on CR 557.  Drive CR 557 north 0.5 miles to CR 172 and turn left on CR 172.  Drive CR 172 west 0.7 miles to the park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the day-use fee, and park in the perpendicular parking area on the left just after crossing Little Sauty Creek but just before reaching the campground entrance.

The hike: The large number of turns and county roads in the driving directions to reach Buck's Pocket State Park testifies to this park rural and rustic location.  Possibly the most remote state park in Alabama, Buck's Pocket State Park protects 2080 acres in and around a pocket canyon in the northeast part of the state.  The park consists of land purchased from a farmer combined with land donated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and it opened in 1971.  Several theories and legends have been advanced to explain the pocket canyon's name, but none have been substantiated.

            True to its rustic nature, Buck's Pocket State Park offers limited amenities that include only a cozy 23-site developed campground, some picnic areas, and seven trails.  All of the park's hiking trails are short, and this park's signature hike is the Point Rock Trail described here.  This out-and-back connects the campground with the trail's namesake Point Rock while passing the fantastic scenery of this park's scenic but rugged pocket canyon.

Lower trailhead near campground

            From the parking lot outside the campground, walk back out the entrance road, cross Little Sauty Creek on the road's bridge, and then look to the left for the start of the Point Rock Trail.  Several small wooden signs mark this trailhead.  The Point Rock Trail begins as an old road with the creek on your left, and the trail surface alternates between smooth dirt and rough rocks, roots, and boulders.  The rough areas are quite primitive, and they make this hike harder than the distance and elevation gain would indicate.

Rough wooden steps

            At 0.3 miles, you cross a side stream at a point that forces you to scramble over some boulders.  Soon comes a steep section that climbs some rough wooden steps built into the ground.  Just past 0.5 miles, you cross Little Sauty Creek without the aid of a bridge.  All of these obstacles are manageable for most people, but they slow your progress and make you plan your steps.  Cascading Little Sauty Creek keeps you constant company through the challenges, and red aluminum discs nailed to trees mark the way.

Little Sauty Creek in Buck's Pocket

            0.7 miles into the hike, a spur trail exits right that leads to a small waterfall.  The harder and wetter the creek crossings and boulders have been so far, the better this waterfall will be.  Next the trail embarks on a short but steep and rocky final climb to the rim of the pocket canyon.  When you make the final switchback to reach the rim, the hardest part of the hike is over.

View west at Point Rock Overlook

View south at Point Rock Overlook

            The hike along the rim is an easy glide, and 1 mile into the hike you reach the Point Rock Overlook parking area.  Angle left through the parking area and walk down the gravel and boardwalk trail that accesses the overlook.  What a view!  The pocket canyon you climbed through sits to the left, while the larger South Sauty Creek canyon sits to the right and directly ahead.  Benches and rock slabs make great places to sit and rest.  There is only 1 trail to this overlook, so after enjoying the view retrace your steps back down to the campground to complete the hike.

Lake Guntersville State Park: Dry Falls/Taylor Mountain Loop (Blog Hike #1060)

Trails: Dry Falls, Terrell, Taylor Mountain, and Golf Course Trails
Hike Location: Lake Guntersville State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of Guntersville, AL (34.39527, -86.20502)
Length: 4 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: March 2025
Overview: A loop hike down and up a steep rocky hillside.
Park Information: https://www.alapark.com/parks/lake-guntersville-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=981185
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 20, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 431 and SR 227 in Guntersville, take SR 227 south 7 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, then turn right at the first intersection to follow signs for the park's lodge.  Drive the main park loop road 1.8 miles to Lodge Drive and turn left on Lodge Dr.  Park in the lodge parking lot, which is 0.1 miles ahead on the right.

The hike: At 69,100 acres of surface area, Guntersville Lake is the largest reservoir in Alabama.  The lake was formed in the late 1930's when the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) built Guntersville Dam on the Tennessee River for purposes of flood control, river navigation, and hydroelectric power generation.  The lake and dam are named for the nearby town of Guntersville, which in turn is named for John Gunter, an early settler in the area.

            Perched near the southeast corner of its namesake lake is 5909 acre Lake Guntersville State Park.  The park was formed in 1947 when the TVA transferred 4000 lakeside acres to the State of Alabama, but it did not open until 1974.  The park is one of the best-amenitied state parks in Alabama, and it offers a golf course, a lodge and convention complex, a fishing center that makes this park a top-tier fishing destination, several cabins, a 282-site developed campground, and a zip line.

            For hikers, Lake Guntersville State Park offers more than 30 trails totaling over 36 miles.  Many routes with many types of scenery are possible, and the route described here goes down and up one of the park's main ridges.  Even better, this hike begins at the park's lodge, thus allowing you to hit the trail without ever getting in your car if you are spending the night here.

Lodge trailhead

            From the front door of the lodge, walk across Lodge Drive to find the lodge's trailhead.  A wooden sign and red aluminum disc mark this trailhead.  The single track dirt trail heads into the dense pine woods that dominate this ridge.  At the first trail intersection, angle right to pass over a low knob.

Start of Dry Falls Trail

            At 0.2 miles, you reach a major trail intersection with trails going straight, left, and right.  The trail going right is the Nature Trail; it leads back to the lodge parking lot in only another 0.3 miles.  The trail going left is the Golf Course Loop; it will be our return route.  Continue straight to head south on the Dry Falls Trail and begin a counterclockwise journey around our loop.

Heading off of the ridge

            Soon the descent steepens as the trail drops off the top of the ridge, and you find yourself in a rocky ravine that feels cut-and-pasted from the Appalachian Mountains to the northeast.  The trail map says that the Dry Falls Trail is marked with yellow markers, but I saw quite a few green aluminum discs marking the trail.  As you descend the rocky trail into the ravine, the pine trees give way to a mixed forest that features plenty of sweet gum trees.  At 0.7 miles, you descend past a rock jam in the stream that is the dry falls for which this trail is named.

Rock jam in ravine

            0.9 miles into the hike, you reach the lowest elevation on this hike and the lower end of the Dry Falls Trail.  An alternative parking lot with a bench provides the only good resting point on this hike.  Turn left to begin the Terrell Trail.

Starting the Terrell Trail

            The Terrell Trail embarks on a rolling course with Aubrey Carr Scenic Drive through the trees to your right.  Several streams are crossed with the aid of wooden footbridges.  At 1.2 miles, you reach another trail intersection.  The Terrell Trail turns right to cross the road, but this hike continues straight to begin the Taylor Mountain Trail.

Starting the Taylor Mountain Trail

            The Taylor Mountain Trail dips to cross one final stream before beginning its long gradual climb.  Honestly, the Taylor Mountain Trail can get annoying: it stays near the park's main loop road for its entire distance, and it uses far more switchbacks than necessary to climb the ridge.  At 2.8 miles, you make it back to the ridgetop and reach the upper end of the Taylor Mountain Trail where it intersects the Golf Course Loop.  Angle softly left to join the Golf Course Loop, which is the last leg of this hike.

View on the Golf Course Loop

            For such an uninspiringly-named trail, the Golf Course Loop offers a reasonably pleasant hike.  On the down side, the park's main loop road stays close on the right.  On the bright side, the trail has only minor undulations, and long partially-obstructed views can be had to the left during the leafless months.  At 3.8 miles, you close the loop.  Turn right and hike 0.2 miles gradually uphill through dense pine woods to return to the lodge and complete the hike.

Homochitto National Forest: Clear Springs Lake Trail (Blog Hike #1059)

Trail: Clear Springs Lake Trail
Hike Location: Homochitto National Forest, Clear Springs Recreation Area
Geographic Location: southeast of Roxie, MS (31.42591, -90.98519)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: A short loop hike around Clear Springs Lake.
Area Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mississippi/recarea/?recid=28869
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=980760
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 24, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From Roxie, take US 84 east 6.5 miles to Clear Springs Road and turn right on Clear Springs Road; there is a national forest sign at this intersection.  Drive narrow and winding Clear Springs Rd. 4 miles to the recreation area entrance.  Pay the entrance fee, and park in the day use parking area near the picnic shelters beside the lake.

The hike: Located in the rural southwest quadrant of Mississippi east of Natchez, Homochitto National Forest (pronounced like home-uh-CHEAT-uh) protects 191,839 acres mostly of recovering farmland.  The forest was established in 1936 as Mississippi's first national forest, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked to reforest the land and build many of the roads and recreation areas we use today.  The forest is named for the Homochitto River, which drains most of its land.  The river's name in turn probably comes from the Choctaw word for "big red."

            For recreation, the forest is most famous for its many miles of bridle trails, but it also has a few dayhiking options.  I came here on the last day of a 23 day hiking trip with a long drive home in front of me, so I chose to hike the forest's shortest trail: the 1.3 mile Clear Springs Lake Trail described here.  This trail forms a loop around its namesake lake, and the scenic lake views combine with the relatively steep hills and good wildlife viewing to make a fantastic short rustic hike.

Drinking fountain at trailhead

            From the main information board, begin a counterclockwise journey around Clear Springs Lake by heading west on the single track trail with the lake to your left.  The Clear Springs Lake Trail is mostly unmarked but entirely easy to follow.  The drinking fountain at the trailhead was turned off for the winter when I came here in late February, but several picnic tables occupy scenic spots beside the lake.  Clear Springs Lake was not particularly clear on my visit: the lake is fed by a combination of streams and springs, and this area had received large amounts of rain the week preceding my visit.

Picnic shelter across the lake

            Ignore several side trails that exit right; they lead uphill to the campground and another picnic area.  The lake makes for above average birding, and I heard and saw lots of common birds on this hike.  After following the trail closest to the lake for 0.3 miles, you reach Clear Springs Dam, which forms the lake.  Turn left to hike across the earthen dam and access the less developed south side of Clear Springs Lake.

Clear Springs Lake, as seen from the dam

            The next 0.4 miles stay close to the south shore of the lake.  The forest is dominated by pine trees, as you would expect for reverting farmland from the 1930's.  Some narrow trail and a decent number of small ups-and-downs make the going more challenging than you might expect, but broad views open up across the lake.  Old patches of asphalt can be seen in the trail surface, indicating that this trail might have been partially paved at one time.  At 0.7 miles, the trail curves right to briefly leave the lake and begin heading southeast high above a small side stream.

Hiking along the lake

            After crossing the stream and returning to the lake area, the trail curves right to round a low ridge before passing the east/upstream end of the lake.  You pass through a muddy area before intersecting the much longer red-blazed Richardson Creek Trail at 1.1 miles.  Turn left to continue the loop around the lake and cross the lake's main feeder stream on a wooden footbridge.

Footbridge over Richardson Creek

Final turn

            After less than 500 feet on the Richardson Creek Trail, you need to turn left to leave the Richardson Creek Trail and begin the final leg of our loop.  The blue arrow here is one of the few trail markers I saw on the entire Clear Springs Lake Trail.  A short flat walk through more pines deposits you at the picnic area to complete the hike.

Lake D'Arbonne State Park: White and Yellow Trails (Blog Hike #1058)

Trails: White and Yellow Trails
Hike Location: Lake D'Arbonne State Park
Geographic Location: west of Farmerville, LA (32.77652, -92.47566)
Length: 4 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: A loop hike through dense pine forest and passing Lake D'Arbonne.
Park Information: https://www.lastateparks.com/parks-preserves/lake-darbonne-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=980681
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming December 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From Farmerville, take SR 2 west 5.5 miles to Evergreen Road and turn left on Evergreen Rd.  Drive Evergreen Rd. south 0.3 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and drive the main park road to its end at picnic pavilions #1 and #2.  Park near the picnic pavilions.

The hike: Located in northern Louisiana northwest of Monroe, Lake D'Arbonne State Park protects 655 acres on the north shore of its namesake lake.  The lake was formed in 1961 when the Louisiana Department of Public Works built a 2450 foot long and 51 foot tall concrete dam on Bayou D'Arbonne.  The bayou and hence everything else gets its name from the Arbonne commune in extreme southwest France, another indication of Louisiana's heavy French influence.

            The well-amenitied park features the usual aquatic recreation on Lake D'Arbonne in addition to an excellent 58-site developed campground, 16 cabins, 2 group lodges, several picnic areas, and a disc golf course.  For hikers, the park offers 5 trails totaling over 7 miles, and the park's best trails feature the large bald cypress trees that grow along the park's lakeshore.

            At over 4 miles long, the White Trail is this park's longest trail, and most of the park's other trails are short-cuts for the White Trail, which traces the perimeter of the park.  While you could stay on the White Trail for its entire distance, this hike follows the White Trail most of the way while taking a short-cut on the Yellow Trail.  This particular short-cut avoids a couple of road crossings and gets you to the scenic lakeshore faster.

White Trail exits picnic pavilion area

            Pick up the White Trail as it leaves the east side of the picnic pavilion area; a small green sign that says "Cypress Bend Trail" marks this trailhead.  On my visit the initial segment of trail was decorated with Christmas lights even though I came here in late February.  White paint blazes and white plastic diamonds mark the way.

Hiking the White Trail

            Soon the trail curves left to begin climbing gradually roughly parallel to the park road.  A couple of side trails exit left to head for the road, but this hike stays with the White Trail.  Pine trees grow everywhere in this part of the park, and I saw 1 red-headed woodpecker while hearing several more.  You pass in and out of several small ravines until, 1 mile into the hike, you reach the park's north boundary and the highest elevation on this hike.  This elevation is only about 125 feet above the lake's elevation, so while this hike has some steep areas, the steep areas never last long.

Climbing out of a ravine

            After passing through a particularly steep ravine, just past 1.3 miles you reach a trail intersection with the park's gatehouse in sight.  The White Trail continues straight to form a short loop across Evergreen Road, and you could go that way if you wanted to be a purist and do the entire White Trail.  This hike skips the loop by turning left, crossing the park entrance road just east of the gatehouse, and starting the Yellow Trail, which is one of this park's several connector trails.

Start of Yellow Trail near gatehouse

            The Yellow Trail descends and curves right to reach the paved park road that accesses the park's group lodge.  Turn right to walk this road to the group lodge parking lot, then look to the right for the next white trail marker: it is a white plastic diamond located on a wooden post beside orange and red diamonds.  This white diamond means you are back on the White Trail, and thus the brief Yellow Trail short-cut is over.

Trailhead at group lodge

            1.75 miles into the hike, you reach a power line corridor, where you need to turn left to stay on the White Trail as it begins heading southwest under the power line.  Keep your eyes peeled for the trail markers at 2.1 miles: the White Trail curves left to leave the power line corridor, and it is easy to keep mindlessly following the power line.  The next section of trail heads gradually downhill toward the park's cabin area.  I have read that this section can become overgrown, but I had no trouble following the trail when I came here.

Hiking under the power line

            At 2.5 miles, you enter the park's cabin area.  Follow the white trail markers through the cabin area and exit the cabin area on the east side.  The cabin area lies close to Lake D'Arbonne, and thus passing through the cabin area marks the beginning of the last leg of this hike: the leg along the lake.  This leg is the most scenic part of the hike because it stays closest to the lake, but it is also the most developed part of the hike because most of the park's amenities are along the lakeshore.  Watch for the white trail markers carefully to stay on the trail.

Bald cypress trees in Lake D'Arbonne

            The trail passes through the park's cabin area, campground, and yurt area in that order before passing in front of the Visitor Center.  A sign calls the trail leaving the Visitor Center area the Owl Heaven Trail, and the White and Blue Trails run conjointly here.  Large beautiful bald cypress trees line the lakeshore.

Lake D'Arbonne

            At 3.6 miles, you re-enter the picnic pavilion area where you started.  Rather than heading straight for your car, turn right to take a short detour to the picnic pavilion fishing pier.  This pier extends well out into Lake D'Arbonne, and it provides my favorite lake view in this entire park.  Walk back up the pier and into the picnic pavilion area to complete the hike.

Fort Boggy State Park (Blog Hike #1057)

Trails: Campbell, Leon Prairie, and Lake Trails
Hike Location: Fort Boggy State Park
Geographic Location: south of Centerville, TX (31.18322, -95.97777)
Length: 3.1 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: A fairly flat double loop through forest, prairie, and lakeside areas.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/fort-boggy
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=980554
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming February 13, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: About halfway between Dallas and Houston, take I-45 to SR 7 (exit 164).  Exit and go east on SR 7.  Drive SR 7 east 0.6 miles to SR 75; turn right on SR 75.  Drive SR 75 south 4.9 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the park entrance fee, and drive the main park road to the main parking area just west of the lake.  Park here.

The hike: Located in eastern Texas about halfway between Dallas and Houston, Fort Boggy State Park occupies 1847 acres of reverting farmland.  The park exists due to a generous land donation from Eileen Crain Sullivan in 1985.  Fort Boggy State Park opened only in 2001, making it one of Texas' newer state parks.  The park is named for a pioneer fort that was built here in 1840, which in turn was named for nearby Boggy Creek.  Nothing of the original Fort Boggy remains.

            Today the park is centered around 15-acre Sullivan Lake, and fishing in the lake is the most popular activity here.  In terms of lodging, the park offers only a small primitive campground, but it does offer 5 cabins for rent.  For hikers, 4 trails totaling 3.5 miles beg to be explored.  This hike forms a double loop by combining 3 of those trails with a road walk through the developed area, and it offers a good sample of the park's lakeside and upland areas.

Cabin area trailhead

            Both loops of this double loop start at the main parking area, so you could hike the loops in either order or hike just one of them.  I hiked the western loop first by walking the park road that accesses the cabin area uphill to the west.  The trailhead is located near the parking lot for the cabin restroom building; only a yellow pole marks the trailhead.

Primitive Campground #1

            The entrance trail heads west, and after only a couple hundred feet the trail splits upon intersecting a pipeline corridor; this split forms the western loop.  I turned left to begin the unsigned Campbell Trail and hike the loop clockwise.  The Campbell Trail's main purpose is to access the park's 5 primitive campgrounds, and shortly after curving right to leave the pipeline corridor you pass Primitive Campground #1.  Each primitive campground features a firepit, a picnic table, and a pole with hooks beside a flat grassy area that looks perfect for pitching a tent.  I came here as a day-use visitor, but I kind of wished I had brought a tent.

Hiking the Campbell Trail

            The meandering trail heads gradually downhill through young forest that is dominated by pine trees.  Interpretive signs identify common plants in the forest, and the wide dirt trail makes for easy if unremarkable going.  At 1.4 miles, you reach the lowest elevation on this hike, almost 100 vertical feet below the cabin area, as you re-emerge at the pipeline corridor and reach another trail intersection.  The Campbell Trail ends here, and the Tunnel Trail goes straight to lead to the park's entrance station.  This hike turns right to begin the Leon Prairie Trail.

Hiking the Leon Prairie Trail

            The Leon Prairie Trail follows the pipeline corridor for its entire distance, and thus it is almost dead straight.  The pipeline corridor forms a narrow strip of prairie surrounded by the young forest you have been hiking through.  After climbing moderately on a wide dirt track, you close the loop at 1.8 miles.  Turn left, walk the park road downhill back to the main parking lot, and then continue downhill through the mowed grass area to reach the lake.  Notice the nice stone restroom building that serves the lake area.  The signed trailhead for the Lake Trail is located beside the lake at the right/south end of the mowed grass area.

Stone restroom building

Start of Lake Trail

            True to its name, the Lake Trail forms a loop around Sullivan Lake, but the steep ravines that feed the lake provide more up-and-down than you might expect for a lakeside loop.  After topping a ridge, the trail curves left to pass through an area that was very muddy from recent rains on my visit.  2.6 miles into the hike, you climb to another ridge where traffic noise from nearby SR 75 comes in from the right.

Sullivan Lake

            The wide dirt trail descends back to lake level, and at 2.9 miles you reach the east side of the earthen dam that forms the lake.  Walk across the dam and climb slightly to reach the Lake Trail's north trailhead.  A short walk across the mowed-grass area returns you to the parking lot to complete the hike.

McKinney Falls State Park: Upper and Lower Falls (Blog Hike #1056)

Trails: Rock Shelter, Homestead, Picnic, and Onion Creek Trails
Hike Location: McKinney Falls State Park
Geographic Location: east side of Austin, TX (30.18338, -97.72627)
Length: 1.4 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: A semi-loop along Onion Creek passing Upper Falls, Lower Falls, and other points of interest.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/mckinney-falls
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=980506
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming December 26)

Directions to the trailhead: On the south side of Austin, take I-35 to William Cannon Drive (exit 228).  Exit and go east on William Cannon Dr.  Take William Cannon Dr. east 3.4 miles to McKinney Falls Parkway and turn left on McKinney Falls Pkwy.  Drive McKinney Falls Pkwy. north 1.2 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and follow signs for the upper falls parking area, which is just west of the Visitor Center.  Park here.

The hike: Established only in 1976, McKinney Falls State Park is a 744 acre green oasis on the rapidly developing east side of Austin.  The park is located at the confluence of Onion and Williamson Creeks, and those creeks provide the park's scenic core.  The park is named for Thomas McKinney, who owned and lived on a ranch here in the 1850's.  McKinney is most famous for his work supporting the Texas Army during the Texas Revolution against Mexico in 1835 and 1836.

            McKinney Falls State Park boasts 2 developed campgrounds totaling 81 sites, but the areas along the creeks remain the most popular areas due to their fishing and hiking.  The park offers 7 trails totaling over 10 miles, but I came here on a cold near-freezing afternoon in late February, which forced me to keep my hike short.  The short loop described here passes both of the park's major waterfalls in addition to some other scenic creekside areas, thus providing a short but thorough tour of this park's scenic core.

Upper Falls Trailhead

            From the parking lot west of the Visitor Center, start by heading for Upper Falls, which is reached by making a pair of left turns on the park's asphalt Onion Creek Trail.  After a short descent, you reach Upper Falls in only about 500 feet.  Upper Falls is less than 10 feet tall, but it occupies a rugged spot in an area with lots of bare rock.  With the right amount of water, Upper Falls is a scenic cascade with water falling in 3 strands into a large plunge pool.  After a thunderstorm Upper Falls would be a simple ledge waterfall, and during a drought it would dry up completely.

Upper Falls

            The Onion Creek Trail continues upstream along Onion Creek, but there are no more waterfalls or points of interest upstream.  Thus, I turned around, walked northeast around the Visitor Center, and picked up the Rock Shelter Trail as it follows Onion Creek downstream.  At 0.25 miles, you cross a long footbridge and pass Old Baldy, a massive 100-foot-tall bald cypress tree that was named Austin's Tree of the Year in 2012.  Old Baldy dates to over 500 years old.  Imagine the stories it could tell about how much this area has changed over time!

Old Baldy

            Past Old Baldy, the trail climbs over a bluff before angling left to descend under a cliff line that contains the large rock shelter for which this trail is named.  Experts think people have been using this limestone overhang as a shelter for 8000 years.  While I did not find anyone in the shelter, I did see a heron and some cardinals enjoying Onion Creek downhill to the left.

Rock shelter

Heron in Onion Creek

            After climbing around the end of the cliff line, you reach the north end of the Rock Shelter Trail just shy of 0.4 miles.  You could turn right here if you wanted a very short hike, but I turned left to head further downstream for Lower Falls.  You are now officially on the Homestead Trail, though no signs indicate such.  At 0.5 miles, you emerge on a large open slab of bare limestone rock.  The park map tells you that El Camino Real de Tejas, a primitive 2500 mile road that connected Mexico with Louisiana, used to run over this rock.

Limestone slab, formerly El Camino Real de Tejas

            At the north end of the rock, you reach Lower Falls.  Lower Falls looks much like Upper Falls except that 1) the water strands are more spread out and 2) a small beach below the falls gives the perfect angle for a photo.  If you want to extend this hike, the Homestead Trail crosses Onion Creek on stepping stones just above the falls, and in another 0.2 miles it reaches the ruins of the McKinney homestead.  I wanted to keep my hike short, so I turned around after viewing Lower Falls and headed back across the bare rock.

Lower Falls

            To add some variety to my return route, at the next trail intersection where the Rock Shelter Trail goes right, I angled left to begin the Picnic Trail.  True to its name, the Picnic Trail is a flat and wide dirt/gravel trail that heads through the park's main picnic area.  Some playgrounds and restroom buildings are also passed.  At 1.3 miles, you reach the Picnic Trail's south end at an intersection with the Onion Creek Trail.  Turn right on the Onion Creek Trail, and in only a few hundred feet you return to the Visitor Center parking lot to complete the hike.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park: LBJ Walking Trail (Blog Hike #1055)

Trail: LBJ Walking Trail
Hike Location: Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
Geographic Location: west side of Johnson City, TX (30.27650, -98.41811)
Length: 0.9 miles
Difficulty: 0/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: A flat gravel loop past farm buildings from the 1800's.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/lyjo/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=980445
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming April 10, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 290 and US 281 in Johnson City, take US 290 west 0.8 miles to the signed parking lot for Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park on the left.  Park in this area.

The hike: For my introduction to President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) and the Texas Hill Country state and national parks that bear his name, see the previous hike at Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site.  Whereas the previous hike featured the state park, this hike features the national park.

            The most popular site at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is the famous LBJ ranch, which features a show barn, the Texas White House, the reconstructed LBJ Birthplace, and the Johnson Family Cemetery.  While a very interesting tour road explores the LBJ ranch, the ranch has no hiking trails.  Thus, the park's best (and almost only) hiking trail is the short LBJ Walking Trail, which is located in Johnson City 18 miles east of the ranch.  The LBJ Walking Trail takes you through a reconstructed pioneer village, and it is designed to give you an idea of how wild and remote Texas Hill Country was in the early 1900's when LBJ was growing up here.

US 290 parking area trailhead

            There are 2 places from which you could begin the LBJ Walking Trail: the national park's Visitor Center or the parking area on US 290.  I came here late in the day when I knew the Visitor Center would be closed, so it was more efficient for me to start at the parking area on US 290.  Hike in the 500 foot long entrance trail, then angle right to begin the loop around the reconstructed village.

2 barns

Dogtrot Cabin

            The first 2 buildings you pass are barns, but the first one is more noteworthy: it was owned by James Polk Johnson, the nephew of LBJ's grandfather.  Next you reach the Dogtrot Cabin.  This cabin was used by LBJ's grandfather as the headquarters for his cattle droving business.  Past the cabin is the Event Center, which contains many photos and much information about these buildings.  I lingered awhile in the Event Center partly to learn from the exhibits and partly to take advantage of the building's heater on the cold near-freezing late afternoon that I came here.

Eastern half of loop

            The eastern half of the loop contains no historic structures, but it offers nice views across an open meadow that is sparsely dotted with trees.  Town Creek flows just east of the loop, and a side trail heads east across a wooden bridge to the park's Visitor Center, the other place from which you could start this hike.  Near the close of the loop, you pass an old windmill, water tank, and cooler house, all essential support structures for ranching.  Upon closing the loop, turn right to head back to the parking lot and complete the hike.