State of Wilderness

Category: HIking

  • Big Thicket National Preserve

    Last Saturday found us in the visitor center for the Big Thicket National Forest, north of the town of Kountze.  We had stopped in briefly to get information on trails, and now we were back for a respite from the muggy humidity and the bugs after an hour long hike on the Kirby Nature Trail.…

  • Nature’s Surprise

    Most years, we try to go on a First Day Hike.  All fifty states have participating state parks that participate in this initiative to get people outdoors and active.  For us, it is a way to start the year doing something we love. This year, we decided on Huntsville State Park because 1) our friends…

  • Lower Calf Creek Falls

    Location: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Boulder UT Details:  moderate hike, 5-7 miles round trip, takes average of 3-4 hours for most people to complete.  Park at the Calf Creek Campground and follow the signs.  $3 use fee required. Highlight:  you can swim in the water when you get there.  It’s cold, though! We got to…

  • Brazos Bend Part II: It’s For the Birds

    After staying up until midnight talking, drinking, and eating with our friends on New Year’s Eve, we headed off to our tent.  Despite the predictions of cold temperatures, it actually was not a bad night in our sleeping bags, and we felt quite rested in the morning.  I flipped us some oatmeal-banana-chocolate chip pancakes that…