By: Katie Moses
In an effort to spend more time exploring this beautiful state that we call home, I set a goal for myself at the start of the year to make twenty-three state park visits in 2023 (I’m embarrassed to say that prior to this year, my state park visits were few and far between). My family and I started the year out strong by doing a First Day Hike at Lake Mineral Wells State Park, and now I’m over halfway to meeting my goal! To date, we’ve visited Lake Mineral Wells, Cedar Hill, Lake Whitney, Lake Bob Sandlin, Daingerfield Lake, Tyler, Possum Kingdom, Meridian, Ray Roberts Lake-Isle du Bois Unit, Mother Neff, Abilene, Martin Creek Lake, and Lake Brownwood State Park. Here are some thoughts and tips that I want to share from my experience so far.
- Our Texas State Park system is awesome! There are also cool public places to explore in Texas that are managed by other organizations.
- An annual State Park Pass is well worth it if you plan to make frequent visits and it will also get you a discount on certain items in a park store.
- Most parks have lapel pins that you can collect, and we all know how Master Naturalists feel about pins!
- We learned the hard way that you should call ahead or make a reservation online before driving a significant distance to a state park, even if you are just visiting for the day.
- I used to think that spring was the only time worth going on a nature hike, but I enjoyed our winter outings just as much. The sights of spring are amazing but when you go to a state park without those things, you can enjoy features that you might not usually notice and organisms such as moss and lichen can lend fun pops of color to a winter landscape. I’m also looking forward to visiting parks in the fall to watch the foliage change colors!
- Speaking of seasons, I will probably not be doing many hikes over the summer months. I’ve learned that my sense of adventure diminishes 10% for every degree over 90 that we get, and more so if there’s no shade. I’m not proud of it but unless I’m swimming, I’m a grouch in the heat. But lucky for me, there are designated swimming areas at most state parks.
- Our overnight visit to Lake Brownwood State Park reminded me that food tastes so much better when prepared and eaten outdoors. Nothing beats pancakes cooked in the fresh, cool morning air, while being serenaded by birds.
The journey so far has been so much more rewarding than I could have imagined, and I’m so excited to plan my other 10 stops this year. As Master Naturalists, we also have the opportunity to serve at the parks so whether you go as a volunteer or a visitor, I encourage everyone to get out and explore Texas!
Katie Moses
President of the Prairie Oaks Chapter
Photos from top left: A field of bluebonnets at Lake Whitney SP, Tyler SP, Mother Neff SP, our “hiking shoes” at Ray Roberts Lake SP (this was an impromptu visit because we were in the area for a wedding so we didn’t have proper footwear but we still had a great time!), a group photo while hiking on a chilly morning at Lake Bob Sandlin SP, cooling my feet off in the lake after a HOT hike at Possum Kingdom SP. Center: Toasting to Texas State Park’s 100th anniversary while camping at Lake Brownwood SP!