Austin has a significant number of trails that make a great day trip…this year, Winter and I went for a relaxing, at times difficult, hike at River Place Nature Trails
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Its a LONG trek to get from Houston to West Texas, where Guadalupe Mountain National Park is located. The 10 hour drive is worth it for some of the best hiking in Texas. Plus, the highest peaks in Texas are located in Guadalupe Mountain National Park.
Camping Lake Livingston State Park
An entire weekend of fresh air is exactly what the doctor ordered. Just an hour and a half northeast of Houston, Lake Livingston State Park is an amazing destination for an easy weekend of camping. The park has hiking trails, archery, and loads of lake activities to keep you entertained.
Kayaking the Columbus Paddling Trail
It is no secret, Kayaking is my absolute favorite outdoor activity! I go as often as I can, and look for new paddling trails all the time. In June, my Dad, Winter, and I traveled about an hour west of Downtown Houston, to the Columbus Paddling Trail, on the Colorado River.
Camping at Pace Bend Park
Pace Bend Park is located in the Texas Hill Country north of Austin, TX, on Lake Travis about 3 hours from Houston. It provides an easy going feel for camping and has about 15 miles of hiking and biking trails in the parks interior.
Kayaking to Zedler Mill Dam
Kayaking is probably one of my all time favorite outdoor activities, though it is not always the easiest thing to do on your own. Fortunately, I have a great paddling partner in my Dad.
Hiking Guadalupe River State Park
The trail follows the river and offers spectacular views of the cliff faces on the opposite side of the river bank. On our side of the river there were enormous Cypress trees along the water edge.
Hiking Huntsville State Park
The Lake Raven Dam and Spillway was our next stop, about 3 miles down the trail. At the Spillway there is a pond area at the bottom feeding into Prairie Branch Creek. We decided to go off trail a little to let the dogs swim and cool off here. Man did they LOVE that! And they got to meet a few other dogs that were playing in the water as well.