Enchanted Rock Loop Trail

[dalthauser]

So, I was on my own today - my hiking partner didn't show.  He called about 8:45am while I was already on the road to say he was at the hospital with his son who had an asthma attack early that morning.  What can you say to that except - I hope everything will be alright.

The drive to Enchanted Rock was long but beautiful.  Driving solo I could daydream and sing with my iPod when I felt like it.  Followed Mapquest, and I got there without a hitch.  I love the HIllcountry - this is the part of Texas I don't think a lot of people know about.  Texas is not all tumbleweeds and desert.  

I got to the ranger station and paid my admission ($6) - the ranger said there weren't very many people on the trails - they had all come over the weekend she guessed.  I decided to stick with the loop and save the summit for a future date (maybe a visit where I camp overnight).  I changed out of my crocs and into my magic Timberland hiking boots (I always feel invincible when I have them on).  I packed a couple of bottles of Arizona tea along with the usual day hike necessities (first aid kit, wet wipes, sun screen, insect repellent, iPod.....) - off I went.

On a scale from 1 to 10 this hike is a 3 for challenging (didn't break a sweat) - however, the happy factor is a 7. There's a lot of variety - good atmosphere - and, at least this time - I saw only two other people on the trail the whole time I was hiking.  The loop itself is 4.5 miles if you don't include any of the side trails.  I finished it in 2 hours 15 minutes, but I goofed off plenty.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself! 

I did, for the most part, stick to the main trail - which for me is not easy because I love to poke around and follow unmarked trails.  For one I wasn't familiar with the area - and two I was quite literally alone on the trail - if I got bit by a snake or spider - or fell - I'd be in trouble - I had the phone# for the ranger station, but  - they might not have found me in time.

I will do this hike again soon - and I will camp out next time and do the loop and off-shoot trails as well as the summit.  I'm already looking forward to it. 

Here's pictures - there's lots of them.   Picassa slideshow doesn't come up wihen I embed it, so here are the links:

LINK TO SLIDESHOW

LINK TO PHOTO ALBUM

Comments

[kabuldur.livejournal.com]

Your pictures didn't show up for me, but that sounds like a nice hike! You are very healthy. I wish I was. I am waiting for my summer holidays, when I will try to get it up a but (first job: clean up the house, as I have family coming for Christmas! Also, get summer vege garden in is also high on the priority list. Hopefully no summer reading! Also, get eyes tested). I admire you so much for your will power.

I hope your hiking buddy's (was that Textasts?) son is OK. What bad luck. It's great that you could enjoy it anyway.

[eats-veggies.livejournal.com]

No, it was P3 who was planning to go with me.

Not sure why they didn't show up - I will try and post it as a separate entry.

I hope you post pictures of your garden when it gets going! :)

[kabuldur.livejournal.com]

I see them! Gee, you took a lot of photos, and they are very good. You must have walked a long way!

I hope to take photos of my garden, too. I HOPE to get it going!

That is a very beautiful place. It looks like parts of Australia, minus the cactus! We only have little patches of cactus since the cactoblastus moth was introduced, thank goodness.

[eats-veggies.livejournal.com]

What was wrong with the cactus - taking over? I love cactus myself - but I could see it would be annoying if it was everywhere and crowding out everything else.

[k2rider78.livejournal.com]

I love these kind of posts, I get to share in the adventure.
The boulders are awesome.

[mztasia.livejournal.com]

Texas really does have more beautiful country side than alot of folks realize. I admit I "texas bash" but having lived in Texas off/on for at least 35 of my 42 years on this earth, and having lived literally all over Texas during that time, I guess I feel that gives me "bashing rights" ROFLOL. Texas can offer flat open land spaces to gentle rolling hills to larger hill (some folks 'round here have been known to call them mountains but they aint mountains)to the "old west" tumbleweeds to even real honest to goodness snow (what some areas call snow in Texas is not snow... a light "dusting" does not warrent being called a "snow day") that you have to even use snow tires to get out and about in. It has piney woods, desert with cacti, costal living; it has large populations to "towns" of 50 people. I just wish it wasn't so damn hot in the summer! LOL

[walksbeauty.livejournal.com]

Looks like a beautiful place to hike! I wish I could have come along... Looked like a lovely day!

[joebanks.livejournal.com]

I wander off the trail too. Good set of pictures; what's up with that bumpy thing, #8?

[eats-veggies.livejournal.com]

This?
http://picasaweb.google.com/DearDorie/2008EnchantedRockLoopTrail#5262023968982161954

They call them mushroom rocks (gee I wonder why). It's caused by weathering on the granite. There are some HUGELY big boulders - I wish I had a friend with me so I could have taken pictures of me with them - so the true size could be seen.