I spend a lot of time reading other people’s adventures on the Backpacking & Hiking in Texas Facebook page. In a recent post, someone lamented that hiking in Texas is boring because of its lack of elevation.
Gabrielle D. wrote, “Any good hiking within a couple of hours of Houston?? We’re new to the are [sic] and so far everything is flat and boring”.
The comments were heartfelt, sassy, and informative, but I couldn’t get past the ‘boring’ part.
The Lone Star state is a vast wonderland with tons of history everywhere you go. I wrote, “Not sure what the fascination about being in elevation is. The Texas Parks and outdoor experience is all about the different ecosystems that you can find throughout the state. From mountains out west, the pines in the east, the coastal area, and the amazing rolling hills in the Edwards plateau, our parks are to experience the vastness. You also get a ton of history at different parks where you can learn a ton about the multiple layers of our great state”.
Wonder is abound
This website was a great excuse to get out and explore each vast ecosystem filled with natural wonder. You have the second-deepest canyon at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, the wonderous pines of east Texas at a place like Martin Creek Lake State Park, or even learn about some amazing engineering feats at the Corps of Engineers parks scattered across the state.
If you’re into hiking and learning about history you can visit the numerous historic sites like the Caddo Mounds SHS, or the Kreisch Brewery. Learn about the Texas revolution at Washington on the Brazos Battleground, or of course, the Alamo.
Yeah Colorado is great, and the mountains, elevated landscapes sure are pretty to look at, but I’ll take going from Desert to Mountains, To Ocean, to Forest in one state any day.
Where is your favorite place to hike in Texas? Share your thoughts in the comment section, and share this post with your Texas hiking friends!