If you like beautiful scenery, the southern Hill Country offers a number of drives where you can see lots of unique country. And depending on when you go, the country can take on a different look. I've been in that country in summer, in winter, in fall, when it was hot and sunny, and when it was foggy and misty. Each time, it can look different.
Most of the really pretty drives are on east to west roads. Since most of the rivers in the area flow north to south, carving canyons and valleys as they go, by driving east or west you can cross these valleys, canyons, and rivers. If you should happen to travel these roads, do so with caution. Even in the best weather and with the best road conditions, they can be dangerous due to hairpin turns, dips, blind curves, and other features.
One of the best drives is Ranch Road 337 from Medina in the east to Camp Wood in the west. Ranch Road 470 from just west of Bandera to just north of Utopia is another pretty drive. From Utopia, you can take Ranch to Market Road 1050, another pretty drive but not as dramatic as the two previously mentioned. Highway 16 from just south of Kerrville to Medina is one of the prettiest north/south drives in the area. Highway 39 west of Kerrville follows the Guadalupe River through some of the prettiest country in the area, and certainly some of the most developed with the tourist in mind.
While in the area, Donna and I stumbled upon a short drive down a country lane. In the community of Concan, County Road 348, locally known as the River Road, heads north from Concan near the intersection of US 83 and State Highway 127 along the Frio River for about 5 or 6 miles. Along this narrow lane are numerous "resorts" and other businesses catering to river rats. There are 2 low-water crossings over the Frio on this road.
A road we've not been on in over 20 years, US Highway 377 from Junction follows the South Llano River towards Rocksprings. The area around Telegraph is particularly lovely, with at least one high vantage point for enjoying the view. There are 2 low-water crossings of the South Llano, and these provide drop-in areas for those wishing to canoe or kayak the river to a take-out point at South Llano River State Park, about 3 miles outside of Junction. In fact, there used to be an outfitter just outside the park entrance; however, since I've not been there in about 20 years, I can't say if that outfitter is still in business.
The southern Hill Country provides some of the most beautiful scenery in Texas in a relatively small area. There's lots to see, and if you like water, there are numerous opportunities in warm weather for swimming, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, or fishing.
This blog follows Keith and Donna Cameron as they enjoy retirement. 01/24/05
Monday, March 12, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Lost Maples SNA, Part 2
When we last saw our intrepid heroes, they had just reached the summit of an approximately 2200 foot hill. The terrain at the top of the hill is much different from that below in the canyons along the river and creeks. Much of the trail on the ridge is rock, similar to what I expect the Appalachian Trail is in Pennsylvania. The trees are generally shorter, and there is more grass. The views looking east are wonderful.
At the trail junction atop the ridge, we choose to go look at the Scenic Overlook (see map). It is three-tenths of a mile to the overlook, making it a little over half-mile round trip for this look.
After returning to the main trail, we then continued our hike along the ridge. There are several good views just off the trail, and the following pictures were taken from the ridge.
What goes up must come down, so after enjoying the views from the ridge, it was time to begin our trek down the hill. This part of the trail is actually an old ranch road, but the loose rocks can be treacherous.
Once at the bottom, we were next to the Pond.
The remaining hike to the trailhead was about a mile and every uneventful. It consisted mostly of a level trail and 2 or 3 low-water crossings, like the one below.
Lost Maples remains one of my favorite hikes. The elevation changes provide a good workout. If you hike the entire trail system, it is about 11 miles or so, with 3 opportunities to go up and down high hills of approximately 400 feet. The trees are beautiful, and there are plenty of places to enjoy the water. After hiking a few miles on a hot summer day, there is very little more enjoyable than taking off your shoes and socks and soaking your feet in the cool waters of one of the creeks. The carvings formed by the water erosion throughout the park are works of art, and the views from the hill tops are lovely.
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| Trail atop the ridge; lots of cedars; usually more embedded rocks than shown here. There is a patch of large trees in one area. |
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| View from the scenic overlook. Those are park buildings in the valley. Sabinal River is the line of trees to the right of the buildings. |
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| Rock outcropping along the ridge. The trail follows this ridge. At the far end, it begins its descent; trail down can be seen in the left of the picture. |
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| This is the Pond; it is formed by Can Creek. The trail down the ridge is to the right. |
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| Trail follows the valley back to the trailhead. Note Pond in lower-right of picture. |
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| The trail goes down . . . . |
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| . . . and down . . . |
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| . . . and down . . . |
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| . . .and down . . . |
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| . . .and down. |
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| The Pond |
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| Low water crossing over Can Creek near trailhead. |
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Lost Maples SNA, Part 1
Donna and I decided to hike Lost Maples State Natural Area on Tuesday, February 21. We had hiked the East and West Trails at this park before, back in October 2005. I consider this to be one of the most enjoyable places to hike in Texas, so I was eager to return.
Our previous hike had been about 8.5 miles; lately, though, I've been having some lower back problems, so we decided to shorten the hike today and only do the East Trail (see map). Even though this is only about a 4.5 mile hike, I knew it would still be challenging because of the elevation changes. Elevation in the park ranges from 1800 feet to 2250 feet, and the East Trail covers that range. As my legs age, my ability to climb becomes diminished.
Lost Maples SNA is a unique environment. The steep, rugged limestone canyons and clear streams in the park provide a perfect habitat for an isolated stand of Big Tooth Maples. Their foliage in the fall can be spectacular when conditions are good.
The Sabinal River is the main waterway in the park, but Hale Hollow Creek and Can Creek also flow through the park. Beautiful examples of water erosion exist throughout the park.
At the trailhead, we opted for the Maples Trail, which converges with the East Trail about half a mile up the trail. The Maple Trail is very scenic and provides opportunities to view stands of maples. The trail weaves through boulders lying between the river and the canyon walls.
The first mile or so of the trail is an easy hike. The trail follows the Sabinal along the canyon floor, so the terrain is essentially level. There is plenty of shade for summer hikes. Much of the river bed is dry as water tends to be in pools except during rainy times. However, there are obviously springs that feed the river and creeks at intervals, for there are steady flows in some places.
Just past Primitive Camping Area A, the trail goes up a large hill. The elevation change is probably about 400 feet. Think about climbing 40 flights of stairs, but with stairs, you have level steps and handrails. That's not the case at Lost Maples. And the trail went straight up more or less instead of using switchbacks. About halfway up, there is a ledge that allows for some good views.
The climb is hard on old knees, but the view from the top is wonderful.
We stopped to rest at the top and eat some peanut butter crackers and drink some water.
Part 2 will detail the hike atop the ridge and then our descent from the hill.
Our previous hike had been about 8.5 miles; lately, though, I've been having some lower back problems, so we decided to shorten the hike today and only do the East Trail (see map). Even though this is only about a 4.5 mile hike, I knew it would still be challenging because of the elevation changes. Elevation in the park ranges from 1800 feet to 2250 feet, and the East Trail covers that range. As my legs age, my ability to climb becomes diminished.
Lost Maples SNA is a unique environment. The steep, rugged limestone canyons and clear streams in the park provide a perfect habitat for an isolated stand of Big Tooth Maples. Their foliage in the fall can be spectacular when conditions are good.
The Sabinal River is the main waterway in the park, but Hale Hollow Creek and Can Creek also flow through the park. Beautiful examples of water erosion exist throughout the park.
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| Sabinal River at the base of the ridge has carved this canyon wall. |
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| Rock jumble along Maple Trail |
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| Donna standing in a grotto near Primitive Camping Area A |
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| The sign doesn't lie; I paid for the climb that night |
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| The trail goes up . . . . |
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| . . . and up . . . |
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| . . . and up . . . |
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| . . . and up . . . |
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| . . . and up. |
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| View from the top. |
Part 2 will detail the hike atop the ridge and then our descent from the hill.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Southern Hill Country Trip, 2012
It had been several months since Donna and I had spent any time in our travel trailer. After spending some time prepping and loading it, we hit the road early Sunday, February 19, for a little winter camping trip in the southern Hill Country.
To start the trip, we headed east on US 87. Just east of San Angelo, the land is flat in the area known locally as Lipan Flats. There is a great deal of farming done in the area of Wall, a small German community. Near Eden, the land begins to look more like the Hill Country. At Eden, we turned south on US 83, and the terrain became more rolling and wooded. We soon passed through Menard on the San Saba River. Menard is the home of Presidio San Saba and Mission San Saba -- both constructed in the mid-1750s by the Spaniards. The lost San Saba Mines, which Jim Bowie reportedly worked, are also in the area. Since there is so much history in this little town, I'm already planning a trip there, so more on Menard at another time.
As we approached Junction, the hills became more pronounced. Junction has long been a favorite place of ours. When our daughter was young, we would camp at South Llano River State Park and spend our days fishing and floating on that clear, spring fed river. Located at the junction of the South and North Llano rivers (hence the name), Junction is the county seat of Kimble County. It's a lovely small Hill Country town, and is a good stopover for travelers on I-10 traveling between San Antonio and El Paso. We stopped briefly for coffee and gas there, then continued south on US 83. I noted there was a Cooper's BBQ there, so I know where I'll stop on the return trip.
As we approached Leakey (pronounced Lay-key), the hills became higher and the valleys deeper, or so it seemed. The Frio River valley popped up on our left (east). There is a scenic overlook about 10 miles or so north of Leakey, and we pulled in there for the shots below.
We passed through Leakey about noon, and about 15 minutes later, we pulled into our destination, Parkview River RV Park.
The park is on the east bank of the Frio River and directly across the river from Garner State Park, arguably the most popular park in the Texas state park system. During warm weather, water rats from all over journey to Garner to tube down the clear waters of the cypress-lined Frio River. As much as we love state parks, we opted to camp across the river simply because Garner does not provide full hookups for RVs.
After setting up camp, Donna spent a bit of time fishing in the Frio River. Our trailer was located on a bluff directly above the river, so it took less than a minute to walk to the river.
After Donna finished her fishing, we spent the rest of the day huddled about a fire. A cool east breeze kept us near the fire. We grilled some sausage and ate them in hot dog buns as the sun settled behind the hills in the west.
The next day, Monday, February 20, we drove down to Uvalde for a look at things there. The first part of the trip continued the same type of scenery we had passed through the previous day. However, a few miles south of Concan, the terrain suddenly flattens out. While mostly ranch country, there are several sections of farm land, and we saw various healthy crops, including purple cabbage and onions.
We passed through Uvalde years before on a camping trip to Mustang Island, and my family and I visited the place for a couple of days when I was in the 4th or 5th grade. I was disappointed with the town on this trip. I wanted to visit the John Nance Garner Museum (see picture below), but it was closed for renovations. And there really isn't much more there. In addition to "Cactus" Jack Garner, who served as Vice-President of the United States from 1933-41, Uvalde is also the hometown of Dolph Briscoe, who served as governor of Texas from 1973-79.
We stopped at a local Mexican restaurant where I had probably the worst Mexican food I've ever eaten. After a brief stop at Walmart for a few supplies and gasoline, we headed east on US 90 to the small town of Sabinal, located on the Sabinal River. The terrain continued to be mostly flat and South Texas brush country. From Sabinal, we headed back to our trailer at Parkview Riverside RV.
More trip report to be posted . . . .
To start the trip, we headed east on US 87. Just east of San Angelo, the land is flat in the area known locally as Lipan Flats. There is a great deal of farming done in the area of Wall, a small German community. Near Eden, the land begins to look more like the Hill Country. At Eden, we turned south on US 83, and the terrain became more rolling and wooded. We soon passed through Menard on the San Saba River. Menard is the home of Presidio San Saba and Mission San Saba -- both constructed in the mid-1750s by the Spaniards. The lost San Saba Mines, which Jim Bowie reportedly worked, are also in the area. Since there is so much history in this little town, I'm already planning a trip there, so more on Menard at another time.
As we approached Junction, the hills became more pronounced. Junction has long been a favorite place of ours. When our daughter was young, we would camp at South Llano River State Park and spend our days fishing and floating on that clear, spring fed river. Located at the junction of the South and North Llano rivers (hence the name), Junction is the county seat of Kimble County. It's a lovely small Hill Country town, and is a good stopover for travelers on I-10 traveling between San Antonio and El Paso. We stopped briefly for coffee and gas there, then continued south on US 83. I noted there was a Cooper's BBQ there, so I know where I'll stop on the return trip.
As we approached Leakey (pronounced Lay-key), the hills became higher and the valleys deeper, or so it seemed. The Frio River valley popped up on our left (east). There is a scenic overlook about 10 miles or so north of Leakey, and we pulled in there for the shots below.
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| East Frio River north of Leakey |
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| East Frio River north of Leakey |
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| East Frio River north of Leakey |
The park is on the east bank of the Frio River and directly across the river from Garner State Park, arguably the most popular park in the Texas state park system. During warm weather, water rats from all over journey to Garner to tube down the clear waters of the cypress-lined Frio River. As much as we love state parks, we opted to camp across the river simply because Garner does not provide full hookups for RVs.
After setting up camp, Donna spent a bit of time fishing in the Frio River. Our trailer was located on a bluff directly above the river, so it took less than a minute to walk to the river.
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| Donna fishing in the Frio; our trailer is on the bluff behind Donna |
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| Our trailer; taken from across the river in Garner State Park |
The next day, Monday, February 20, we drove down to Uvalde for a look at things there. The first part of the trip continued the same type of scenery we had passed through the previous day. However, a few miles south of Concan, the terrain suddenly flattens out. While mostly ranch country, there are several sections of farm land, and we saw various healthy crops, including purple cabbage and onions.
We passed through Uvalde years before on a camping trip to Mustang Island, and my family and I visited the place for a couple of days when I was in the 4th or 5th grade. I was disappointed with the town on this trip. I wanted to visit the John Nance Garner Museum (see picture below), but it was closed for renovations. And there really isn't much more there. In addition to "Cactus" Jack Garner, who served as Vice-President of the United States from 1933-41, Uvalde is also the hometown of Dolph Briscoe, who served as governor of Texas from 1973-79.
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| John Nance Garner Museum in Uvalde |
More trip report to be posted . . . .
Saturday, February 18, 2012
It's Raining
It's Saturday morning as I write this, and it has been raining off and on for a day and a half. The rain began late Thursday night. By daylight Friday morning, it had rained just under half an inch at my house. Most of Friday was overcast and misty, so there was no further accumulation of moisture, but at least everything had a chance to soak in.
Late last night (Friday), it began raining again. As of 9:30 this morning, I have about 1.1 inches in my gauge (starting from Friday night), and I expect more before this system moves out of the region. Water is puddling all over the yard, and that is good.
So far this year, the official tally for San Angelo is 4.26 inches of rain, and that does not include what we have received since Friday night. Our normal rainfall for this time of year is 1.72 inches, so we are ahead of the average. However, lake levels have not shown any improvement yet. What we really need is several days of constant rain. So far, the rains have been less than an inch at a time, so there has really not been a chance for runoff.
Currently, our area lakes are still way down. The data below indicates lake, current capacity, and acre feet of area lakes:
I hope the rest of the state is getting some of this rain. The area from the Metroplex to near Austin has received good rains in recent weeks, and they are currently not in a drought status, though most of the rest of the state remains in critical condition.
Late last night (Friday), it began raining again. As of 9:30 this morning, I have about 1.1 inches in my gauge (starting from Friday night), and I expect more before this system moves out of the region. Water is puddling all over the yard, and that is good.
So far this year, the official tally for San Angelo is 4.26 inches of rain, and that does not include what we have received since Friday night. Our normal rainfall for this time of year is 1.72 inches, so we are ahead of the average. However, lake levels have not shown any improvement yet. What we really need is several days of constant rain. So far, the rains have been less than an inch at a time, so there has really not been a chance for runoff.
Currently, our area lakes are still way down. The data below indicates lake, current capacity, and acre feet of area lakes:
- Nasworthy, 81%, 8,216 ft
- O. C. Fisher, 1%, 1,015 ft
- Twin Buttes, 6%, 11,557 ft
- Spence, 0%, 2,297 ft
- Ivie, 18%, 97.055 ft
I hope the rest of the state is getting some of this rain. The area from the Metroplex to near Austin has received good rains in recent weeks, and they are currently not in a drought status, though most of the rest of the state remains in critical condition.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Texas Parks and Wildlife
If you love the outdoors, I've got a good deal for you.
Our state park system, Texas Parks and Wildlife, provides a State Park Pass that is good for one year for all state parks. The first pass costs $70; at the time you purchase this pass, you can also purchase additional passes for other members of your family for a mere $15. Donna and I make this purchase each year. So, for $85, we gain entry to all the state parks across Texas. If you happen to be 65 years of age or older, this price is further reduced.
With the pass, daily entrance fees to all parks and state natural areas across the state are waived. You do, however, still have to pay for overnight camping. However, without the pass, you would have to pay not only the camping fee but the daily fee as well. I find this to be a great deal, for we camp throughout the year. When we aren't camping, we often are visiting parks on a day-use basis, as recounted in some recent blog entries regarding San Angelo State Park.
I find this to be a great deal. By comparison, current ticket prices for 1 day at Six Flags Over Texas are $56.99, though by purchasing online you can get them cheaper than this. So, a family of 4 would spend well over $100 at Six Flags for 1 day of fun; and I don't deny that it would be fun. But for only $70, that same family of 4 could visit the state parks of Texas every day for a year.
And what can you do at the state parks? Well, different parks offer different forms of recreation.
For the history buff, there are parks boasting Texas history. These include places like Fort Richardson State Park in Jacksboro, established shortly after the Civil War to protect settlers against raiding Comanche and Kiowa Indians. The fort is well preserved and includes seven of the original buildings which have been restored: the post hospital; the officers' quarters (Commanding Officer); a powder magazine; a morgue; a commissary; a guardhouse; and a bakery, which baked 600 loaves per day. There are also two replicas: officers' and enlisted men's barracks. The officers' barracks houses the Interpretive Center. There are other parks throughout the system that have similar historical significance. The Battleship Texas is even in the state park system.
For active people, there are all sorts of activities at state parks, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, boating, swimming, river rafting, and fishing. Fishing in the state park system, by the way, does not require a license; in addition to fresh water fishing, you can also do salt water fishing at several parks, such as Galveston Island and Mustang Island State Parks. And this list is by no means exhaustive. At Enchanted Rock, just north of Fredericksburg, you can enjoy some challenging rock climbing. Rather than going up, perhaps you like going down. If so, then visit Longhorn Cavern State Park and take a cave tour. Some of my best memories are of the days when my daughter was young and we would camp at South Llano River State Park. We would spend our days in the river, shooting under the bridge and then riding our floats downstream.
For those who love wildlife, the parks offer numerous opportunities to view animals in their natural habitat. Bentsen State Park in the Rio Grande Valley is famous for its birding opportunities. Caprock Canyons provides the opportunity to see bison roaming the prairie much as they did before the great slaughter following the Civil War. Other Texas wildlife, from Longhorns to deer to armadillos, can be found throughout the parks.
And then there are the parks that preserve natural scenery. One of my favorites of these is Lost Maples, which has stands of bigtooth maples in its protective canyons. Sometimes the parks protect and preserve native American artwork, such as the drawings at Seminole Canyon near Langtry and Del Rio and the drawings at Hueco Tanks east of El Paso.
And I've just scratched the surface. Our state parks offer myriad opportunities for recreational and educational activities, for the old and young alike.
Get out there and purchase a park pass and start enjoying the great outdoors.
Our state park system, Texas Parks and Wildlife, provides a State Park Pass that is good for one year for all state parks. The first pass costs $70; at the time you purchase this pass, you can also purchase additional passes for other members of your family for a mere $15. Donna and I make this purchase each year. So, for $85, we gain entry to all the state parks across Texas. If you happen to be 65 years of age or older, this price is further reduced.
With the pass, daily entrance fees to all parks and state natural areas across the state are waived. You do, however, still have to pay for overnight camping. However, without the pass, you would have to pay not only the camping fee but the daily fee as well. I find this to be a great deal, for we camp throughout the year. When we aren't camping, we often are visiting parks on a day-use basis, as recounted in some recent blog entries regarding San Angelo State Park.
I find this to be a great deal. By comparison, current ticket prices for 1 day at Six Flags Over Texas are $56.99, though by purchasing online you can get them cheaper than this. So, a family of 4 would spend well over $100 at Six Flags for 1 day of fun; and I don't deny that it would be fun. But for only $70, that same family of 4 could visit the state parks of Texas every day for a year.
And what can you do at the state parks? Well, different parks offer different forms of recreation.
For the history buff, there are parks boasting Texas history. These include places like Fort Richardson State Park in Jacksboro, established shortly after the Civil War to protect settlers against raiding Comanche and Kiowa Indians. The fort is well preserved and includes seven of the original buildings which have been restored: the post hospital; the officers' quarters (Commanding Officer); a powder magazine; a morgue; a commissary; a guardhouse; and a bakery, which baked 600 loaves per day. There are also two replicas: officers' and enlisted men's barracks. The officers' barracks houses the Interpretive Center. There are other parks throughout the system that have similar historical significance. The Battleship Texas is even in the state park system.
For active people, there are all sorts of activities at state parks, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, boating, swimming, river rafting, and fishing. Fishing in the state park system, by the way, does not require a license; in addition to fresh water fishing, you can also do salt water fishing at several parks, such as Galveston Island and Mustang Island State Parks. And this list is by no means exhaustive. At Enchanted Rock, just north of Fredericksburg, you can enjoy some challenging rock climbing. Rather than going up, perhaps you like going down. If so, then visit Longhorn Cavern State Park and take a cave tour. Some of my best memories are of the days when my daughter was young and we would camp at South Llano River State Park. We would spend our days in the river, shooting under the bridge and then riding our floats downstream.
For those who love wildlife, the parks offer numerous opportunities to view animals in their natural habitat. Bentsen State Park in the Rio Grande Valley is famous for its birding opportunities. Caprock Canyons provides the opportunity to see bison roaming the prairie much as they did before the great slaughter following the Civil War. Other Texas wildlife, from Longhorns to deer to armadillos, can be found throughout the parks.
And then there are the parks that preserve natural scenery. One of my favorites of these is Lost Maples, which has stands of bigtooth maples in its protective canyons. Sometimes the parks protect and preserve native American artwork, such as the drawings at Seminole Canyon near Langtry and Del Rio and the drawings at Hueco Tanks east of El Paso.
And I've just scratched the surface. Our state parks offer myriad opportunities for recreational and educational activities, for the old and young alike.
Get out there and purchase a park pass and start enjoying the great outdoors.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Back Roads: Sherwood, Texas
Because of cooler weather, Donna and I have been staying inside lately. We needed to get out, so we decided to take a road trip to some spots in the general area.
We started by purchasing 2 hamburgers and some tea from a local fund drive for the area food bank at the Farm Bureau building. We grabbed our burgers and headed out US 67 a few miles southwest of town to a park on the shores of Twin Buttes Lake. Years ago, we owned some acreage in the Dove Creek subdivision across the lake. In those days, the lake was pretty full. Today, it is down to about 6% capacity and holds nearly 12,000 acre feet of water. We parked and enjoyed our burgers while surveying the landscape and the spotty lake.
Twin Buttes is formed by 2 rivers and 2 creeks: the South Concho River, the Middle Concho River, Dove Creek, and Spring Creek. With the drought still strong, though, very little water is flowing in most of these waterways.
After lunch, we continued out US 67 for several miles before taking a side road. The road crossed Spring Creek at a low-water crossing, then continued on to the old community of Sherwood. Spring Creek is a fairly constant flow creek, and farmers built aqueducts in the old days to use water from the creek to irrigate their fields.
Sherwood was founded in 1886, and soon became the county seat of Irion County. The stone courthouse was constructed in 1901. However, as often happened in the early days of the railroad, the tracks bypassed Sherwood and instead went through the newer community of Mertzon a few miles to the southwest. Over time, Mertzon became the county seat and Sherwood faded away. The town is still remembered, though, as one of the busiest commercial streets in San Angelo is named Sherwood Way.
We drove a bit through Mertzon, a town we passed through often when we lived in Ozona years ago and would shop in San Angelo. Home to almost 800 people, there is not much in Merton. The courthouse stands atop a hill to the west of the highway, all alone up there as all businesses are located along the highway 2 or 3 blocks to the east. The school is located even beyond the courthouse.
The headwaters for Spring Creek are west of Mertzon, and there is always good water in the creek on the eastern edge of town.
From Mertzon, we headed back to San Angelo by way of FM 853, which runs first north from Sherwood, then curves back due east. Just before the curve east, the highway crosses the Middle Concho River on a low-water crossing.
The Middle Concho is probably the driest waterway in the San Angelo area. Even in good years, the flow is not steady. However, early day travelers did use it to travel west. By following the river, they could find pools of water and good wood for several days of travel. Legendary Charles Goodnight followed the Middle Concho as he trudged west with herds of cattle towards Castle Gap and Horsehead Crossing on the Pecos River. Lonesome Dove, perhaps Larry McMurtry's greatest work, was based on the exploits of Goodnight and his friend and partner, Oliver Loving. It was during one of these trips that Loving and "One Arm" Bill Wilson road ahead to Ft. Sumner to start accepting bids for the herd; during the ride, they were ambushed by Comanches and Loving was wounded. He lost an arm to gangrene, and later lost his life from complications resulting from the wound. Goodnight took his friend's body back to Weatherford, Texas, where he was buried in Greenwood Cemetery. This incident forms the basis for McMurtry's epic story.
There is not much to see along Highway 853. It's almost like stepping back in time. There are few houses, probably fewer than 20 altogether if that many, and little traffic other than some gravel trucks running back and forth from a dig in the area. The old community of Arden is located about halfway between Mertzon and Angelo. The area was first settled by sheep rancher John Arden in about 1876. A few years later, others moved to the area, and a small community developed that consisted of a school, a single church serving various congregations, and a post office, among other businesses. However, population dwindled as a result of drought and other difficulties, and very little remains today to even indicate there was ever a community there. All I saw was a marker next to the foundation where the school was located, and a single ranch house on the north side of the road.
Looks like West Texas has been fighting drought forever.
We started by purchasing 2 hamburgers and some tea from a local fund drive for the area food bank at the Farm Bureau building. We grabbed our burgers and headed out US 67 a few miles southwest of town to a park on the shores of Twin Buttes Lake. Years ago, we owned some acreage in the Dove Creek subdivision across the lake. In those days, the lake was pretty full. Today, it is down to about 6% capacity and holds nearly 12,000 acre feet of water. We parked and enjoyed our burgers while surveying the landscape and the spotty lake.
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| Twin Buttes Reservoir with dam in background |
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| Boat Ramp to Nowhere |
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| Low water crossing over Spring Creek just outside of Sherwood |
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| Courthouse in Sherwood was constructed in 1901 |
The headwaters for Spring Creek are west of Mertzon, and there is always good water in the creek on the eastern edge of town.
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| Spring Creek, upstream from low-water crossing on the eastern edge of Mertzon |
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| Middle Concho River, looking downstream. It's difficult to see, but there is a pool of water in the distance. |
The Middle Concho is probably the driest waterway in the San Angelo area. Even in good years, the flow is not steady. However, early day travelers did use it to travel west. By following the river, they could find pools of water and good wood for several days of travel. Legendary Charles Goodnight followed the Middle Concho as he trudged west with herds of cattle towards Castle Gap and Horsehead Crossing on the Pecos River. Lonesome Dove, perhaps Larry McMurtry's greatest work, was based on the exploits of Goodnight and his friend and partner, Oliver Loving. It was during one of these trips that Loving and "One Arm" Bill Wilson road ahead to Ft. Sumner to start accepting bids for the herd; during the ride, they were ambushed by Comanches and Loving was wounded. He lost an arm to gangrene, and later lost his life from complications resulting from the wound. Goodnight took his friend's body back to Weatherford, Texas, where he was buried in Greenwood Cemetery. This incident forms the basis for McMurtry's epic story.
There is not much to see along Highway 853. It's almost like stepping back in time. There are few houses, probably fewer than 20 altogether if that many, and little traffic other than some gravel trucks running back and forth from a dig in the area. The old community of Arden is located about halfway between Mertzon and Angelo. The area was first settled by sheep rancher John Arden in about 1876. A few years later, others moved to the area, and a small community developed that consisted of a school, a single church serving various congregations, and a post office, among other businesses. However, population dwindled as a result of drought and other difficulties, and very little remains today to even indicate there was ever a community there. All I saw was a marker next to the foundation where the school was located, and a single ranch house on the north side of the road.
Looks like West Texas has been fighting drought forever.
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