More Spring Break - Nacogdoches, the Azalea Trail and Tyler State Park

Native Azalea blooming near Mission Tejas State Park

After several days in the Big Thicket, David and I headed to the picturesque town of Nacogdoches, home to Stephen F. Austin University and Texas' largest Azalea Garden. Since the dogwoods had not started blooming yet we had to see some spring blooms, so azaleas would have to do.  And 'do' they did!  Although not at peak blooming yet, the azaleas at the Mast Arboretum were stunning. And many of the beautiful homes in town had their own azalea gardens. We strolled the garden on campus and drove around town enjoying the gorgeous color.   

The largest azalea garden in Texas
Ruby Mize Azalea Garden at the Mast Arboretum
on the Stephen F. Austin Campus

While visiting Nacogdoches we stayed in Mission Tejas State Park and then traveled to Tyler State Park on our way to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Both parks were lovely with trails through pine and hardwood forests.  David and I enjoy identifying plants that we either think we know or know we don't know.  So many hours were spent wandering the forests with our tree and plant guides.  As usual Maya was very patient with us.

Long Leaf or Loblolly Pine?
Inquiring minds want to know...

Early morning on the Nature Trail at Tyler State Park

Spring pool on the Nature Trail at Tyler State Park

One more beautiful azalea...

Spring Break Gallery - Martin Dies, Jr. State Park and the Big Thicket

Island Trail Bridge crossing over to Wildlife Trail
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park

Martin Dies, Jr. State Park is in far East Texas near Jasper.  This area of Texas, know as the Big Thicket, was once so vast it covered over 3 million acres of southeastern Texas.  Today the Big Thicket National Preserve protects 12 separate 'units' of land comprising 97,550 acres of pine and cypress, hardwood forest, meadow and blackwater swamp.  Only a remnant of what used to be here, the Big Thicket is still an amazing place. 

Slough (pronounced 'slew')
A boggy area where there is flowing water
Big Thicket National Preserve

Here four major biological areas converge:  southeastern swamps, eastern forests, central plains and southwest deserts.  Bogs sit near arid sandhills and eastern bluebirds nest near roadrunners.  Plants and animals from all these regions live together in the Big Thicket. No wonder it has been called the biological crossroads of North America.

Trunk of American Holly covered with colorful lichens

Red Maple winged seed pods or samaras

Baygall or blackwater pond
caused by the tannic acid in the fallen leaves
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park
 

Village Creek
Big Thicket National Preserve

  

Spring Break Gallery - Brazos Bend State Park

Carolina Jessamine blooming in the Big Thicket

Spring Break is almost over and we have visited parks in South and East Texas from Guadalupe River to Brazos Bend to the Big Thicket.  We enjoyed visiting some of our favorite places again and adding some brand new parks to our list. 

Today we are leaving the ‘country’ life behind and heading for the Dallas/Ft. Worth area for our RV's one year check-up.  It is hard to believe that just this time last year we were picking up our brand new RV and getting all excited about going 'on the road.' 

Here are some photos from our spring break adventure starting with Brazos Bend State Park near Houston.

Brazos Bend State Park

An amazing place to see birds and alligators

Anhinga sunning 

American Alligators

Ibis

Blue-winged Teal

Great Egret

Spring Break

Wild violets - another early sign of spring

Sequestration may be upon us but things seem to be working well so far in the Texas State Parks.  However it is a good thing we made some reservations!  The last few days have been the most crowded camping we have seen in any parks since we started our adventure 10 months ago.  Maybe the college set goes to the beach for spring break but families with small children go camping. 

A rare sight - a parked bike during daylight hours 

Forget the convertibles and sports cars, tricycles and bicycles with training wheels are the preferred mode of transportation here in the parks and they race by at all hours of the day.  But the good news is that by sundown the bikes circle at the fires of their respective campsites and the young riders head to bed early. 

Once the sun is down, it is time for Maya’s stroll through the campground.  We have been enjoying this ritual lately.  I don’t know if it is the cold nights that have kept the humidity low or that the moon is ‘new’ but the night skies and stars have been awesome – really.

Spain built the first mission in the province of Texas.
The Civilian Conservation Corp built a 'Mission Replica' in Mission Tejas State Park.  

 Last night, at Mission Tejas State Park, it was so dark that Maya and I missed our turn and got a little lost.  The tall pines kept the ground very dark though the stars did twinkle through.  We could see the campfires in the distance and made our way back but we never did find the path.  (Note to self: don’t forget to put the flashlight in your pocket.)  Being with Maya made me feel braver but  I did think how fragile we are and how any one of us alone or even with a dog, is not very fit for survival anymore.  We were so small and the night felt so overwhelmingly infinite.  I think Maya felt it too.  She walked very hesitantly, stopping frequently as we made our way back towards the fires.  But it could have been that her nose and ears were telling her much more about the night than I could ever know. 

The only place that is open to the public to walk on 'The King's Highway.'

Part of the original ‘El Camino Real’ or the King’s Highway that ran from Mexico to San Antonio on to Nacogdoches and up through Louisiana, is located in Mission Tejas State Park.  You can walk in the original traces of this ancient road used by famous Texans such as Stephen F. Austin, Jim Bowie, Sam Houston, Davy Crockett and many others.  I bet they had better sense than to wander off from camp at night without their ‘light.’

Redbuds blooming in Mission Tejas State Park

Signs of Spring

Texas Mountain Laurel blooming near San Marcos

Much as it usually does, March came in like a lion.  The winds blew in during the last night of our stay in Ft. Davis.  The RV was a ‘rockin,’ but it wasn’t due to anything we were up to…  It felt like we were out on the high seas.  Maya didn’t like it much and towards morning she was up on the bed with us cuddled as close to our heads as she could get. 

The morning came with no signs of the wind letting up. We had second thoughts but decided to head on anyway and ‘sailed’ in to Odessa with a strong wind on the starboard quarter.  We had a nice four day weekend with my family and then ‘sailed’ on to San Antonio as the wind seemed determined to blow on any day we wanted to drive.  But that is just March in West Texas.  I remember well my many windy West Texas springs.

 

Redbud at South Llano River State Park

Agarita at Guadalupe River State Park

 

The wind did not limit itself to West Texas.  It blew as hard as I have ever seen it in San Antonio on our first day back – with gusts up to 40 – 50 mph.   Thank goodness it gave us a break the following day.  Wind can really wear you down…

We spent nights in South Llano River State Park, Guadalupe River State Park, on friends’ land near San Marcos and at Palmetto State Park.  Spring was quickly bursting on the scene at all of these places.  One of the first signs of spring in South Texas, the mountain laurel, was near the end of its blooming in San Antonio but still going strong near San Marcos.  Redbuds too, were in full bloom and there should be a bumper crop of Agarita berries if the blooms are any indication.

 

"Nature's first green is gold

Its hardest hue to hold..."

I love seeing the first waves of green as the trees and shrubs are getting their new leaves and the grasses are just coming up.  It always reminds me of that Robert Frost poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” 

The Carolina Buckeye is also one of those early indicators of spring and we saw the small tree just starting to leaf out at Guadalupe River State Park but a week later in Palmetto State Park the buckeyes were in full bloom.  What a difference a week and 60 miles can make.  

 

Red Buckeye or Carolina Buckeye at Palmetto State Park

 

Buckeye and Giant Swallow Tail Butterfly

 

 

We plan to spend the next couple of weeks visiting friends and seeing spring in South and East Texas.  This April it will be a year since we bought our RV and we have to go to the Dallas area for the one-year check up. So we will make our way east and then north visiting as many state parks as we can work in and trying to avoid the spring break crowds (which may prove challenging).

It won't be that much longer before we head east for new adventures.  This year we are going to head across the south and then follow the Appalachian Trail (more or less) up the east coast to Maine and perhaps on into Canada.  We've never travelled much on the east coast, just to some of the bigger cities, Boston, D.C. and N.Y.C.  If you have suggestions for us, let us know - a favorite place or trail, restaurant or historic site, we will try to work it in.  It is all new to us and we want to see as much as we can. 

 

Texas Baby Blue-eyes at Palmetto State Park