We kicked off the new year by trading Maryland’s biting winter chill for our very first Texas state park adventure. Back home, January meant freezing temperatures, but here we were greeted by a balmy mid-60s breeze and a sky that promised a bit of sun—even if we had to gamble with a threat of afternoon rain. It’s recommended to buy your entry passes online a few days prior if possible.

Our day began at the heart of the Pedernales Falls state park, starting with a quick stop at the charmingly tiny visitor center. From there, we wandered down to the local swimming hole, where a couple was quietly fishing, casting lines into the calm water. 

Wanting to make the most of the weather, we hiked up to the upper area of the falls, unpacking our lunch with the sound of rushing water as our backdrop. Afterward, we traced the path down the falls, eventually tackling the stairs that led us straight up to a stunning overlook. 

Ready for a real trek, we set off on a 5.5-mile loop around Wolf Mountain. While the distance was respectable, the gentle elevation was a welcome relief compared to the rugged climbs we were used to on the East Coast.

Armed with our day pass, we later drove over to the Madrone Juniper Ridge Trailhead. By the time we arrived, the afternoon light was beginning to fade. The bare, striking madrone trees grew thick along the path, casting long shadows. With the trail narrowing and my feet heavily protesting the miles we’d already logged, we decided to listen to our bodies and turn back.

To cap off the perfect day, we headed to The Salt Lick BBQ—a delicious nod to our very first trip to Austin. We arrived to a staggering two-hour wait for indoor seating, completely unaware of the ultimate insider secret: we could have ordered “carry out” and eaten immediately at the outdoor tables! But the wait flew by as we grabbed some local drinks and let the sounds of live music wash over us. When we were finally seated, the kitchen didn’t make us wait a minute longer; our food arrived almost instantly. We feasted on smoky brisket, tender turkey, and classic sides, completely satisfied before finally retiring to our hotel for a well-deserved night’s rest.

We started the next morning early, grabbing a quick McDonald’s breakfast for the road and picking up Subway sandwiches to pack away for later. Our destination was the incredibly popular Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Even with our early start, a small line had already formed at the entrance during our “timed” entry. Once inside, we made a quick pit stop at the visitor center so I could collect my park stamps, a “penny” souvenir, and postcards, before packing our gear and setting off on what would be a fantastic three-hour hike.

Naturally, our first challenge was the massive pink granite dome itself. We joined the other hikers heading up the Summit Trail, and the higher we climbed, the more ferocious the wind became.

Up at the peak, the gales were so intense we had to strap our hats down securely, and the roar of the wind made it almost impossible to hear each other as we navigated our way diagonally up the rock face. Seeking a bit of peace, we hiked over to the far side of the dome to overlook the rest of the park, enjoying a quick snack away from the crowds.

From there, we descended the giant rock to begin a counter-clockwise route toward the Loop Trail. This took us through the Echo Canyon Trail, which treated us to a bit of fun, minor rock scrambling. We wound our way past Moss Lake where two kids were fishing and camping in that area. We finally connected with the main Loop Trail, eventually pausing for lunch on a rocky perch at the Scenic View Trail. It didn’t stay private for long, though—as other hikers began to join us, and with the persistent wind giving way to the afternoon heat, we packed up and pushed through the final stretch of the loop back to the parking lot. By the time we reached the car, our feet were thoroughly exhausted, prompting us to happily skip the short interpretive loop right by the trailhead.

While we could have made the drive home that afternoon, we decided to detour to the famous town of Fredericksburg—especially since we discovered Texas visitor centers offer stamps, too!

After checking into our hotel and freshening up, we headed out for dinner at The Auslander. The town is legendary for its summer peaches, so we embraced the local flavors. Our table was packed with comforting German dishes: a crispy chicken schnitzel paired with red cabbage, buttered corn, and a local peach lager, alongside a hearty Reuben sandwich served with hot German potatoes, pickles, and a crisp, peach-flavored white wine. We capped off the meal by sharing a warm apple strudel topped with ice cream, leaving us completely stuffed.

To walk off our dinner, we took a stroll through the Marktplatz as the sun set. We had examined the wooden replica of the Christmas pyramid at the visitor center and saw the 26-ft tall version out in this space. We also watched people ice skate under the evening sky before finally retiring to our hotel for the night.

We woke up to a quiet, cloudy spring morning, perfect for a quick two-hour exploration of a cozy local park, Stephen F. Austin. As we arrived, we noticed a few campers waking up and a handful of cyclists already hitting the paths, but for the most part, we had the peaceful trails to ourselves. Because it’s a smaller park, we were able to explore almost the entire trail system in one go.

We wove our way through a web of connected paths, starting on the Ironwood and Opossum trails before transitioning to the Brazos Bottom and Cottonwood trails. The routes eventually looped us out onto the main park road, giving us an easy walk back to the car. The terrain itself had zero elevation—mostly wide, flat paths where we could comfortably walk side-by-side.

However, nature definitely made us work for it in other ways! We had to dodge a few massive, intricate spiderwebs stretched across the paths, and the spring bugs were out in full force, proving pesky enough to bite right through our long sleeves. I’m not great at capturing birds but there was a bingo sheet they had at the visitor center, I only saw one red bird, maybe a Vermillon flycatcher or a cardinal!

We paired our morning hiking adventure with grabbing something delicious nearby. This time, we visited a local Mexican restaurant to fuel up on a spectacular spread of chilaquiles and fresh fish tacos. The meal was the perfect backdrop for a new personal milestone: I’ve officially started using Duolingo to freshen up my Spanish! Now that we are living in Texas, my goal is to confidently order our meals in Spanish in the near future. It was the perfect, flavorful end to a classic Texas morning.

With the Texas summer in full swing, we are already dreaming of cooler days and mapping out our next big outdoor escape for October. Once the intense humidity dies down, we have our sights set on the famous Brazos Bend State Park. Known for its massive, winding trail system and its highly anticipated, prehistoric residents—American alligators—it promises to be a completely different pacing than our previous hikes.

To make the trip even more memorable, we’re planning to turn this park visit into a special fall birthday celebration. Brazos Bend is uniquely home to the George Observatory, and we hope to spend the evening stargazing through their massive telescopes under a clear autumn sky. Because no hiking trip of ours is complete without a rewarding meal, we’ll cap off the birthday adventure by heading into Richmond or Sugar Land for a celebratory dinner. It’s the perfect fall itinerary to look forward to: wildlife by afternoon, incredible food at dusk, and a universe of stars by night.

A Quick Planning Note: The George Observatory (run by the Houston Museum of Natural Science) is only open to the public on Saturday nights, and they require you to buy timed tickets online well in advance. Since October is peak beautiful weather in Texas, those stargazing slots fill up incredibly fast! Keep an eye on their ticket releases so you can lock in your birthday spot perfectly.

A few other state parks I want to visit this winter are:

1. Palmetto on the way to San Antonio
2. Palo Dura Canyon in Oct
3. Caprock Canyons in Oct
4. Galveston Island for a special event
5. Goose Island and Mustang Island when visiting Corpus Christi