Hot Springs

Arkansas

My husband and I just visited Hot Springs for the first time. We have driven past the exit to Hot Springs on I-30 dozens of times going to visit family in Tennessee and Mississippi but never actually stopped there. It was finally time to check it out.

*Lookout Point Lakeside Inn – lake view*

I researched hotels and rentals before finding the perfect place for us. Reviews for the Lookout Point Lakeside Inn caught my attention and ended up being a fantastic place to stay! They are ranked the #1 Hotel in Hot Springs (Trip Advisor), #2 Most Romantic Hotel in the U.S. (Trip Advisor), #3 Small Hotel in the U.S. (Trip Advisor), one of the Top Ten Most Romantic Hotels in the U.S. (NBC Today Show), a Top Ten Best Lakeside Hotels (Good Morning America) and #9 Hotel for Service in the U.S. (Trip Advisor). It didn’t take too long for us to see why this beautiful inn had received all these accolades. The service, staff, location, amenities, design, food, rooms, gardens, and views were all exceptional.

My husband and I particularly enjoyed the gourmet breakfasts in the beautiful dining room and the fresh gluten-free cookies brought to our room each day. Our second floor room and balcony looked out over the manicured gardens, waterfalls, bird feeders, grassy labyrinth, fire pit, boat dock and lake. It was perfect for relaxing. We had a paddleboat, canoe and kayaks for our personal use. The inn also provided us with bug spray, beach towels, DVD movies, hammocks, emergency flashlights, soft drinks, cookies & chocolates, and a Keurig for coffee/tea/hot chocolates. The kitchen was open each day until 7:00 p.m. for snacks, meals, cocktails or wine. The staff was friendly, attentive, and very professional. We had a wonderful stay and I highly recommend this charming, quiet and well-decorated inn.

Our first full day was set aside to explore the Hot Springs National Park. This is an urban park located in the heart of downtown Hot Springs and is surrounded by shops, diners, busy roads, gangster museums and tourist attractions. The bathhouses lined up on Bathhouse Row seem to be the park’s most popular attraction. The grand architecture of these eight bathhouses and the stories of the healing waters continue to attract curious visitors as they have since the early 1900s. The therapeutic spas, ancient thermal springs, mountain views, unusual geology, forested hiking trails, and abundant creeks all make this “park” quite unique.

We stopped by the Fordyce Bathhouse which houses the National Park Visitor Center and toured the museum. The three-story bathhouse has informative exhibits, original spa rooms (with equipment) and a short film about the history of the area and Bathhouse Row. We got a more detailed glimpse into the history, grandeur and attraction of this special place. Afterwards, we joined a 45-minute tour led by a National Park Ranger.

Ranger Lisa was great! She was a Hot Springs native and her walking tour was both interesting and entertaining. We learned about the geology of the area, tasted the 140 degree water, walked the Grand Promenade (on the hill behind Bathhouse Row) and saw a momma groundhog and her baby. We were told that the thermal waters contain potassium, magnesium and sodium – these were the medicinal properties that prior generations found to be so “healing” (today we just take a multivitamin!). Generations ago, most people had poor diets and dirty drinking water. Regular bathing was labor intensive due to large amounts of water having to be carried from the source and then heated. It was quite obvious what was so appealing about these natural springs with clear, clean, nutritious, and heated water just bubbling out of the ground.

Only two bathhouses along Bathhouse Row are currently operational. One of the bathhouses, Superior Bathhouse is now a restaurant and brewery. This is the only brewery in the world that uses thermal spring water to create craft beers. We chose this as our lunch spot and it didn’t disappoint! The other bathhouses currently function as a hotel, a park store, a cultural center, and office building.

After lunch, we continued touring the park and drove up the winding Mountain Tower Road and West Mountain Road. Both drives provided scenic forested drives and great mountain lookouts. We had clear, beautiful views of Hot Springs and the Ouachita Mountains. For the more adventurous, there are almost 30 miles of hiking trails within the park boundaries that wind up, down and around these mountains overlooking the city. We decided to bypass hiking this time and just enjoyed the scenery from the comfort of our air-conditioned car (it was a humid 97 degrees in late September!).

*view from the West Mountain of the Hot Springs Mountain Tower*

Day Two – we decided to beat the heat, get an early start and canoe from our inn’s dock on Lake Hamilton. After another wonderful breakfast, we grabbed lifejackets, paddles and loaded up in a canoe. It was a beautiful day and the water was clear and calm. We explored the part of the lake and small islands scattered just off the shore from our inn. It was fun!

A couple of hours later, we were off to Garvan Woodland Gardens, a 200-acre botanical garden that is sponsored by the University of Arkansas. It was a short drive away and we got there early to beat the heat and the crowds.

Garvan Woodland Gardens was most enjoyable. The paved pathways through the flower gardens, waterfalls, dense ferns, towering pine canopy, rocky inclines, koi pond and the wooded shoreline provided beautiful sights at every turn. There are 4 miles of trails covering this entire garden so wear comfy shoes! We didn’t see every nook and cranny but hit all the major points. It was a fun spending the day outdoors.

I particularly enjoyed viewing the Anthony Chapel (just didn’t care for the two snakes that greeted us on the way there!). This stunning chapel appears to “be one” with the forest. The lofty pine columns, high ceiling, tall glass windows and oversize skylights all are designed to blend in with the surrounding pine trees. It was quite impressive – both inside and out. I could only imagine how beautiful a wedding ceremony would be here and certainly understood the popularity of this venue.

One of my favorite parts of any trip is the food! We began each day with a great breakfast at the inn. We had one lunch at Superior Brewery where I had a delicious Sweet Potato Salad and a Root Beer Float (with house-made root beer). Another enjoyable lunch was at Rolando’s Restaurante (near Bathhouse Row) where we enjoyed Ecuadorian food and flavored margaritas. Yum!

We found a couple of very good dinner spots in Hot Springs. The Vault (my favorite) was located in an old bank building near downtown Hot Springs. It was classy, dark and well-decorated. The menus had a backlight, which I thought was ingenious! David and I thoroughly enjoyed a delicious steak dinner here. The ambiance, service and food were all topnotch. A dinner at 501 Prime was also a standout. This restaurant and bar (known for its bourbon) served some great oyster dishes and we had exceptional service. A very special “treat” was a cupcake from Fat Bottomed Girl’s Cupcake Shoppe. I knew of this bakery from the Food Network Cupcake Wars competition. There were dozens of flavors to choose from and it was very difficult picking out just one. Decisions, decisions. Ooey Gooey Butter Cake was my final choice. OMG, it was good!

Hot Springs was a great weekend get-away for us. I really enjoyed seeing and learning about the bathhouses, the natural springs and the history of the park. Without a doubt, I would stay at the Lookout Point Lakeside Inn again. Heck, I would even drive three hours again for one of those cupcakes!

Happy travels!

Glacier National Park

Aug20

Montana

I have an unhealthy fear of bears. The grizzly bear attack in the book/movie “The Revenant” still haunts me to this day. With that being said, why in the world did I choose Glacier National Park as a vacation destination? This is the one park where your chances of running into a grizzly bear or black bear on a trail, on the road, or in a parking lot are well above zero. Bear spray is a necessity at all times. Just great. What had I gotten myself in to?

I planned an itinerary, booked a cabin and rental car, got our park passes, purchased our vehicle registration, reserved our park road permits, booked flights to Kalispell, and my husband and I were off to great adventures. Montana, here we come. A canister of bear spray would become my newest and most valuable accessory.

Why did we choose to visit Glacier National Park in spite of the bear population? Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful of the US national parks and is nicknamed the “Crown of the Continent.” The park encompasses over one-million acres of glacier-carved peaks and valleys, two mountain ranges, pristine turquoise lakes and streams, meadows full of wildflowers, numerous waterfalls and ancient evergreen forests. It was established as a national park in 1910 after the Blackfeet tribe ceded the area to the government. Glacier National Park is the 10th most visited park (3.1 million annual visitors) making it not only one of the most beautiful, but also one of the most popular national parks to visit in the United States.

More park visitors over the last couple of years caused restrictions to be put in place that prevent overcrowding within the park, hence purchasing vehicle passes/registrations was necessary prior to our trip. We appreciated that the crowds were very manageable throughout our visit and we never had long lines or traffic problems.

There is one main highway that cuts through the center of the park, the Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTTSR). The scenic GTTSR connects the west entrance to the park with the east entrance (50 miles/2 hours drive time). We drove it easily and without any access issues due to the pre-purchased passes that were required for each vehicle driving within the park boundaries.

I found us a great little Vrbo rental in Essex, Montana that bordered the southern edge of the park, perfectly located about halfway between the west and east entrances to the park. The cabin was clean, cozy, comfortable and well-stocked. We cooked breakfast each morning, packed up our picnic lunch, went on our daily adventure, and returned each evening to cook/grill our dinner. A large mule deer welcomed us on our very first morning and a mink and chipmunks scampered around near our firepit each day. We had found a great little “home away from home.”

*the beautiful lobby at Lake McDonald Lodge*

Day #1 – We drove through the West Glacier entrance that morning and headed to Lake McDonald, the largest lake in the park. We explored the historic Lake McDonald Lodge (built in 1914) and grounds before taking a boat ride on the beautiful lake. After a picnic lunch, we drove the Going-to-the-Sun Road and stopped at several turn-outs to view McDonald Creek and the amazing scenery along the way. Mid-afternoon, we parked and hiked The Trail of the Cedars. This was one of our favorite hikes! The trail was a raised boardwalk or gravel trail that winds its way through a thick forest of towering cedar trees. The highlight for us was the view of Avalanche Gorge from the trail with its turquoise water tumbling down colorful moss-covered rocks. The damp weather made it feel like we were exploring a rainforest. Even though it was a drizzly afternoon, nothing could take away from the beauty of this trail. We loved it!

*Avalanche Gorge* *as seen from the Trail of the Cedars*

Walking back to our parked car after our hike, we heard our names being yelled from the parked car at the crosswalk. Really?! The people in the car were actually close friends from our hometown in Texas. One million acres of national park, 1749.5 miles away from home, and we happened to be at the exact same place at the exact same time. It was just plain weird! All you math geniuses can figure out those odds – it hurts my head just to think about it.

*Mick & Lisa Tune, our friends from Rockwall, Texas*

Day #2 – We got an early start and drove east to the park’s St. Mary’s entrance. We had a morning boat ride scheduled on beautiful St. Mary’s Lake that included a hike to a waterfall. It was a gorgeous day and we enjoyed our morning adventures. David and I found a little restaurant nearby in the park and had a great lunch (huckleberry pulled pork stuffed baked potatoes!) and continued our drive on The Going-to-the Sun Road with a few scenic stops along the way. We found ourselves at Logan Pass that afternoon, the highest point of the Going-to-the-Sun Road (6646 feet) and located along the Continental Divide. The road in this area had only opened 4 days prior to our visit due to the difficulty of snowplowing such late, heavy snows. The scenery at this high elevation was amazing! We parked and hiked the Hidden Lake Trail as far as we could but it was quite difficult with the packed, icy snow underfoot. Seeing all the snow, the jagged mountains, fields of wildflowers, waterfalls, marmots, ground squirrels, and big horn sheep made for a very memorable afternoon and gave us some great photo ops!

*ready for our* *St. Mary’s Lake boat ride*

Day #3 – David and I ventured to Two Medicine, a less-popular part of the park that we entered not far from East Glacier that feels off-the-beaten-path. This day actually turned out to be one of our favorites. The drive in had beautiful views and the crowds were sparse. We hiked to Running Eagle Falls, a sacred Native American burial site that celebrates an infamous female warrior and tribal leader. It was easy to feel the spirituality of this place. The double falls were very unusual and we spent quite a bit of time here. We hiked for a bit on a nature trail and soon decided it was lunch time. We drove a short distance to Two Medicine Lake and found a table at the General Store overlooking the picturesque lake with Sinopah Mountain towering in the background. Good food, great views.

After our picnic lunch and a cold huckleberry soda, we were ready for our next hike. We parked at a trailhead and headed up to Apikuni Falls. This was a tough hike for me due to the incline and it was very hot and humid. There were very few people on this trail and we were on a constant lookout for bears. Luckily, we made it to the falls and back without getting eaten. By late afternoon, we headed back out of Two Medicine admiring the scenery and the colorful wildflowers that lined the road and meadows in this scenic valley that is adjacent to the Blackfeet Reservation.

We stopped for huckleberry bear claws near East Glacier when we saw our first bear! It appeared to be a younger bear and we spotted it running through a pasture near some horses. The horses seemed a little nervous at first but soon went back to grazing. The bear found a pizza box in the pasture that fully captured his/her attention for quite a while. This is exactly how I wanted to see a bear – from a distance and from the safety of my car!

Day #4 – This was the day we ventured to Many Glacier, located on the farthest side of Glacier National Park from our cabin. Many Glacier is on the northeast side of the park and was the most difficult to get to. With that being said, I felt it was the most scenic part of the park. We arrived at Many Glacier early in the morning to secure a parking place, which worked in our favor. We spent the morning exploring the historic hotel and grounds and enjoyed a coffee while waiting for our scheduled boat tour.

*Many Glacier Hotel from Swiftcurrent Lake*

The Many Glacier boat tour was a “two-parter.” The tour began on the shores of beautiful Swiftcurrent Lake. We cruised across the lake, docked, disembarked and then walked 0.2 mile (over a steep hill) to the shores of Lake Josephine. We then boarded another small boat and cruised to the head of Lake Josephine. We disembarked there to do a self-guided hike to Grinnell Lake. This was a beautiful trail that led us through wooded areas, over streams, along narrow hillsides and over a swinging bridge before we arrived on the shoreline. Grinnell Lake had beautiful turquoise waters and was surrounded on three sides by towering mountains and snowy glaciers. It was breathtaking! David and I sat and ate a picnic lunch on a fallen log and took in all the beauty around us. We were even lucky enough to spot a grizzly bear loping through snowfields on the opposite side of the lake before it disappeared into a valley on the far side of the lake. Bear sighting number two….check! We also saw a huge bull moose standing waist-deep in Lake Josephine on our return boat trip. Wildlife abounds!

*Lake Josephine with Salamander Glacier and Grinnell Glacier in backgroun*d

We returned to the Many Glacier Hotel later that afternoon after an amazing day. We located the bar and treated ourselves to a Huckleberry Margarita, a snack, and a short rest before the long ride back to our cabin. Another unforgettable day was in the books.

*hiking to Grinnell Lake from Josephine Lake*

Day #5 – We woke to another cloudy, drizzly day but decided not to let it stop our exploring. We headed back to West Glacier and spent the day at Apgar Village on the shores of Lake McDonald. We walked the shoreline, snapped a few iconic “colored rock” photos, hiked a wooded trail, shopped in the gift stores, and enjoyed coffee/lunch/huckleberry ice cream during the hours we spent there. It was a very relaxing day. On the way back to our cabin, we stopped at the Goat Lick overlook to see a herd of mountain goats that hang out on some rocky cliffs. We saw several of them!

*the iconic “rock photo” at Lake McDonald*

We then returned to the cabin, cleaned up, and drove back to West Glacier where we had dinner reservations. David and I wanted a nice meal on our final night and we enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Belton Chalet Restaurant. It was delicious and made for a great ending to a great trip. We returned our unused bear spray, packed up, and left for home the following morning.

We made memories that will last a lifetime. GNP, thanks for an unforgettable trip!

See you on the trails!

Dinosaur Valley State Park

May26

Glen Rose, TX

One day, a long time ago, a family of plant-eating longnecks was walking along the muddy water’s edge grazing on yummy plants and ferns. Unbeknownst to them, a herd of hungry meat-eaters was hot on their trail. Let’s just say the day ended quite poorly for the plant-eaters.

What we are left with today at Dinosaur Valley State Park is the fossilized footprint evidence of this journey and the encounter. The round, elephant-like footprints were the plant-eaters and the three-toed prints were the meat-eaters. Over 100 million years ago, many types of animals lived in this shallow Mesozoic sea area. Tidal pools and coastal swamps covered what is now the state of Texas. Today, these lower Cretaceous rocks are where we find the Paluxy River and its shoreline containing hundreds of dinosaur prints.

One area within the park contains so many preserved footprints that it is named “The Ballroom” due to hundreds of tracks moving in all directions – as if they were all dancing (or trying to keep from being eaten!). Some of the prints are on the dry limestone creek beds, some are in shallow water, and some have (unfortunately) eroded over time. The park provides detailed maps showing all the track sites.

When I stood looking at some of these well-preserved footprints, I could barely wrap my head around seeing something from 105 million years ago. How is that even possible? It was the highlight of my trip, for sure.

Besides seeing the dinosaur prints in the park, my husband and I did quite a bit of hiking with our yorkie “trail dog.” There are over 20 miles of hiking trails running all through the park and the beautiful Paluxy River Valley. Trails lead into and along the river, up over limestone ridges, through shady cedar brakes, and beside grassy prairie lands. I really enjoyed our walks alongside the clear, shallow river spotting unusual rocks, dinosaur tracks, crawfish, and fish. We also saw lots of lizards, animal tracks, and beautiful wildflowers along the grassy and wooded trails.

A few of the trailheads start near the popular and more crowded attractions within the park. The Blue Hole (definitely green) looked like a family-friendly swimming area, as there were quite a few people there. The Main Track Site had the most visitors with ample parking and easy access to prints on dry land for close-up viewing. When we ventured off on many of the other trails, there were fewer people.

I suggest wearing good hiking shoes for all the varying terrain (rocks, dirt, roots, gravel) and bringing a pair of water shoes to get up close and personal to some of the tracks in shallow water and for river crossings on some trails. Pack a picnic lunch, bring plenty of water, and enjoy the park and all it has to offer!

Reservations are highly recommended as the park limits the numbers of visitors per day. The cost for a one-day pass is $7 per car. Overnight camping is also available with reservations.

See you on the trail!

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Sep24

Montrose County, CO

Another Covid-19 vacation is in the books! My family is vaccinated but we are still trying to avoid crowds when traveling. We have spent the past year renting homes/cabins and cooking most of our meals when out of town. This rural southwest part of Colorado seemed like the perfect place to check out a National Park and visit with our adult children for a few days. It turned out to be a great trip.

We took a morning flight from DFW to Montrose. The direct flight was only an hour and thirty-eight minutes – quick trip! The Montrose airport was small (4 gates) and very easy to navigate. Getting our rental Jeep was a breeze. Our Vrbo house actually ended up being a convenient ten minute drive from the airport. So far, so good! We were ready to explore the area.

The first excursion to check off our list: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This area has only had National Park status since 1999 and I was not that familiar with it prior to our trip. After seeing a few pics on a National Park social media page recently, it got on my radar. Though not as popular as the Grand Canyon, it certainly seemed less crowded and had some spectacular views with towering walls, spiky peaks, narrow openings and startling depths. I put in a little bit of research, found out how to get there, and off we went!

The Black Canyon National Park entrance was only twenty minutes from downtown Montrose and the drive up to the park was quite scenic as our elevation changed (and ears popped!). This route took us to the park’s visitor center that featured cool displays, info on the canyon, picnic areas, restrooms, a gift shop, campgrounds, a nature trail and a great observation platform. It was well worth a stop. I got a map, a walking stick and went on my merry way.

The route through the park along the South Rim Road was easy to drive and well-marked. It allowed us beautiful views of the Black Canyon from many overlooks, most of which only required short walks. I loved seeing all the different landscapes, plants and trees along the way. Hiking there can be as simple as strolling to the various viewpoints and overlooks or as challenging as a 2,700 foot descent down into the inner-canyon to the Gunnison River, which we didn’t do (because we are sane people!).

The Black Canyon itself was breathtakingly beautiful with its dark, solid granite canyon walls that tower almost 3,000 feet above the greenish river snaking far, far below. The canyon gets its name due to the fact that certain parts of the gorge only get thirty total minutes of sunlight per day. The walls literally look black due to the shadows. It is very, very narrow and very deep! For you geology nerds, the canyon has some of the world’s oldest exposed rock that dates back two billion years to the Precambrian era. Today the impenetrable, steep cliffs provide homes and protection to the world’s fastest bird, the peregrine falcon.

We enjoyed many of the twelve lookout points along the rim with Pulpit Rock, the Painted Wall and Dragon Point being my favorites. The Painted Wall is the highest cliff (tallest vertical wall) in Colorado. From the rim down to the river, it stands 2250 feet high and as my daughter described it, “it looks like a big ole slab of marbled steak.” It is a huge, dark granite wall with wide, white “marble” streaks running through it. The size is somewhere in the neighborhood of ginormous!

At Dragon Point, the Painted Wall was across the gorge from us and far below was the Gunnison River. The river actually looked very curvy and small from our vantage spot so high above. Our view was quite deceiving. The Gunnison River actually drops an average of 43 feet per mile through the canyon, which is six times more than the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon – just to put it in perspective.

If we had more time, I would have liked to experience the canyon from the bottom up. There is a road at the park entrance that follows a steep, switch-back route into the canyon’s depths. This would certainly be a memorable day for hiking, fishing, kayaking or rock climbing. I would have loved to have seen the mighty river up close and personal. Maybe next time…

The Ute Tribe that inhabited these tribal lands for thousands of years referred to this area as “much rocks, big water.” I don’t think anyone could have said it any better.

The Vampire Grave

Jul21

Lafayette, CO

Want to hear about a vampire grave in Colorado? Cool! This is how the story goes.

In the early 1900s in Lafayette, Colorado (near Boulder) a pale, lanky man living in the area was pretty much a loner with no friends or family. No one knew much about him other than his name, Fodor Glava. When he died in 1918, townspeople took notice of his headstone at his gravesite. It was discovered that he was from Transylvania. Rumors spread through the town like wild fire that he was, of course, a vampire!

No one had ever seen him much during the day when he was alive. He had always been very pale. He was originally from Transylvania. The facts were undeniable.

Several townspeople dug up Glava’s grave and found blood by his mouth, his teeth seeming bigger than normal, and his nails long, pointed and still growing. The frightened and superstitious settlers drove a wooden stake through his heart and reburied him.

Of course, we now know that all of these physical changes are natural for a decaying body.

Shortly after his second burial, a tree “unlike any other in the area” grew straight up through the grave plot. Folklore claims it “grew from the wooden stake in his heart.” Red rose bushes suddenly sprang up around his grave. These wild roses were thought to be growing from his fingernails. They knew roses had some importance in his life since the word was on his gravestone. It was black magic at its best!

Back to present day:

My adult children live in Colorado. They always have fun things planned for us to see and do when we visit. Our most recent visit a couple of months ago was no exception. The first day there, we were off to see the Vampire Grave in Lafayette. My daughter and son-in-law had been given a book by a family member regarding “odd and interesting” places to visit in the state. We found ourselves marching through a wet cemetery in the rain to find this unusual tombstone. The folklore story is actually much more interesting than the actual gravesite.

Now for the truth: Theodore “Fodor” Glava was a very pale, tall and lanky Transylvanian immigrant who came to America for a better life. He lived a very quiet and modest life as a coal miner before dying from the Spanish flu during the 1918 epidemic that ravaged Colorado. He was buried in the poorest section of the local Lafayette cemetery in a pauper’s grave. It wasn’t until after his death that he gained his notoriety.

Glava’s headstone was carved/chiseled by a stonemason with his personal info, birthplace, and year of death. Among the inscription is the word “trandofir” which is the Romanian word for “rose.” Not much was known about Glava’s life in this area during this time, but the mention of his birthplace on his headstone actually sparked the rumors that he was a vampire. Many locals knew that Transylvania was home to Count Dracula and Vlad the Impaler, therefore he must also be a “creature of the night.”

The truth is most likely that this is the gravestone for Fodor Glava and his wife Trandatir (Rose). Both probably died from the influenza around the same time. He was from Transylvania (part of Romania today) and Rose was from Bucovina (part of the Ukraine and Romania today). They were both very poor and he worked as a miner, probably another reason he was so pale. He could also have been sickly and/or had a poor diet.

Unfortunately, Glava was an easy target for these uneducated settlers who tried to explain away natural happenings with superstition.

Rumors of this vampire still exist to this day. Local residents have claimed for many years that they have seen a mysterious figure walking near the gravesite late at night. Yikes!! If you do plan a visit to the Vampire Grave, go in the day time. It is also a sign of respect that you take and leave a small gift – a coin, rock, token or a bouquet of roses.

No garlic, please.

Note: This is what is actually engraved on the headstone. A vertical line divides the sections. The right side reads –

FODOR GLAVA, BORN IN TRANSYLVANIA, a small cross, AUSTRO-UNGARIA (should read Austro-Hungarian, which Transylvania was a part of), DIED DECEMBER 1918

The left side (that people seem to ignore) reads – + 2 ROMANION (two Romanians buried here), TRANDATIR (Rose), BORN IN PAR-HAUTIBOCVINA (from Parhauti Village in Bocvina, an area also in Austro-Hungary).

May they both rest in peace.

Bluebonnet Trail

Apr26

Ennis, TX

For all of us Texans still dealing with the outcome of the devastating arctic blast, there is a positive. The freeze that wiped out many of our trees, shrubs and flowers and spelled disaster to our state’s infrastructure, spared the bluebonnets and wildflowers.

It seems that all the snow we received in Texas actually acted as an insulator and saved many of the wildflowers and their root systems from the low surface temperatures. The bluebonnets weathered the winter quite nicely and they are currently in full bloom throughout many parts of the state.

Now more than ever during this pandemic, Texans are looking for fun outdoor activities to get us out of the house and the Texas Bluebonnet Trail is a perfect opportunity. My husband and I packed a picnic lunch this past weekend and drove down to Ennis, the Bluebonnet City of Texas. I wanted to see the state flower of Texas in all its glory!

Located off Hwy 45 and south of the Dallas metroplex, the Ennis Bluebonnet Trail is the oldest in the state and has over 40 miles of viewing opportunities. The best way to follow the trail is in your car because trails are mainly on paved or gravel roads and in park areas. The rule of thumb is that you can pull off on the side of any road as long as you do not block roadways, driveways or fire hydrants. Everyone is also asked to take photos – not flowers!

I downloaded a driving map off the Ennis Garden Club website (which is updated frequently) and we headed off. Our map told us the North Trail and West Trail had “peaked” so we headed to the suggested South Trail. It was rural, uncrowded and had acres of gorgeous bluebonnets as well as other colorful Texas wildflowers. We had some great photo ops!

We also visited the Meadow View Nature Area (and had a picnic lunch near Lake Bardwell), scenic Bluebonnet Park and the Ennis Veterans Memorial Park. The Veterans Park had acreage off to the side of the park with a large “natural” area that we really enjoyed.

The pastures, roadsides, meadows and yards along the marked routes are bursting with color! We noticed sapphire blues, fiery oranges, citrusy yellows, dainty pinks, scarlet reds, and deep purples all adding to Mother Nature’s spring palette. Most bluebonnets range in color from a light sky blue to a deep, dark navy blue – and all shades in between. We read that slight genetic modifications can occur and render the flowers white, pink or maroon as well but they usually don’t last long in the wild. I only saw blue, blue, and more blue!

A word of warning – bluebonnet fields are usually in rural areas and can be so dense that they provide shelter to animals and reptiles, especially snakes! Be cautious when moving around and through these areas. Bluebonnets are also toxic to humans and animals if ingested so keep an eye on your kids or pets when taking photos in or walking through the fields. This past weekend was late in the bluebonnet season and luckily for us, there were well-worn paths through most of the fields and no unwanted varmints were encountered.

April is the best month for viewing the bluebonnets but it looks as though they will still have at least another couple of weeks of peak season left. If you haven’t driven the Bluebonnet Trail yet, make plans quickly before they have lost their vibrant colors and healthy blooms. Kingsland, Marble Falls, Burnet, Brenham and Austin also have bluebonnet tours so pick your favorite spot and plan a trip SOON! Become a part of this incredible Texas tradition.

Beavers Bend State Park

Mar19

Hochatown, OK

Our pandemic trips continue and we recently revisited Beavers Bend State Park and Broken Bow Lake in Oklahoma for a long weekend. We had rented a cabin and stayed in this same area earlier in the fall and enjoyed it so much that we decided to go back.

Sweetwater Cabins has some lovely rentals in this area and we chose one this time called Just-A-Swingin. The cabin was appropriately named, with a porch swing on the lower level, and had a beautiful, open-concept interior. The neighborhood is a hilly, pine-forested area just minutes off the highway and a stone’s throw away from the park entrances. Location, location, location! This cabin was perfect.

My husband and I had taken our yorkie on the last visit and she did so well that she was invited along again this trip! She seemed to enjoy hiking the nature trails with us so we are turning this nine-pound, nine-year-old spoiled lap dog into a decent trail dog!

We were lucky enough on this trip to experience great weather again. We grilled hamburgers on our deck the first night and prepared for two days of hiking to follow. Our days were full of activity and our evenings were quiet and lazy – just the way we like it!

The first full day inside the park, we chose the Beaver Lodge Nature Trail for our first hike. This was a 1.2 mile hike that started at the base of the Broken Bow Lake’s hydro-electric dam and was a great one-way hike with gorgeous scenery. The trail head was a little tricky to find since it began away from the dam’s parking lot, across a stream, and was not marked. Once we spotted some people coming off the trail, it was much easier to locate and follow.

This trail led us through a forested area, along a high ridge, and stayed parallel to the Mountain Fork River. I enjoyed the busy sounds of the rushing water and the wind in the pines. It was a truly beautiful hike. We saw several trout fishermen in the water and a few tourists climbing on the river boulders. We hiked until the trail became too narrow and treacherous and turned back around.

We explored the shoreline on the way back, climbed over some boulders, and took a short rest in the middle of the rushing water on a rocky plateau . This is where “said trail dog” plunged into the shoulder-deep water after slipping on a mossy rock. She was wet and smelly but took it like the true trooper she is!

After lunch, we were back on the trails. Our next destination was the Lakeview Lodge Trail. This is a 1.4-3.5 mile trail that started at Lakeview Lodge on Broken Bow Lake. There were three loops to chose from and it is meant to be hiked in a clockwise direction. The trail had beautiful pine trees, great views of the lake, clear streams, colorful rocks and a varied terrain. It was very quiet and peaceful. We never saw anyone else on the trail and I was quite surprised that we didn’t see any wildlife other than birds. If there had been a chance of stumbling upon a wild animal, this would have been the place!

Day one was in the books. After a delicious dinner picked up from Rolling Fork Takery (wings and potato salad), all three of us were tired and ready for a good night’s sleep.

Day two found us inside the state park again on the 3/4 mile Pine Ridge Nature Trail. The trail looped like a figure-eight and winded through an evergreen forest, a lagoon, a piney ridge, and a floodplain. It was a short trail but had varied vegetation and different elevations that were unlike any other trails. We followed the path up, down and around some very beautiful spots on this easy, shaded walk. Lime green moss, ferns, cane, and new spring flowers were the highlights.

We took a break and explored the main areas in Beavers Bend State Park and played around on the rocks in the Mountain Fork River. We drove through the park and checked out the campgrounds, pony rides, train depot, fishing spots, and kayak/paddleboat/canoe rentals. There was more to do here than we ever imagined! Another trip may be in order.

Our afternoon hike was the toughest of them all. Cedar Bluff Nature Trail is listed as a “moderate trail with minimal terrain.” What the trail guide doesn’t tell you is that the 1-mile hike is all straight uphill through a pine forest! After a little huffing and puffing on my part, we made it to a beautiful rock cropping overlook. At that elevation, we were overlooking the river, bald cypress trees and rocky cliffs below. The stunning views were well worth the effort and we took a few minutes to soak it all in.

We met another couple at this overlook where we exchanged pleasantries and took each other’s photo before we headed off. Hiking down the trail was a much easier than the hike up!

We picked up a pizza and salad on the way back to the cabin and had a quiet dinner. All three of us were tired but energized from all that we had seen and done. Once again, our trail dog had done extremely well and exceeded expectations (she also slept the entire way home!).

Another great trip to Beavers Bend State Park was in the books. I would love to return in the early fall to hike a few more trails and see the colorful foliage. I highly suggest this area for a quick weekend getaway or for a longer stay to do more activities with family or friends. Check it out if you haven’t already – it is beautiful country.

I hope to see you on the trails soon!

Cedar Hill State Park

Feb27

Cedar Hill, TX

Between Covid-19 and Snowmageddon 2021 keeping us all indoors, it is time for a little outdoor adventure! Personally, I am very tired of always being inside and try to plan a weekend outing for me and my husband when the weather cooperates. During this pandemic, we have discovered that Cedar Hill has some great areas for hiking. We have already ventured to Dogwood Canyon, Cedar Mountain Nature Preserve and Cedar Ridge Preserve – all located in this area south of Dallas. Our last planned adventure was to Cedar Hill State Park.

Cedar Hill State Park is located just twenty minutes from downtown Dallas in Ellis County along the shores of Joe Pool Lake. We had to make reservations to enter the park ahead of time at the cost of $7 per person. This is easily done online prior to your visit. If you have a Texas State Park pass, the visit will be free but you still need a reservation to enter due to the pandemic or you will be turned away.

Once you are admitted into the park and pass the entrance, the roads are well-paved and there is plenty of signage to guide you. We studied our map, chose our destination and headed to the Talala Overlook. We parked here in the small parking lot at the trailhead and began our first hike of the day. The word “talala” is actually a Cherokee wood meaning “woodpecker.” I kept an eye out for one on the way to the overlook but sadly I never saw one.

Talala Overlook is one of the highest points in the park with great views of Joe Pool Lake. There is a 1.5 mile loop trail that led us through diverse terrain. The dirt path meanders through thickets, over creeks, and among the Blackland Prairie head-high grasses. This was definitely an enjoyable nature hike for me! I would rank this as a “moderate” trail for hikers due to all the ups, downs, tree roots, rocks and overgrown sections. We saw lots of wild animal scat on the trail making us wonder what animals had been on the same trail very recently! Yikes!

Dogs are welcome on all the hiking trails but they must be kept on a leash. If you do bring your pet into the park, make sure you have proof of a Rabies vaccination handy if asked by a ranger or upon admittance at the gate. It is a state park regulation.

After our first hike and a lunch break on the lakeshore, we loaded up and headed to our next stop – the Duck Pond Trail. This is the shortest trail in the park at just .7 miles long (unless you miss the signs like we did and make it about a 3 mile hike!). It is a partially shaded, wide trail that starts at the trailhead near the parking area and loops back. This is a very popular trail for families with children or anyone that prefers an “easy” trail.

The Duck Pond Trail runs through a forested area with several small bridges over the “rough” parts. The actual pond is located on the edge of the park and is a perfect place to spot deer, ducks and other wildlife coming for a drink. We saw several tracks but no actual animals. It is very pleasant, peaceful and beautiful here. This is a great spot for a picnic, rest stop or photo op.

When you take a wrong turn on the Duck Pond Trail like we did, you end up on the Plum Valley Overlook Trail. It was a fortunate mistake! This trail was a bit more intensive but still pretty easy. The trail led us mostly uphill, through prairie grasses and cacti, and ended up in a heavily forested area. The scenic overlook gave us great views of the Tallgrass Blackland Prairie and where it converges with the White Rock Limestone Escarpment that covers much of this area.

One area we did not explore within the park boundaries was the Penn Farm. Our trail map stated the following: The Penn family farmed this area for over 100 years, beginning in 1854. Today there are remains of old buildings, the estate house, and antique farm equipment on the grounds. There is a nice little trail here with old photos and scripted descriptions of what you are viewing. We will have to explore this area on our next visit!

Overall, we had a lovely day here. It was so nice being able to get outdoors, stretch our legs, exercise, and breathe in the fresh air. We truly enjoyed this state park and all the trails on a gorgeous winter day in Texas. The best part – our little spoiled yorkie is becoming quite the “trail dog!” Who knew?

Dogwood Canyon

Jan29

Cedar Hill, TX

My pandemic adventures continue!

The only “safe” travel plans for me these days are those that are outdoors and where I can socially distance from others. This has led me to explore areas around Dallas when weather permits. This blog details a recent Saturday visit to Dogwood Canyon in Cedar Hill. Located just thirty minutes south of downtown Dallas, the landscape here looks as if you have driven five hours south, down around the Texas Hill Country.

Dogwood Canyon is a 200-acre wildlife refuge and forested nature preserve with hiking trails and bird-viewing areas. Due to Covid-19, the visitor center, classrooms, picnic area, restrooms, etc. are all closed but the trails are open. After researching the park, I made reservations online one week prior to our visit. The available admission times are Fridays and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and the center currently only allows 10 reservations per hour. The trails and parking lot gates are locked promptly at 2:00 so make sure you allow enough time to enjoy your visit.

Dogwood Canyon is a true canyon that rises 300 feet from the canyon floor to the highest hilltop ridge. Most of Texas lies in the Blackland Prairie region but this area is actually part of the White Rock Escarpment (once part of an ancient sea). When driving into the park on I-20 you will notice the white Austin chalk hills that reach an elevation of 800 feet in some areas. This is very unique geology for Dallas County.

This park opened in 2011 after the land was donated by a wealthy conservation-minded owner who had bought the land from a communications station. He had originally chosen to build a house but decided against it. There is an unusually large concrete pit in front of the visitor center that remains from the previous AT&T site when it was in operation. Instead of the land being a single-family home with acreage, it is now a natural ecosystem and home to many native trees, plants, birds and wildlife – some very rare or endangered.

As far as hiking options, there are three miles of trails within the forested canyon area. The Canyon Loop Trail is an easy half-mile trail near the visitor center. My husband and I took the more strenuous West Rim Trail which is a 1.65 mile trail with a modest 150 ft. elevation incline. This trail allows you panoramic views of the canyon, nearby areas, and Joe Pool Lake. It was very tranquil, quiet and most enjoyable. We only saw three other couples the entire time we were on the trail. Let’s just say this excursion was well within the Covid-19 guidelines for safety!

The leafy, unpaved trails are well-marked and lead hikers through wooded areas of oaks, junipers, dogwoods, and ash trees. We noticed many dormant greenbrier, grapevines, poison ivy and Virginia creeper vines in the undergrowth off the trails. There were rocks, boulders, fallen trees, small creeks, and moss-covered stumps all along the way. There was much more “color” on the trails than we expected during this time of year. We spotted lots of green winter grasses, blue & red berries, yellow & white lichens, neon green mosses, and many colorful leaves underfoot. With clear blue skies overhead and warm temps, it was a most enjoyable day.

We didn’t spot any wildlife other than birds on this hike but we did see scat on the trail. There are several species of plants (orchids and lilies) and birds (warblers and hummingbirds) that are very rare and call this canyon home. I would love to return here in the Spring months to see the forest wildflowers, flowering vines and dogwood trees in full bloom. I bet it would be beautiful!

I highly suggest visiting Dogwood Canyon for a day hike. It is a great place for a change of scenery and a nice walk in the woods. Get out of the house, unplug, recharge, connect with nature and get moving! It does a body good.

I’ll see you on the trail!

Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Nov2

Fort Worth

Run – don’t walk – to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and Japanese Garden this November before weather changes things! You will definitely want to see all the colors on display this autumn before the freeze hits and the winter winds blow foliage away. The plants, flowers and trees are absolutely beautiful right now.

I researched the gardens a couple of weeks ago and discovered that November was one of the best months to visit. Truth!! The warm weather, the fall colors, the small crowds, and the colorful flowers all made for a perfect day.

I had never been to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden but had visited the Japanese Garden years ago when my daughter was a student at TCU. The city has now combined these two gardens and admission is $12 per person (no charge for parking).

I highly suggest wearing your good walking shoes because the combined gardens now cover 110 acres and feature 23 separate specialty vistas/courtyards/gardens. I logged some very serious FitBit steps!!

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is the oldest public garden in Texas. There are over 2500 species of plants and flowers currently on display. The gardens are filled with beautiful fountains, pergolas, tiered garden beds, arbors, sculptures, bridges, waterfalls, trellises and animal-shaped topiaries. There seems to be a eye-catching surprise around every corner.

A new highlight for me since my last visit was the 1000-foot Texas Native Forest Boardwalk that connected one garden to the entrance of the Japanese Garden. This wooded boardwalk was an elevated walkway that led you through a section of dense natural forest. One side had all native trees, vines, and brush and the other side had non-native plants and trees introduced by humans to this area. Signage provided information on forest ecology, plant & animal life, conservation and wildlife tracks. There were also all sorts of interactive tasks for children.

My absolute, hands-down favorite part of this visit was the Japanese Garden. The scenery was breathtaking this time of year! This eight-acre garden was created from an old quarry and was originally designed as a place for meditation and relaxation. Even though there were quite a few visitors here – the area still maintained an overall feeling of calm, tranquility, and peacefulness. It was all very Zen-like.

Each and every view in the Japanese Garden was worthy of a photograph. The deep reflective pools, serpentine paths, Zen gardens, waterfalls, pagoda, teahouses, bridges, stonework, and koi-filled ponds were dramatic, peaceful, and colorful. The Japanese maple trees were bright orange, vivid red, and burgundy. The green waters churned with white, black, gold, orange and silver koi. It was all a delightful color palette.

Bright green foliage, silver evergreens, weeping willows and bamboo plants were reflected in the still water. Turtles napped in the sun on rocks and along the sculptured hillsides. A water snake calmly swam through a school of koi that were jockeying for positions to eat pelleted fish food being fed by visitors. Dramatic waterfalls tumbled onto the rocks below and stepping stones crossed babbling brooks. Every corner of the gardens had something new and interesting to observe. Photo ops abounded!

From the Japanese Garden, we trekked to the Fragrance Garden and then on to the multiple rose gardens. I was amazed at how many roses and other flowers were still in bloom this time of the year! Colors abounded and all the gardens and terraces were beautiful.

We ended our visit with a walk up the steps of the Shelter House for a beautiful view of the Rose Ramp and Lower Rose Garden. We visited the Water Conservation Garden, the Rock Springs Garden and then called it a day. We were off to a nearby city park to eat a late picnic lunch. It was a most enjoyable afternoon and a perfect day to be outdoors. I hope you can find time to visit in the next couple of weeks. It will be well worth your time!

Note: I suggest booking your tickets online prior to your visit with the Covid-19 regulations in place. The Rainforest Conservatory is closed and the cafes and gift shops have limited hours. Restrooms are open. Water fountains throughout the gardens are also closed. Picnics are no longer allowed on the property due to the pandemic. Masks are required inside all buildings and are “highly suggested” while exploring the gardens. Social distancing guidelines are encouraged throughout the property.

Southern Savvy

A true Southerner's travel and dining experiences and perspective

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Hot Springs

Glacier National Park

Dinosaur Valley State Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

The Vampire Grave

Bluebonnet Trail

Beavers Bend State Park

Cedar Hill State Park

Dogwood Canyon

Fort Worth Botanic Garden

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