South Llano River State Park

Saturday, Feb, 24

South Llano River State Park has always been one of our favorite parks. They've been making a lot of improvements to the park over the past year, and we were anxious to see exactly what had been done. First, there's a new development at the entrance over the river.... it used to be a low water crossing but now it's a bridge! Hopefully it will withstand the next rainy season in good shape. There's also a new headquarters/store at the entrance. There are plans to turn the old building, which was the original home on the property, to be turned into a visitor center at a later date. Next, off of the parking area near the walk-in campsites, there is an amphitheater. 

It's a lovely day for a walk The birds are singing, and the air is filled with the honey-like scent of the agarita. Each of the little yellow flowers will turn in to a small red berry. Judging my the number of agarita bushes we see on the trail those birds are in for a feast!

This is a feature new to the park and it will be interesting to see what sorts of programs they'll be presenting there. It will also be available for stargazing. This park was officially recognized as a Dark Skies park in 2017.  

While the pups and I were exploring we took the completely paved pathway into the walk-in campsites. I don't know if this is new or not, but the cement walkway makes the area quite accessible, and the first campsite on the right is also paved, making it easily accessed from the parking area as well as a delightful opportunity for campers with mobility impairments to enjoy the camping experience. 

The new, color coded trail map available at the office is helpful in planning the day's outings, just be aware that some areas are closed during roosting season, and hunting season. Most times of the year you'll see not only a variety of birds, but deer, armadillo, and various reptiles. In warm weather the river is a great place to cool off too! 

This is the last stop on the trail, we'll be home tomorrow.