Two More Hikes to See the Sights

I was debating on whether I wanted to do a short out and back hike or a longer loop on Tuesday. Bud said I would probably have time to do the shorter hike today, as we weren’t planning to leave until noon. So I did the West Loop Trail Tuesday, which is five miles. I decided to hike it clockwise as it looked like I would encounter the more rugged terrain earlier in the hike, when I would perhaps have more energy. I was right. Within a mile I was in country like this.

I walked up a dry creek bed.

Eventually the trail left the creek and scrambled to the top of the hills.

For less than a half mile I walked across the top of the hill on a nice even track.

Then I headed down the other side.

Going down meant carefully choosing where each step would be, as it was steep and there were many loose rocks.

I was happy to get back to a creek bed,

and happier still when the trail became a relatively flat track through the trees next to the creek.

This was Mystic Canyon, and it was lovely.

When I got this far I knew the rough stuff was pretty much behind me.

Much of the trail was now an easy walk in the woods.

Soon I came to Point of Interest #5, the spring. I took a short video so you could hear “the soothing trickle of the spring” as recommended in the park trail guide.

Then the trail joined the service road,

which was at times rough for a road, but not bad for a trail.

After four miles I came back to the Pond Day Use Area (Point of Interest #4), that Bud, Matey and I had walked to the day before. I knew it was a pretty easy mile back from there.

This morning Bud, Matey and I set off on the East Trail. After about seven tenths of a mile Bud and Matey headed back, but I continued on.

I wanted to see two more of the points of interest. Point of interest #1 was Monkey Rock, aptly named.

I was walking up Sabinal River. There were some nice cliffs.

A bit past a mile and a half in was the grotto, Point of Interest #2. Water was dripping from the ceiling of this carved out bank. I didn’t take any time to explore it because I had to hurry back.

This park guy passed me on the way back. Even he had to go pretty slowly on the rough stones.

I made it back by 10:30. Point of Interest #3 was the overlook I’d hiked to on Monday, so I got to see 5 of the 6 places listed. The last one was another spring, on a side loop trail off the West Trail.