Texans of all ages can explore the Lost Pines region as Bastrop County and eight other organizations join state and local parks and other sites across Texas to celebrate National Trails Day on June 5.
This year, a coalition of groups in Bastrop County is partnering for the first time to offer a large and diverse array of outdoor recreation activities for National Trails Day. Bastrop & Buescher State Parks, Lower Colorado River Authority’s McKinney Roughs and Lake Bastrop North & South Shore Parks, American Youth Works- E-Corp, Pines and Prairie Land Trust, Environmental Stewardship and Smithville Chamber of Commerce have joined together to offer trail work parties, educational experiences, guided hikes and historic walking tours to celebrate this national event.
National Trails Day is held the first Saturday in June and encourages the public to seek out their favorite trails and celebrate while participating in educational exhibits, trail dedications, trail work projects, gear demonstrations, instructional workshops and planned hikes. The only nationwide celebration of trails, National Trails Day brings awareness to trails and thanks many people and partners for their support and hard work, including volunteers, land agencies and outdoor minded businesses.
Bastrop State Park will be hosting a variety of events on June 5 starting between 9-10 a.m. Visitors are invited to discover the Lost Pines with a Master Naturalist guided hike or for the more experienced hikers, a four mile Ranger guided hike. Families may join in on the Spanish Speaking Nature Walk. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to the American Youth Works- E-Corp- trail work party and trail building event, the only Bastrop area event to take place from 9 a.m. to noon.
Buescher State Park will host a two mile guided hike through Pine Gulch starting at 6:30 p.m. The Lower Colorado River Authority is hosting Children’s Hike and Fish! at North Shore Park at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., The event includes a nature walk with fishing from the floating bridge, with supplies being provided by the LCRA.
The Smithville Chamber of Commerce is holding a guided Historic Walking Tour. The tours start at the Gazebo in downtown Smithville and are at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. At the Lost Pines Nature Trails and River Access point there will be an information tent for hikers, bikers, birders and kayakers to find out more about the park, Wilbarger and El Camino Real Paddling Trails and upcoming events. Wilbarger and El Camino Real Paddling Trails offers 20 miles of canoeing and kayaking along the Colorado River. In addition to these events, Rocky Hill Ranch also offers 25 miles of mountain bike trails. For more information visit www.rockyhillranch.net.
Other events in Texas celebrating National Trails Day include:
- Bright Leaf Open House, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Friends of Bright Leaf, Austin
- Barton Creek Greenbelt – National Trails Day Workday, 8 a.m.-12 a.m., Austin Parks Foundation, Austin
- Fate Bell Shelter Rock Art Tour, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site, Comstock
- Goliad Paddling Trail Flotilla, 9 a.m.-2 a.m., San Antonio River Authority, Goliad
- Main Street Outdoor Adventure 10K Trail Walk, 8 a.m.-10:30 a.m., City of Grapevine and the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers, Grapevine
- Celebrate National Trails Day, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, Houston
- National Trails Day at Brazos Bend State Park, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Brazos Bend State Park, Houston
- Photography Hike, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance, San Marcos
All National Trails Day activities are free, but Texas state park entry fees will still apply.
National Trails Day® is the American Hiking Society’s signature trail awareness program, created to inspire the public and trail enthusiasts nationwide to seek out their favorite trails to discover, learn about, and celebrate trails. A complete list of Texas-based National Trails Day events is on the AHS Web site.
