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back riding. One such park is Shaffer Bend Recreational Area east of Marble Falls off RR 1431 on CR 343A. You can find out more about horseback riding trails in LCRA parks at www.lcra.org. Pedernales Falls State Park outside Johnson City also has a nice horse trail for riders. It offers up to 10 miles of trails. For more, visit Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s website at www.tpwd.state. tx.us and look under the State Parks and Destinations link. The park is on FM 2766. Grab some granite — Climbers from across the state make their way to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area for the climbing experience. Rock climbers can explore several routes at Enchanted Rock south of Llano and north of Fredericksburg on FM 965. You can also find climbing opportunities at Reimers Ranch Park, located at 23610 Hamilton Road between Bee Caves and Dripping Springs. The Austin Rock Gym (www.austinrockgym.com) offers both climbing lessons and guided trips to Enchanted Rock. You can find more at the Central Texas Mountaineers website at www.ctmrocks. com. Learn about rock-climbing opportunities through Rock About at www.rockabout.com, which offers climbing lessons from beginners through advanced as well as organized trips.
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Become a spelunker— Take a look at the Highland Lakes from an entirely different perspective — from underground. Longhorn Cavern State Park on Park Road 4 in Burnet County features daily guided tours you can easily walk through. It’s rumored outlaw Sam Bass stashed some of his stolen loot among these caverns. If you’re the more adventurous type, check out the Wild Cave Tour at Longhorn Cavern. You’ll see parts of the caverns only a few people have visited. It’s a bit tougher than the walking tour and not recommended for those afraid of tight spaces. The walking tours are typically offered daily while the Wild Cave Tour is on Saturdays and requires reservations. Visit www.longhorncaverns.com Colorado Bend State Park outside Bend also offers a wild cave tour. To find the
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park, go north on U.S. 281 to Lampasas and from the U.S. 281 and U.S. 183 intersection take FM 580 west 24 miles to Bend and follow the signs to the park entrance. Call (325) 628-3240 ahead of time to find out when the next tour is or visit www. tpwd.state.tx.us and clink on the Parks and Destinations links. Rugged running trails — Running and jogging are some of the most popular ways to enjoy the great outdoors, but hitting the pavement time after time can get a little dull. For something new, hit the trail. Here in the Highland Lakes area you can find lots of trail-running opportunities. The Lower Colorado River Authority’s Muleshoe Bend Recreational Area has more than seven miles of trails. Inks Lake State Park has a network of trails worth exploring at a nice jog. You can even jog the back country of Pedernales Falls State Park
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101 FUN THINGS TO DO IN THE HIGHLAND LAKES Fall/Winter 2012
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