W
hen you’re a kid, life doesn’t get much better than camping - sleeping in a tent, telling ghost stories by flashlight, roasting marshmallows over the fire. When you’re a parent, you want to spend some times exploring campgrounds in the most breathtaking parts around Austin, such as the Pedernales Falls State Park. ACTIVITIES: Aside from camping, or throwing a picnic, you’re encouraged to go hiking, river swimming, tubing, wading, mountain biking, fishing, bird watching (checklist available), or horseback riding (con: customers must bring their own horses, and no overnight equestrian camping is allowed). CAMPSITES: Facilities include campsites with water and electricity; a sponsored youth group area; hike-in primitive campsites; picnic sites; restrooms with showers; a trailer dump station; 19.8 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails; 10 miles of equestrian trails; and 14 miles of backpacking trails. Be sure to stop by the Texas State Park Store located in the park headquarters building.
The park has a covered bird viewing station with feeders and a drip bath. Food is provided all year. The station can accommodate about 15 people. There is no charge to use the viewing station other than standard park entrance fees. This is a wheelchair accessible facility.
Tou r s e v e r y T h u r s d a y at 8 : 4 5 a m
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Pedernales Falls is the park’s main attraction and may be viewed from a scenic overlook at the north end of the park. In this area, the elevation of the river drops about 50 feet over a distance of 3000 feet, and the cascading falls are formed by the flow of water over the tilted, stair-step effect of layered limestone. These river limestones belong to the 300-millionyear-old Marble Falls formation and are part of the southwestern flank of the Llano uplift. These layers of limestone were tilted by the uplift, then eroded long before early Cretaceous seas of the 100-to-120 million years ago covered this part of Texas and deposited sands, gravels, younger limestones, and marine fossils. HISTORY: The Pedernales Falls State Park, about 5200 acres in size, located in Blanco County east of Johnson City, was acquired from private owners in 1970 and was opened to the public in 1971. It is located along the banks of scenic Pedernales River. This area, formerly the Circle Bar Ranch, typifies the Edwards Plateau terrain.
52 | WholeLifestyleMagazine.com | Summer 2011
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