Date: March 24, 2018
Location: Dinosaur Valley State Park - Glen Rose, TX
Distance: 9.1 miles
Trails: Paluxy River & Cedar Brake Outer Loop (here's the map)
Previous Hike(s): January 2018
I woke up at 5am on a Saturday for a hike because I love to do it THAT much. Personally, I love to start the day in the dark because as the light comes I feel as though the world is waking up with me. Other perks about starting early include less traffic, less people, and it opens the day up for more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.
I got to the park as the sun was coming over the ridge, about 7:30am. I was shocked to arrive and see a parking lot 75% full of cars, but soon realized it was some special camping event and it was overflow or something. Other than a lady power walking along the river, I didn't have company on the trail until about mile five, and it was only a few people at first but towards the end there were groups and groups of people crossing the river and starting the trail.
I saw one bunny and more spiders than I can count. It was nice in the winter, with less spiders, but they are back and webbing across the trails like crazy. Most spiders I encountered were harmless, but the webs always feel a little weird when you don't see them and walk through.
Takeaways:
- As I often suggest, start early. In Texas (and other warm places) it's cooler, less crowded, and often worth it for the sunrise alone.
- If you're becoming familiar with a place, and it's a small/moderate loop trail, go the opposite way and you may see things differently.
I did my video summary, as usual, but I didn't have the phone mounted. Enjoy the shaky video and happy trails!