HIKE 3 - Cooper Lake State Park - Doctor’s Creek Unit
Trail: Cedar Creek Trails (East, West, North, and South)
Date: Saturday, 01/25/2020
Distance: 3 miles
Distance From Home: 106 miles
Weather: Warm, sunny, slight wind
Trail Notes: Very wet and muddy this time of year
I had a Saturday with nothing planned so I thought it would be a perfect day to catch up on hikes in number and also knock off a few state parks on my Texas State Park Quest. It was a perfect morning, cool and sunny, with no scheduled precipitation. I had a late start, but still arrived at the virtually empty park around 11am. I had scoped out the trails online before, so I knew where I wanted to park and where the restrooms were along the way. I like to plan ahead, especially if I’m driving almost two hours to go somewhere.
The trails were really one trail with directional branches to help with organization. The markings were easy to follow and see, and there was little to no confusion. This trail was on Google Maps, the Hiking Project by REI, and the state park map for easy navigation.
It was a wet and muddy day, with most of the trail being quite moist. Winter in Texas is like Spring in Michigan which is okay by me. Chewy the Dog and I splashed through puddles, most only being as deep as my shoe, without a care in the world. The park was quiet, the wind was minimal, and the smells were earthy and fresh. The Cedar Creek Trail may be one of my favorite in a pretty standard state park. Visitors will wander through the forest, prairie openings, and back through the forest. There will be a few views of the lake and even better views of the sky above the trees.
Plan ahead, prepare for wet or muddy feet, and remember to stop and take it all in every now and then.
