In 1852 when the Odem, Milstead, and Saner families set out from Boerne bound for Bandera in ox-drawn wagons, they had to cross a multitude of shimmery, clear, and cold creeks that feed the Medina River. While camped alongside one particular creek, Mr. Odem managed to lose his tobacco pipe. According to John Marvin Hunter, author of “Pioneer History of Bandera County: Seventy-five Years of Intrepid History,” that is how Pipe Creek came to be called.
A town was eventually founded and by the 1880s farms and ranches had sprung up among the valleys and spring-fed creeks. To this day, the rolling green hills brimming with wildlife present a refuge from the clamor of city life found just over 40 miles away in San Antonio. Here a few fun things to get up to in Pipe Creek.
Photo: Pixabay/Godsgirl_madi
The sloping scenic byways and winding back country roads challenge even the most experienced bikers. But to conquer the terrain of Pipe Creek like a true cowboy, you have to do it by horseback. Cross-G Ranch outfits even the most novice of riders with trail-conditioned horses and passionate, professional riding instructors. The trail ride meanders up the forested slopes and down through trickling ravines of Northrup Pipe Creek Ranch’s 5,000-acre cattle ranch. Along the ride, there is a good chance to spot wild turkey, deer, and armadillo amid the chaparral.
Photo: www.CountryAccentsAntiques.com
Rummage for the perfect nostalgic piece of American history to bring home. Country Accents Antiques specializes in timeless American-made antiques such as rusted windmills, varnished apothecary cabinets, mercantile store displays, and crackled crockery pots. But that’s just a glimpse of the antique and architectural gems to be discovered at Country Accents.
