Yearning for some window time while sitting in the air conditioning but still moving? Or looking for a new trail to conquer while social distancing? Around Lubbock, as one of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Great Texas Wildlife Trails is the Llano Estacado Loop. Within nine stops overall, the varied history of this area emerges. Here are some of the highlights!
Mackenzie Park has a lot to do: rides at Joyland Amusement Park, two 18-hole golf courses, birdwatching spots, Prairie Dog Town, and equestrian trails.
Lakes 5 And 6 (Yellow House Canyon) are happy places for birds! Be sure to bring your camera while walking or bike riding alongside this lake area. Find the granite Yellow House Canyon marker, which tells of Spanish explorers, and the last clash in Lubbock County between Native Americans and white buffalo hunters.
Photo: envato elements
Lubbock Cemetery is a beautiful historic site for peace and quiet. But there is also a local legend around a large angel statue: if you make a nocturnal visit to the cemetery and don’t kiss her feet, a phantom will attempt to keep you there forever, or so the legend claims.
Buffalo Springs Lake is spring-fed, and camping is available. There is an Audubon Society Nature Trail, as well as picnic spots and plenty of shade.
Jack Stevens Park is a lovely spot to watch birds and stroll along the path. Visit the ducks and enjoy the playground equipment, while honoring the fallen Lubbock Police Officer for whom the park is named.
Photo: envato elements
Lubbock Lake National Historic Landmark is a 336-acre preserve and, incredibly, is one of very few North American sites proven to have evidence of a thorough sequence of human existence over the course of the previous 11,500 years. Visit the Robert A. Nash Interpretive Center, as well as the flowers along the Llano Estacado Wildflower Trail, and enhanced habitats for small native animals.
If you are local to the area, enjoy these places at your leisure! If you are not local, be sure to check accommodations before heading north, as many hotels and overnight options are at limited capacity.
