
Nature
Experience the Tranquility of Pedernales Falls State Park
Pedernales Falls State Park is nestled away in the Texas Hill Country just 35 miles southwest of Austin and is a perfect little getaway for any outdoorsman or family to experience the wonders of the Texas land up close and personal.
Its name has tongue-tied many a person in its history, including President Lyndon B. Johnson, but the difficulty of pronouncing it is surely offset by the relative ease of its serene surroundings. Animal wildlife surrounds the Pedernales River and its famous Twin Falls, as photogenic of an area as any you’ll find in the Texas Parks and Wildlife territory.
The rich history of Pedernales Falls details the efforts of former ranch owners C.A. and Harriett Wheatley, who loved the area so much that they wanted to ensure future generations would be able to enjoy “The Land of 1,000 Springs.” It wasn’t too long after the Apaches had left that couples like the Wheatley’s settled the area and raised cattle there, helping to put it on the map.
Nowadays it serves as a Hill Country getaway for families, Boy and Girl Scouts, and the occasional Wild Turkey that roams out from the woods.
Hikers would be especially enthused to find a six-mile stretch known as Wolf Mountain Trail, which twists and turns through a canyon between Tobacco and Wolf Mountains along the Mescal creek. And the brand new Juniper Ridge Trail also offers 10 miles of scenic mountain biking for those who are inclined to load up their bicycles.
“This is about as good as you get in the Hill Country,” Park Superintendent Bill McDaniel says. “The beauty of the falls, with the clear blue green waters coming down and the sounds that it makes, is very tranquil. And I think it matches or comes close to anything that the world has to offer.”
Amen to that.