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Noisy Katydids, Baby Toads and Colorful Grasshoppers

We brought friends with us to hike some of the trails of Government Canyon State Park, the morning of Sunday, June 13.  We hiked appx. 7.75 miles through beautiful South Texas landscape. Leave No Trace practices are important in this park as much (appx 80%) of the park is in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. Katydids and grasshoppers were aplenty, munching on leaves and providing a loud underlying hum of natural white noise. When the path wound along creek beds, the trail edges moved with tiny toads. The kids enjoyed finding and munching on ripe Algarita berries (wild Texas currants) along the path. Yes, we had the "don't eat any berry you see without checking with a grown up" conversation.

Step Tall and Keep Those Fingers Snapping

We haven't attended one of these, but this park offers "Hiku Hikes." I'm going to refrain from sarcasm on that one because my kids would probably totally dig something like that (well, me too, for that matter.) Might have to go back and try it. Ah, Grasshopper.

Just Shy of Tarzan-Heat

We started our hike fairly early in the morning, but should have started about an hour earlier. The heat was on the verge of sweltering-stage as we came off the trail around noon. Under tree cover there had been plenty of good cool breezes, but again, it would have been better to start earlier. (My fault - it helps if I remember to turn the alarm on after setting it. I'm now using the app for that.)

And Why is Sonic Ice So Good?

After we had re-visited the visitors center (a really nice one btw - well-done TPWD!), we loaded in the car and left the park in search of icy-cold drinks. Mark made homegrown tomato sandwiches (Yum!) and passed around the potato chips and pickle wedges, I drove and our friend Maddie map-app-ed the nearest Sonic. We'd all had plenty of drinking water on the trails and still had some for the car ride home, a fresh-made iced tea or limeade really hits the spot, post-hike.