Hill Country - A Change of Scenery

 February 2023

Our first road trip since October came about because of a "suggested for you" item on Facebook     . . . Sheepdog Trials in Junction, Texas, a six-hour drive from home.  With no family obligations keeping us at home, we reconfigured our van into camping mode and headed for the Hill Country of central Texas.  We experienced temperatures ranging from 25 to 85 during the week we were on the road.

We spent some time at a Sculpture Prayer Garden overlooking I-10 in Kerrville . . .

The Sheepdog Trials and the chance to see border collies at work intrigued us.  The local fairgrounds in Junction hosted the no-frills event.  Those dogs are amazing to watch and can they ever run fast! 

There was a large U.S. flag on the hill above the fairgrounds so we drove up there and found ...

View of the fairgrounds from Lovers' Leap Overlook

We enjoyed a drive in the hills around Junction and stopped for a hike in South Llano River State Park.

After leaving Junction, we drove east and visited LBJ National Historical Park. There are two units - the ranch itself near Stonewall and the part in the town of Johnson City.

Gravesite of President and Mrs. Johnson

"Air Force One-Half"

Texas "White House"

Pedernales River flowing past the ranch house

Headquarters in Johnson City

LBJ's Boyhood Home

About 10 miles from Johnson City is Pedernales Falls State Park.  We camped two nights and hiked two trails.  We brought our oldest child to this park on her first camping trip 40 years ago.  So many of our fondest memories are tied to camping trips in the past; now we make them with grandchildren, too.

The "falls" are exposed limestone outcroppings that are tilted and subject to flash flooding. 

 Pools of water and potholes are abundant during quieter times.

We couldn't see the bottom.

One of the limestone ledges of the riverbed.  We counted six separate "steps." 

I would be an awesome site to see this river at maximum flow.

We returned after the other visitors left and sat out on the outcropping to wait

for the stars to become visible.   

One more campground on this trip was McKinney Falls State Park near Austin.  It is a central location

for the geocaches we did not search for when we were there in October with extended family.  

More water coming over the upper falls than we usually see

We just liked this live oak tree on the Shelter Trail.

Rock Shelter

This trail was closed due to creek flooding on previous visits to the park so we made

sure to hike it this time.

We returned home well satisfied with our time away - exploring, camping, hiking, sight-seeing, star-gazing, geocaching - and are now planning the next adventure (or two).