We usually go 'camping.' You know, where you drive up and park at your campsite.

Any good ideas/spots for backpack camping around here? Would prefer somewhere in the Houston/DFW/SanAntonio area.

I haven't been in a while. Last time was in 2001 and we did the primitive sites in LosMaples.

Thanks!

Not a whole lot of great backpacking in Texas, but Lost Maples is good. In the fall you can get in a good 1-2 night trip in at E-Rock. For anything more I might suggest the Lone Star Trail in East Texas piney wood. Too hot an humid in the summer, but maybe in a couple more weeks it might be really nice.

Lost Maples is a good one in central TX. If you don't mind driving a few more hours, You can get to big bend, Davis mountains, or Guadalupe mts.

Pedernales River St Park has a good backcountry hiking area with some primitive campsites. You can hike and camp in the Sam Houston National Forest, but until later this fall it will be humid and lots of mosquitos in places.

Colorado Bend St park isn't half bad, either.

awesome, thanks for the info.

wyoag, guess everyone's entitled to an opionion, your's is just wrong.....

Here's the TPWD site that has some good info on state park hiking:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/exptexas/hike/

I can see where WYAG gets his opinion, they have lots of mountains out there. But Texas does have plenty of good hiking. I can't wait until my next trip out to the Guad's.

I'd say locally, Big Bend is pretty good. I haven't been there yet, but I'm planning for spring.

Also, if you can make it to New Mexico -its about a 13 hour drive from central texas to the Pecos. You really can't beat North Eastern NM. Just make sure you are prepared for some really cold nights and plenty of rain. READ: tents, backbacks and other equipment from Academy or Target make for a miserable trip (first year experience) and good equipment from REI makes a great experience. REIoutlet.com has great deals. Just make sure you are in good shape.

Lone Star Trail - Sam Houston NF
4C Trail - Davy Crockett NF
Big Thickett
Lake Somerville State Park
Lost Maples State Park
Enchanted Rock
Colorado Bend State Park
Palo Duro State Park

And of course....
Big Bend National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park





[This message has been edited by YellowPot_97 (edited 9/8/2008 4:42p).]

Lake Tahoe.

E rock is great, but really a lot better in cooler weather. While temps are still warm, I would recommend Perdenales falls state park. If you stay in the primitive camping area you will have lots of privacy, and the stretches of the river that you can access from there are also much more private than the main areas.

I will second perdenalas (sp?), that is one of my favorites... though I haven't been to too many.

I agree with Wyo - not a lot of quality backpacking in Texas other than Big Bend, Guadalupes, and some other western areas of the state.

That is only if you regard backbacking as an up and down affair. There's a lot of good national forest trails. Still, Texas is pretty thin on public lands.

Texas is a poor place for backpacking because we have so little public land.

With that said, there is a lot of decent hiking places in the area you are describing.

The state recently obtained some land to form Government Canyon State Natural Area I haven't been yet and it is only for day use, but should be a neat place for hiking.

Hill Country State Natural Area has a lot of trails (40 miles) available for hiking, biking, and equestrian.

Pedernales Falls has some decent hiking trails as well. The primitive area is above the river. It is worth the scramble to get to the river on a hot day! The main loop trail goes back to Jones Spring via Wolf Mountain.


Jones Spring

Also, part of the trail is pretty wide as it is also a road for the rangers.


trail at Pedernales

Another option for the DFW area would be the Lake Mineral Wells trail system. I have no idea how camping works along the trail.

One final option for the Houston area would be Lake Somerville Trailsystem. It goes around the lake connecting the two parks. Great trail as it stays on state land the entire time, passing through a game management area. Camping is allowed along the trail.

Squid, seeing as I do it for a living I think I have a pretty good grasp of the difference between hiking and backpacking. What you listed there were hikes. The OP asked for backpacking trips. In the links that you posted there were only two places that had continious trails for more than a few miles. Big Bend State park and Caprock Canyon. Neither of which are near the areas in which the OP asked. If you would like to see a real backpacking area might I suggest the Wind River Range.

In most of the state parks in Texas even when you get 3-4 miles up a trail head you are never more than a mile or two from the main road. Examples include Colorado Bend, Hill Country, and Perd. Falls.

The sad fact is TPWD is mismanaged in comparison to other states, like Utah, California, Oregon, etc.

Don't forget about the two states north of Texas. Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas have a lot of great places for hiking and backpacking. The Quachita Trail in the Quachita "Mountains" is a great trail that goes from just west of Little Rock all the way into Eastern Oklahoma.

I have never been, but I hear that Beavers Bend in Broken Bow, Oklahoma is a great place too. They have a decent backpacking trail from what I hear.

The Ozarks in Northern Arkansas also have a lot of great locations for hiking and backpacking. Check out the state parks in Arkansas. The state park system is the states bread and butter, so they take very good care of them and have lots to do.

All of these places are within the same driving distance as Houston/San Antonio/Austin.


[This message has been edited by KodyMack (edited 9/10/2008 5:20p).]

One of the best places in the state besides Big Bend is Lake Georgetown.
http://www.austinexplorer.com/Hiking/HikeDetails.aspx?HikeID=25

It is beautiful, especially the waterfall and gardens after mile 3. The only downside is it being on a lake so during the spring and summer it can get loud from the annoying boaters.