All you need to know about planning a trip outdoors!
The majority of the time when Bryce and I would take a day to go explore a nearby state park, it would be a day before or even day of decision. For the half-day trips, our planning process takes a few minutes to hash out the bigger details and timing. However, there are some parks that either take a little longer to get to or have more look at. The planning for these takes a little longer than a few minutes (but still not more than about 15 minutes). I will walk us through a typical day hike planning session:
1. Determine Which Texas State Park You Want to Visit
We lead busy lives and sometimes may only have a couple hours to visit a park. It is helpful to visit the Texas Park and Wildlife Department to see all of the parks that are closest to you. Out of 79 total Texas State Parks (not including Historical Sites or Natural Areas), hopefully you are able to find a new outdoor adventure for the day.
2. Figure Out Your Drive Time
I find it helpful to find out how long we will be on the road when heading to and from a Texas State Park. I believe it isn’t worth going if I don’t spend the same amount of time or more time at the park than I spend riding in the car. So, if I spend an hour driving to the park and an hour back home, I want to spend two hours hiking around the state park.
3. Check Out the Trails Map
Every Texas Park has a park map and sometimes a detailed trails map to show all that there is to do. We look at all of the trails and points of interest of the park to determine which ones we would want to do first. Some trails connect up with other trails before coming to their end, so we decide which connections we want to hike. We like to maximize our hiking time and mileage as well as seeing all of the points of interest which make the park unique.
4. Look For Unique Features
If a park has a unique water feature that allows you to swim, you should allot plenty of time to get off the cooling off you desire. When it comes to finding a place to swim, we like to look for smaller trails to take us to a part of the water that other people might not try.
Bryce and I would love to go on day trips to Texas State Parks just to get out the apartment during the lockdown. We still had classes and other responsibilities to work around, but there are a lot of parks close to College Station that we were able to visit. We like to make sure we have a plan. We can be pretty indecisive sometimes, so it is helpful for us to know what exactly we want to do beforehand. We hope this helps you plan your next Texas adventure!
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