You don’t need mountains to experience truly awesome mountain biking. In the Highland Lakes, rugged trails through the rolling Texas Hill Country offer a fun challenge, including at the only lift-served mountain bike park in the state. With the addition Read more…
Read more
The definition of backcountry camping, or primitive camping, depends on who is doing the camping. While some want to backpack a mile or more into the wilderness with their own food and water, others prefer a tent thrown down near Read more…
Read more
Poison ivy. Just the thought of it makes you want to scratch. Actual contact creates an incessantly itchy, red rash that can swell into blisters — all from a seemingly harmless plant loaded with an irritant known as urushiol (you-ROO-shee-all) Read more…
Read more
Outdoor sports in the Highland Lakes don’t have to include water. Burnet and Llano counties offer a myriad of opportunities to mix the beautiful natural landscape with adventure, including off-roading, mountain biking, zip lining, rock climbing, target shooting, and spelunking. Read more…
Read more
Take a walk without going anywhere. Find a tree and touch it. Keep touching it. Just stay there. Feel the rough bark on your fingertips and against your palm. With phone off — completely off — find a favorite spot Read more…
Read more
Home to over 115 species and subspecies of snakes, Texas harbors more of these reptiles than any other state in the nation. The good news is that most of these snakes — roughly 85 percent — are nonvenomous. In fact, Read more…
Read more
Pedernales Falls State Park is 8 square miles of glorious scenery east of Johnson City featuring panoramic views of the Hill Country. Pedernales Falls State Park is named for the Pedernales River that flows through it and offers over 20 Read more…
Read more
When fishing the Highland Lakes, anglers tend to favor motorboats and largemouth and striped bass. All for good reasons. A motor gets them up and down the lakes, and the two bass species are great sporting fish. But there are Read more…
Read more
The spring and summer are great seasons for birding in the Highland Lakes, there’s no doubt about that, but Stephen Garmon assured me the cooler months offer can’t-miss opportunities to spot winged natives and visitors. “We do have a number Read more…
Read more
Standing atop Wildcat Mountain, one of the highest places in Burnet County at 1,410 feet, you can see miles of the Highland Lakes. It’s a view that’s well worth the bumpy ride up the mountain in a Jeep or on Read more…
Read more
