If you are looking for a weekend getaway from DFW or San Antonio that has it all, Inks Lake State Park and Longhorn Cavern State park should be at the top of your list! Between these two sister parks “Deep in the Heart of Texas”, you can check desert hiking, cliff jumping, stargazing, cave exploring, and kayaking over a sunken ghost town all off of your adventure checklist.
Inks Lake is one of the many reservoirs supplied by the mighty Colorado River as it winds its way through Texas. The state park itself has a few hiking trails, but most activities are centered around water (fishing/swimming/kayaking/canoeing/cliff jumping). Although we arrived as the sun was setting, it was not difficult to find our campsite and set up camp. Starting a fire, however, was a different story. We had originally planned on making pineapple chicken kebabs over the campfire for dinner. Unfortunately, a snafu with some gas station wood left us without a means to make our meal. Luckily, I was in the process of moving and had a carload of random items, and thus “PBR” was born. What, exactly, is PBR? (P)ineapple (B)eer (R)ice. This blog post is going to be long enough, but if I’ve piqued your interest, head over to my new “camping recipes” page to learn more!
The next morning, Katie and I embarked on the Devil’s Backbone trail, an in-and-out that circles around the lake and the branch of the Colorado River that feeds into it. This trail offered a cactus-filled desert landscape, a sharp contrast with the lush valley surrounding the lake itself. Although the river was low, in it’s high season I imagine it would be a very refreshing spot to jump in and cool off if you are seeking a wilder backdrop and a little more privacy than the busy lake. Despite it being the end of October, the temperature quickly climbed into the 80’s and Katie and I decided to switch up our itinerary and find a water activity instead.
*Camper tip*-The camping spots that start in the 300’s seem much more spacious and boast better views than the crowded spots near the trail for the Devil’s Watering hole.
Unfortunately, due to COVID, Texas State Parks are not currently renting out kayaks or canoes. This meant that we had to take a short drive up to a part of the Colorado River known as Buchanan Lake. As stunning as Ink’s Lake is, I highly recommend checking out Buchanan Lake via kayak, canoe, boat, or jet ski. Buchanan lake is a hidden gem with a tantalizing secret-an underwater ghost town! The ghost town of Bluffton, Texas is about 30 ft underwater and is frequented by scuba divers. In times of drought, you can walk among the ruins of Bluffton including a hotel, saloon, cotton gin, general store and graveyard. Devoid of scuba gear, Katie and I reserved a tandem kayak with Captain Shawn of Captain Shawn’s Kayak Rentals.
Beyond the sunken ghost town and waterfalls, Lake Buchanan holds one more secret: some of the choppiest waters in all of Texas! The wind blows at an almost constant 15-20mph, meaning that voyaging out to Garrett Island in the middle of the lake proved quite the challenge. For this reason, if you are traveling with children I would recommend heading to the island on a sturdier boat or jetski. Whatever your means of arriving, Garrett Island is a rewarding way to spend the afternoon. We went swimming (in October!) and explored a bit of the island. The shoreline is made up of a unique mix of minerals that make the water sparkle, taking on the appearance of a glitter lava lamp.
After a somewhat easier paddle back, we drove 25 minutes back to our campsite and set up for a successful night of drinking wine by the campfire and feasting on campfire nachos . Butters and I settled into our new tent (a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2) exhausted in the best kind of way. We were then treated to a little bit of camp magic as the trio of ladies next to us sang slow cadenced folk songs in spanish next to the fire under the stars.
Katie and I have made it a point to try and fit in one unique activity the morning that we head back for home. We were in luck this time, as just down the road from Ink’s Lake State Park is Longhorn Cavern State Park, housing the official state cave of Texas! Hailing from the Cave State myself, I couldn’t pass up the chance to visit a state park/cave combo. Longhorn Cavern has a unique history as it was primarily established by FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps, also known as FDR’s “Tree Army”. This program provided work and income to unemployed men during the Great Depression. (Find more info on the CCC here).
Fun fact: the local residents of Longhorn Caverns are known as “Chicken Nugget Bats”. These tiny bats have an average adult size of about 3.4 inches.
I’ve been on more cave tours than I can count, and I have enjoyed them all. However, I have never been in a cave like Longhorn Caverns. This cave really felt like two caves in one. The first half of the cave was beautiful, reminiscent of many caves I have been in in Missouri. The crystal rooms added a touch of underground elegance, and the provided history of various uses of the cave through the years were interesting. There are even canisters of emergency rations from when the cave was intended to be used as a federal nuclear fallout shelter! However, once the cave tour crossed over into the dolomite formations, I felt like I was on another planet. I was in awe. I could probably write a whole blog post on this area, but instead I will just let the photographs do the talking.
I hope this post has inspired you to check out Ink’s Lake and Longhorn Caverns, stay tuned for my next post about beach camping, kayaking with alligators, and sleeping on a pier in a sea marsh!
ABBREVIATED GEAR REVIEWS:
Tent: This was the inaugural trip of my new tent, the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 2. Weighing in at only 1 lb 15 oz, I feel like I’m finally heading into the ultralight world. I appreciate this tent's high headspace and porch awning. This tent is a hybrid and works well as a freestanding tent for one, but for two people you definitely will want to stake out the sides for some extra elbow room. This tent sets up in a flash, and if you are ever in a site that is difficult to stake, you can alternatively shove a few items in each corner and the tent will take on the correct form. I love the golden color scheme and I have a feeling this tent will be in my rotation for a long time. I bought mine from REI's online used store for a fraction of the new price. The tent came in perfect condition and with all the accessories! Find REI's used selection HERE. When possible and when from reputable companies, it's always kinder to our planet to buy used!
Fire Maple Cooking System- I LOVE THIS STOVE. I have nothing negative to say about it. It packs fairly light for a full cook system, and I can fit a jetboil fuel canister inside the pot for storage. Each canister provides ~55 water boils. I’ve found that compared to other cookware, if I use my pot for something beyond water, it is still easy to clean out.
Sleep pad: This was also my first trial run of my new Sea to Summit comfort light while camping. Believe it or not, at this point I had already been sleeping on my Sea to Summit pad for about a week and a half in my old apartment as my belongings were in storage in a different state. As a side sleeper, this pad provides enough cushion that my hips don't touch the ground. I also find the self inflate feature quite handy as I just toss my pad into my tent and let it be its own independent self while I move on to other camp tasks.
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