I must admit, fall is my favorite season of the year, especially in the Lone Star State. When the temps start to drop, the flannel shirts come out and the cowboy boots make an almost daily appearance. Sure, I wear boots in the summer, too, but there’s something about fall that says it’s time to get in touch with your inner cowgirl/cowboy, even if you’re not one. I’ve been through many pairs of boots in my 50+ years, but this girl loves her Texas flag boots most of all. What’s not to love?
As I sit in the cool, crisp temperature today at the Official World Headquarters of How Big Is Texas, I thought it would be a good time to share some of my favorite places in Texas to enjoy the autumn months.
As always, I would be remiss not to mention San Angelo, since I spend a majority of my time here. The Concho Riverwalk explodes with beautiful colors as the oak trees and others begin to move from greens to yellows and oranges, before the leaves finally fall and we await the buds of spring. The 55-miles of walking trails at San Angelo State Park invite you to bundle up on a 40-degree morning and explore the beauty of nature. While wildlife is abundant year round, you might catch a glimpse of more than the usual suspects when you visit our west Texas city in the fall. In October, we are blessed to be a part of the monarch butterfly migration, as these stunning creatures make their way to Mexico. The best places I’ve found to view them are at the state park, as well as Lake Nasworthy and the Concho River by the International Waterlily Collection. I’m still not sure why, but I’ve found a majority of them like our pecan trees, and yes, we have those in abundance, too, in spite of the limited rainfall we receive annually.
In my opinion, the most beautiful place to enjoy the fall colors in Texas is at Lost Maples State Natural Area in Vanderpool. A Texas Parks & Wildlife park, Lost Maples is one of the only places I know of in the state that has an abundance of maple trees. If you’re going to visit the park, make sure to call first and make a reservation. This place can sell out quickly for day use. Once you’ve visited, you’ll understand why. Located in the Texas Hill Country Trail Region, the drive on Hwy. 187 is one of the prettiest in the state, too.
Seems like when most people think of fall weather, they don’t think of the beach. While the Texas Gulf Coast can become rather chilly with the breeze coming in off the water, I find the cities and towns along the Gulf of Mexico to provide a great getaway in the fall months. The kids are back in school and it’s not really swimsuit weather, unless you like to swim in air temperatures in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. Less people means more beach to yourself. We’ve spent a number of fall weekends on the gulf coast, including Mustang Island, Galveston, and Rockport. All were enjoyable and the sunrises were spectacular. We’ll be heading out in a few weeks for a long weekend on Bolivar Peninsula. Stay tuned and I’ll share my experience there.
I have to give an autumn shoutout to Sweet Berry Farm near Marble Falls. Nothing says fall in Texas like a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, and hayrides. Their Harvest of Fall Fun is a blast for kids and adults alike. It’s old school family fun and that is definitely needed this day and age, in my humble opinion.
If you’ve been reading my blog, you know the west Texas mountains in the Big Bend Region of Texas are a favorite of mine and my husband. I think we’ve RV’d there every season so we’ve seen it at its hottest and coldest. In the fall, we’ve enjoyed some spectacular sunrises. We’ve also seen others donning their cowboy boots and hats to get in the autumn spirit. The wildlife is always exciting to see, from antelope to pronghorn to coyotes, four-legged creatures abound, which makes it fun for us when we have our own Sadie and Angel along for the ride. Our rescue dogs love an animal spotting. If you have never considered rescuing black dogs, please do. And on a side not, our girls rescued us, not the other way around.
As I shared at the beginning of this blog, I get the cowboy boots out for fall weather. I usually wear them straight through winter and part of spring. After many hours of walking and adventuring across the Lone Star State, even boots need to retire. Rather than throw them out, I put mine on the fence post for the world to see what got me through my travels. Okay, so that’s my reason for putting the boots out. Here’s a blog about why Texans do this. I’m sticking to my excuse. It’s a great reminder of where they’ve taken me.
Now, where’s my pumpkin-spaced latte. After all, it is fall.
Happy Fall, Y’all!
Until next time from Texas … safe travels!
