Category: Field Trips

Chapter Field Trips

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Trip Report: Twin Creeks Historic Park

— by Pat Donica

Eighteen people enjoyed a simply beautiful Sunday on Feb 4’s field trip to Twin Creeks Historic Park in Cedar Park.  This little gem sits tucked in the hills between a couple of subdivisions and a golf course just inside northwestern Travis County.  

A paved path runs nearly the length of the park; a dirt path continues farther.  Sunday’s hike was almost a mile from parking lot to pavement’s end and then back the same way. There are benches along the trail if you care to pause and ponder.  About halfway in, the path meets up with and follows the banks of a creek, taking a turn past an 1859 log cabin (not open to visitors) preserved in the hollow.   

Led by Sue Wiseman and Kathy Galloway, we found Texas red oak, twistleaf yucca, sycamore, little bluestem, Lindheimer silktassel, American elm, seep muhly, possumhaw, yaupon holly, box elder, river fern, and more.  Recent rains ensured the creek was bubbling and flowing.  And seeing the old cabin was a real bonus.  You just have to think, oh, the stories it could tell!

image of log over trail
How many hikers can this log hold?
image of waterfall
One of the waterfalls.
image of log cabin
1859 King family log cabin.

Photos by Greg and Pat Donica.


See photos from this field trip and others in our album=>

Field Trip Photo Album
Posted on

Field Trip: Twin Creeks Historic Park Trail

— by Sue Wiseman

  • What:   Twin Creeks Historic Park Trail Field Trip
  • When:  1:30 PM – 4:00 PM, Sunday, February 4, 2024
    • Please plan on arriving by 1:30 PM. Once we have everyone signed in we’ll start hiking at 1:45 PM.
  • Where:  Parking lot at 3300 King Monument Lane, Cedar Park, TX

Our field trip is free and open to the public.

Most of the trail at Twin Creeks Historic Park is a wide paved roadway followed by a grassy area next to the headwaters of Cypress Creek.  Dress appropriately and bring water. 

  • Directions from US HWY 183 and N FM 620/Ranch Road 620:
    • Head west on N FM620 for 1.9 miles.
    • Turn right onto Anderson Mill Road for 1.0 mile.
    • Turn left at the traffic signal onto RM 2769 for .9 miles.
    • Turn right into the parking lot. 
    • The driveway is on a blind curve so please watch for NPSOT signs.
image of a map
image of a map


See photos from other field trips in our album=>

Field Trip Photo Album
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Trip Report: Hidden Springs Plant Survey #9

— by Cindy Chrisler

Cold weather did not deter eleven NPSOT members from conducting the January 20, 2024 plant survey at Hidden Springs Preserve.

Four sites in the preserve were scoured for signs of forbs, shrubs, and trees that are more easily identified at other times of the year.  Notable finds were white rosinweed, green comet milkweed, and the seed pod of a primrose.  This preserve will be spectacular in the spring, with firewheel, milkweeds, coneflowers, and more wildflowers that the group observed beginning to emerge.  

This is the 9th survey taken at the preserve in a series of 12 that will be conducted in each of the months of the year, taken over four years.

image of plant sprouting
Hidden Springs Preserve, January 20, 2024. Photo by Cindy Chrisler.


See photos from this field trip and others in our album=>

Field Trip Photo Album

Read more about our plant surveys at this link.

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