Category: Field Trips

Chapter Field Trips

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Field Trip: River Ranch Field Trip, Sunday, November 26, 2023

[Updated 11/10, to add estimate of distance (about a mile)]

— by Sue Wiseman

  • What: River Ranch County Park Field Trip
  • When: 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM, Sunday, November 26, 2023
  • Where: 2100 County Road 279, Liberty Hill, Texas
  • Our field trip is open to the public. There is a park entry fee: ages 13-64 @ $4 per person; over 65 @ $2 per person.

Imagine it’s the Sunday afternoon following Thanksgiving. Are you stuffed from all the food? Tired of the relatives? Well, we have just the solution — a walk in River Ranch County Park on November 26, 2023, from 2-4:30 PM.

When you arrive at the park, proceed to the parking lot at the Interpretive Center.  We’ll meet at the Trailhead to walk to the Bell Oak, one of the two large Heritage Live Oaks. It’s a gentle uphill hike there and downhill on the way back. The round trip is about a mile. Please wear long pants and closed toe shoes.  A hat and sunscreen are recommended.  Bring your water. After our hike, which is a loop, we will head to the Interpretive Center for a tour of the facilities. 

  • If you are coming from the Georgetown area, due to construction in Liberty Hill, we recommend taking Ronald Reagan Blvd. Take a right onto Hero Way; and then head north on Bagdad Road (CR279) to arrive at the park on your left.
  • If you are coming from another direction, we recommend taking any east-west thoroughfare north of RR1431 to reach Bagdad Road (CR279). 

We will have a sign at the Park Entrance and a sign at the turnoff in the park by the Interpretive Center. 

We look forward to getting you off the couch and away from the house. 

If you have a question, click on Contact Us to send it to the Field Trip Committee.

Escarpment Live Oak, Quercus fusiformis
Escarpment Live Oak, Quercus fusiformis. River Ranch County Park, August 2020 (virtual) field trip.
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Trip Report: Hidden Springs Plant Survey #8

— by Cindy Chrisler

Several dedicated NPSOT-Wilco members and a member of the public (perhaps a new member?) spent a pleasant afternoon at Hidden Springs Preserve on October 22, 2023.  We visited three sites on the preserve (which is closed to the public), including the pond near the house, an oak motte, and a low hillside. 

The group identified over 40 species of plants, including several grasses, asters, and milkweeds.  Small Palafox, Snakeweed, Blackfoot Daisy and Dotted Gayfeather were dominant flowers. 

This is the 8th 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.  (Read more about our plant surveys at this link.)

image of group on field trip
image of person recording plant survey data
image of Texas native wildflower
image of group collecting plant data
image of cactus
image of group collecting plant data

Photos by Cindy Chrisler and Anne Adams


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

Field Trip Photo Album
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A Beautiful Day in the San Antonio Botanical Garden

San Antonio Botanical Garden September 30 Field Trip Report

— by Erin Buhl

September 30th was the day of our field trip to the San Antonio Botanical Garden.  The weather was beautiful and a fun trip was had by all.  The group included around 18 people from our chapter, including several current and former members of the Round Rock High School Plant Club who provide so much assistance to us in our plant sales.  It is so wonderful to see these young botanists getting involved in our activities.

The field trip started at the main gate where they had a beautiful pumpkin patch area set up along with a small plant sale.  The tour was led by Michael Eason, the Associate Director for Conservation and Collections.  Michael is working on the garden’s rare and endangered Texas native plants collections.

image of group at field trip
Michael Eason (center) and garden staff sharing a few words with the field trip participants.

We then took a walking tour through part of the garden, including the Texas Native Trail.  The 11-acre Texas Native Trail contains more than 250 plant species in collections that represent three distinct and diverse ecological regions of Texas: the Hill Country/Edwards Plateau, the East Texas Pineywoods, and South Texas.  Michael discussed current state and future plans for this part of the garden.

image of garden sculpture
Showstopper view of a sculptural dragon covered in various plants in their conservatory area. From the current exhibit “Imaginary Worlds”.
image of group at field trip
Michael discussing the work in the Native Texas Trails area of the garden.

Next, we made our way to see the propagation work in the greenhouses.  They have plants that our chapter has provided for them from our plant rescue program. It was exciting to see our hard work really paying off and making a difference.  Michael also showed us some ways that our donation to the center has helped them, for example in helping to fund outdoor shade cloth structures for their potted plants to expand on their greenhouse space.

image inside greenhouse
The group with Michael in the greenhouses.

And finally, tour participants were able to purchase some plants from their native propagation area and we went to the garden’s café for a delicious lunch.

Photos by Erin Buhl


See photos from other field trips in our album=>

Field Trip Photo Album