Field Trip: River Ranch County Park, Friday, September 12, 2025

— by Anne Adams

Want to brush up on your grass ID skills? Our next field trip will be to River Ranch County Park, near Liberty Hill. We will hike about 1 mile on a gravelly trail through Live oak/Juniper savannah, where we will observe a variety of grasses native to this habitat. As hike leader for this trip, we are very fortunate to have Ricky Linex, wildlife biologist and author of Range Plants of North Central Texas: A Land User’s Guide to their Identification, Value and Management. Ricky is also the current President of the Native Plant Society of Texas.

  • What:    Hike along 1 mile of unpaved trail with slight inclines and some loose gravel.
  • When:  8:45 am to 11:45 am, Friday, September 12, 2025
  • WhereRiver Ranch County Park, 194 Reveille Way, Liberty Hill, TX

Directions, including where to meet:

– Entrance to the park is off CR 279 near Liberty Hill. Stop at the registration office to pay the entrance fee of $4 per person ($2 over age 65) and pick up a free map if you wish.

– From the registration office, stay on the main road, Reveille Way, for 1.4 miles. This will take you past the West Trailhead Parking area and past the Hiker sign where Trail B crosses the road. We will gather at the next Hiker sign where Trail A crosses the road.

– Park on the grass on either side of the road.

Members and non-members are welcome! No RSVP is required. Restrooms are available at the registration office and other locations within the park.

Dress appropriately for the weather and terrain. Due to uneven surfaces and loose gravel, we recommend a hiking stick and sturdy shoes, as well as a hat, water, sunscreen and bug spray.  

If you have questions, please contact the Field Trip Committee (contact form here).

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See photos from some of our previous field trips in our Field Trip Album.

image from trail
From December 2024’s field trip to River Ranch County Park. View from overlook trail. Photo by Gary Bowers.

Field Trip: Aquatic Plants Tour, San Marcos, Saturday, July 26, 2025

— by Nancy Pumphrey

image of White Water-lily
White Water-lily, Nymphaea odorata. Lake Waco Wetlands. Chapter field trip in July 2013.
  • What:    Aquatic Plants Tour, San Marcos, TX
  • When:  Saturday, July 26, 2025, 12:30pm – 2:30 pm
    • There is a $3.00 parking fee payable by card only.
    • Meet at the tour ticket kiosk, but do not buy a tour ticket. The chapter is covering ticket costs.
  • Where:  The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, 211 San Marcos Springs Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666
  • You must register for the field trip by Sunday, July 20. Use the RSVP form at this link.
    • Reservations are required since we must reserve space in advance.
  • Our field trip is open to the public.

Join us for an out of town field trip to The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment located on the San Marcos River.

For detailed directions go to https://www.meadowscenter.txst.edu. There is a $3.00 parking fee payable by card only.

We will meet at 12:30pm, Saturday, July 26, 2025, at the tour ticket kiosk. Do not buy a tour ticket. The chapter is covering tour ticket costs for this trip.

Bring water, a hat, sun screen and bug repellent. Our tour consists of a one and a half hour tour on a glass bottom boat and a short wetlands walk. Casey Williams will facilitate the trip. (Bonus reminder! Casey shared his expertise with us at last August’s chapter meeting; the presentation is on YouTube here.)

We need a head count by July 20th so please fill out our form and submit it asap so that we have a place for you.  See you in San Marcos!

If you have questions, please contact the Field Trip Committee.

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See photos from some of our previous field trips in our Field Trip Album.

Field Trip: Booty’s Road Park, Saturday, June 21, 2025

— by Anne Adams

image of Williamson County Winecup, Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba
March 2020 at Booty’s Road Park. Williamson County Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata var. lineariloba). Photo by N. Pumphrey.

Join us for an easy hike on a shaded path along the North Fork of the San Gabriel River, beginning at Booty’s Road Park in Georgetown. We will meet at the east end of the parking lot, near the sign for the San Gabriel River Trail. On the hike we’ll stop at a spring-fed rivulet that emerges from a rock layer above the trail and babbles down a fern-covered slope as it winds its way toward the river. The hike will cover approximately 1.5 miles on paved or gravel paths with some gentle ups and downs.

  • What:    Hike along the San Gabriel River Trail in Georgetown
  • When:  Saturday, June 21, 2025, 8:30-11:30 am
  • Where:  San Gabriel River Trail at Booty’s Road Park
  • Our field trips are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required.

Directions: From I-35 go west on Williams Drive for approximately 1.7 miles. At the light, turn left onto Bootys Crossing Road. Go about 1.3 miles and turn left into Booty’s Road Park. The trailhead is at the east end of the parking lot.

Come dressed appropriately for the weather. We recommend a hat. Bring your own water, bug spray and sunscreen.

If you have questions, please contact the Field Trip Committee (contact form here).

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See photos from some of our previous field trips in our Field Trip Album.