Tag: field trips

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Trip Report: Museo Benini and Middleton Ranch, April 27

— by Cindy Chrisler

image of group in wildflower field
Museo Benini, April 27 2024. Photo by Cindy Chrisler.

Seventeen NPSOT members and family attended the field trip to Museo Benini and Middleton Ranch on April 27, 2024.

The group began the day at Museo Benini outside of Marble Falls, where Lorraine Benini greeted us with enthusiasm and walked the grounds with us for over an hour, regaling us with tales of developing the property for wildflowers and a bird viewing area as well as a sculpture garden. In addition to meadows of firewheel, the group identified phlox, prairie milkvine, trailing rhatany, lazy daisy, purple threeawn, Texas thistle, Eve’s necklacepod, meadow pink, and more. The group also enjoyed a tour of the artist’s gallery before leaving.

About half the participants continued on to the ME Middleton Ranch in Spicewood to eat lunch and hike around a working cattle ranch. Gary Bowers spotted pointed sandmat, a member of the spurge family usually found further west in Texas. Highlights in the afternoon included larkspur, Drummond’s rain lily, antelopehorn milkweed, agarita in fruit, four nerve daisies, and Carolina woolywhite.


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

Field Trip Photo Album

See field trip plans on our Home page.

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Field Trip: Native Plant Hike at Russell Park

— by Gary Bowers

  • What:   Native Plant Hike at Russell Park
  • When:  8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Saturday, May 11, 2024
    • Please plan on arriving 10-15 mins early. Once we have everyone signed in we’ll start hiking at 8:30 AM.
  • Where:  Good Water Loop Trailhead Parking at 2101 County Road 262, Georgetown, TX, 78633

Our field trip is free and open to the public.

This hike is a great opportunity to learn about some great native plants around Lake Georgetown while getting a bit of exercise. This hike will be an out and back with a total length of 3 miles. The expected duration is between 2 and 2.5 hours. We will start at the trailhead for the Good Water Loop and hike down to the small picnic/camping area southwest.

DistanceClimbing ElevationDifficultyTrail SurfaceNotes
3.0 mi266 ftModerateOut and back; natural path with rocks and rootsShady trail to start while navigating through cedar grove. Some inclines and declines before transitioning to a gravel path along lake.
Trail Summary

Who is this hike for?

If you enjoy a moderately paced hike with a few brief stops to learn more about native plants, this is the hike for you.

How difficult is this hike?

We will descend down to the lake and then back up. Most ascents and descents are fairly gradual but there are numerous limestone outcroppings and roots along the first half of the trail. We will be moving at a steady pace between stopping points and stops will be brief.

What should I bring on this hike?

Be prepared for exertion along a trail with unsure footing. We recommend the following for this hike:

  • Sturdy hiking boots
  • Hiking poles
  • Water
  • Insect spray
  • Sun protection
  • Snacks
Trailhead parking
Route for this hike


See photos from other field trips in our album=>

Field Trip Photo Album
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Field Trip: Critchfield Preserve on May 18, 2024

— by Cindy Chrisler

  • What:   Critchfield Preserve Field Trip
  • When:  Saturday, May 18, 2024, 9:30 am to Noon (no entry after 9:45am)
  • Where:  Critchfield Preserve, 801 CR 344, Jarrell, TX 78537
    • Directions: Take I-35 north to Exit 277 for CR 305. Go left under the interstate on CR 305 and in 2.3 miles turn right onto CR 344. The preserve entrance is about a mile down CR 344 on the left. You will be guided to a parking area. High clearance vehicles are not required.
  • Our field trip is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
1) You must fill out a waiver for the Preserve (in addition to the NPSOT waiver that is signed at all field trips). Download the Preserve’s waiver at this link if you’d like to print and sign it ahead in order to save time at the start of the field trip.
2) Bathrooms are not available.
3) Be on time, as we will close the gates at 9:45am!  

Join us to tour this 100+ acre preserve in Jarrell that includes portions of Pecan Creek. There are no trails, and participants should dress for the weather, bring plenty of water, and use bug spray. We will hike around the preserve to places of interest as we look for unusual plants as well as the usual suspects. The terrain is mostly flat but there are rocks and the terrain may be uneven.

image of cactus in bloom
image of preserve
image of preserve
image of wildflower in bloom
image of preserve
image of preserve

Above: photos provided by the Preserve.

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See photos from other field trips ==>

Field Trip Photo Album