Sorry about the knee, but it sounds like you managed alright despite the pain and change in plans. Also sorry to hear your time at Hill Country SNA wasn't as much as you'd hoped. I agree that Lost Maples and Hill Country SNA couldn't
be more different, but I find both equally alluring in their own ways. As truth would have it, I have not yet camped at Lost Maples SNA -- but when I do, it'll be one of the primitive sites (though I remember marking down one or two in the developed/RV campground that were out of the way and good tent locales... my primary criterion simply being that I don't want my tent sandwiched between two large RVs with their AC's or generators running all night.
)
Hill Country SNA is one park Justin and I have had to agree to disagree on -- I can camp there any time of year, although certain times are definitely more comfortable than others. He, however, will not go there in the summer -- too hot, lack of tree cover on the trail, and of course his two nights itching to death (despite topical and oral Benadryl) after hiking through chigger-infested tall grass [I wore jeans and wasn't leading; apparently, every chigger deposited itself on him, instead!]
Anyway, thank you very much for posting your trip report and experiences -- that's supremely useful to others in planning their own trips.
Take it easy with that knee. I fell on my knee in Big Bend while hiking with Justin several years ago -- after rolling back my hiking pants to be sure I hadn't made a gash in my knee (since it
felt like I had), I hobbled the rest of the way to The Window and back up. By the time we got back to our campsite, my knee was every shade of purple, blue and black and very stiff -- stayed that way for the rest of the week we were in the park, and was sore during hikes for at least a month or so after that. Thank goodness for healing, however!