oceanus

Hey Y'all,

Mckinney Roughs is a really nice park! We did a loop hike along the following trails: Riverside to Pine Ridge to Cypress to Riverside to Bluestem to Bluff Trail Loop (West) to the Ridge trail. Sounds like a lot, but it was probably about five miles in length (I forgot my pedometer). Overall, I would have to say the Pine Ridge trail was the nicest. It is very similar to The Lost Pines Trail at Bastrop State Park, but it is much more hilly. Plus, it has much nicer vistas than Bastrop. Further, the pines are occasionally punctuated by Oak/Juniper Savannah. Leaving the Pine Ridge trail and heading down the Cypress trail, the trail begins to descend into the bottomlands of the Colorado River. It became much cooler. Once we were on the Riverside trail we found a spot that allowed us to access the river. We waded out to a small island, took off our shirts and started swimming. I can think of no better way to bring in the Springtime than to enjoy a Texas river. After a while, and with some reluctance, we continued our hike. The Bluestem to Bluff Loop trails ascend a small set of hills, which lead to the Ridge trail. Once again, there were very nice vistas and plenty of spots to stop and take in the view. Overall, it was a really enjoyable hike. We didn''t see anyone until we reached the river, then once again on the Ridge trail; and that''s because there were probably 100 or 150 people at the visitor center. So, if you''re in the vicinity of Austin, you should definitely check this park out.