Guardrail damage ahead

Pedernales Falls State Park has been in our sights ever since we heard that there was a scenic 7-mile- long hike through the 3,000 foot limestone canyons through which the Pedernales River has carved steps, cascades and pools. Since today was predicted to be sunny we drove the 50 miles back into the Hill Country to the park.

It was a beautiful day to be on Wolf Mountain Trail, the first and last section of which seemed to be on an old road. There were many Hill Country creeks to cross by hopping from stone to stone. This one is named Bee Creek.

This one is Mescal Creek. We also crossed Regal, and Tobacco Creeks. 

Almost half-way around the loop part of the trail was Jones Springs where we stopped to eat our lunch. Apparently from prehistoric people to modern times the cool clear water of Jones Spring has attracted visitors and residents to the area. It was named for D.G. and Nannie Jones, who lived in a nearby rock house in about 1885.

While we were eating our lunch Amy joined us at the spring. She was on the trail today training for the John Muir Trail in California. The trail begins in Yosemite and she plans to be at the southern terminus of the 210 mile trail on Mount Whitney on her birthday. Amy lives nearby in Buda where she had a yarn shop. Her family is from Abilene and she told us about the wind turbine utilities that lease farmland and then share a portion of the wind generated electricity money with the farmers and ranchers. She said it saved their farm. 

About 300 yards up the trail from the spring we found the remains of the Jones rock house.

Along the east side of the park we had this expansive view of the surrounding Hill Country.

I may have mentioned that limestone is used for almost everything in this area of Texas. There are a couple of these limestone benches along the side of the trail.

Perhaps the most common road sign that we see in our Texas travels is WATCH FOR WATER ON THE ROAD. But, the second most common is this one above - GUARDRAIL DAMAGE AHEAD.  I think it may have something to do with the 70 and 80 mph speed limit on almost all roads. (The little sign behind this road sign reads - Denture Shop. Don't know if I have ever seen a shop for dentures before.)

Incidentally, I think I now know why there are so many Watch for Water on the Road signs. A good part of Texas is limestone and there is just a thin layer of soil on top of the limestone. That is why there is so little agriculture and more ranching and why the roads are subject to flash flooding when it rains; there is little soil to absorb the water.