"Purdinalis" Falls SP (Pedernales)

[chisos muse]

This is really becoming my favorite TX SP. I'm glad that I could visit on a weekday, as this means no crowds and the experience is so much nicer! I had never done the Wolf Mountain Trail, although I've visited the park several times before. I usually just hung around by the river...

So, Sasha and I headed out early to beat some of the heat, and luckily the weather was perfect for hiking on a hot TX June day....overcast and windy. We arrived at the parking lot to find no other vehicles around 9:30.



The trail is 7.5 miles, but an easy one. Mostly gravel road until you pass Jones Spring, then you head into a woodsy area and it's very nice to get out of the sun. Then, around Wolf Mountain and back down. There are lots of little side trails too, but we mostly stayed on the main trail because I wanted to keep the mileage down for Sasha. This was her longest hike to date, and it was hot for my furry one.

Bee Creek


Jones Spring


Sasha Resting


Sasha built a cairn when I wasn't looking


The hiker chicks


Little ruins past Jones Spring


Someone else piled a buncha stuff on the little stone



We made several rest stops for watering and laying down. One of the last one's she went over to this rock and started to rut underneath it to cool down.



On our way back down we met one couple and they were the only one's besides us. In the parking lot I talked with a really cool ranger who was headed down to Presidio for 2 weeks to work at BBRSP for a special event. Maybe the Fiesta thing? We talked about Big Bend for a long time, and working for TPWD and his time spent in Alaska and many other places.

Sasha and I then headed to the river to cool down and relax. I didn't take many river photos, because I've taken them before and posted them here already I believe. Besides, we were done hiking for the day. There were a few families there but not many. I fell down in the river a lot, because of her on the leash pulling me down...it was great! We ate lunch and rested under a big shady Cypress. I laid down and closed my eyes with her next to me....until she decided to chase a lizard and yank me awake! LOL

We had a perfect day together...

Beach and river from our lil spot


Really happy dog


Really happy Musey!

[Ay Chihuahua!]

Man, I've spent a lot of time at that park. Good thinkin' going on a weekday.

The Wolf Mountain Trail leads to the primitive camping, if I remember correctly. In days long past my group of friends and I committed unspeakable violations of TP&W policy out there. 

Thanks for the post. It brings back good memories...what's left of them.

[chisos muse]

Man, I've spent a lot of time at that park. Good thinkin' going on a weekday.

The Wolf Mountain Trail leads to the primitive camping, if I remember correctly. In days long past my group of friends and I committed unspeakable violations of TP&W policy out there. 

Thanks for the post. It brings back good memories...what's left of them.

Yup, it leads to the primitive camping, and one stanky pit toilet! Man, I never use those things, just walking by makes me almost hurl!

LOl speaking of "unspeakable violations"....I stood and talked to the ranger for about 20 minutes sipping on my Svedka & Sprite....and at Jones Spring I took the leash off just so she could be comfy for a bit. That's when she built the cairn... 

[gabbytabby]

Looks like an awesome time and your Sasha is beautiful!  I've been wanting to visit Perdernales for the longest time and think the kiddos are just about old enough that we might give it a try in the early fall.

[trtlrock]

Sasha's such a cutie; her tounge-length to body-length ratio is off the scale!

[Casa Grande]

Since I personally know Sasha, I'm here to tell you she's one of the best dogs I've ever seen. Second only to my late Haley. 

[chisos muse]

Since I personally know Sasha, I'm here to tell you she's one of the best dogs I've ever seen. Second only to my late Haley. 

 

Thanks, VG....she certainly is.....

[badknees]

Since I personally know Sasha, I'm here to tell you she's one of the best dogs I've ever seen. Second only to my late Haley. 

 

Thanks, VG....she certainly is.....

Is it nature or nurture?

[bjbriggs]

That looks like a neat place to go hiking.........Looks like you also have a good hiking partner....

[Burn Ban]

In days long past my group of friends and I committed unspeakable violations of TP&W policy out there. 

glad to read that i am not alone in that category

[tjavery]

Looks like you had an awesome time. Thanks for sharing with us!

My wife and I camped there 7 or 8 years ago. We took our mountain bikes on the trail and rode out to Jones Spring. I remember laying on the slickrock and sticking my feet in a cool pool of water. My wife took a spill on the loop around Wolf Mtn. but caught herself before she rolled down a steep slope. It would have been very bad if she'd kept tumbling.

Anyway, that park is beautiful. We've got to go back sometime.

[Ay Chihuahua!]

In days long past my group of friends and I committed unspeakable violations of TP&W policy out there. 

glad to read that i am not alone in that category

Let's just say there was never a "Burn Ban." 

Sorry, that was really lame. 

[partsdude]

 First time I took Sissy there,she was 6 months old,already 50+ lbs,& totally freaked out at the water. She stood in the shallows biting at the water at first,then started dredging,dunking her head all the to the bottom bringing mouthfulls of sand. A little later she just sat down looking funny. Then she pukes up about a pound of sand. Actually kind gravelly stuff. We went back to the camp & the next day she was doing her BUSINESS & it was about another pound of sand. My girlfriend & I laughed for hours about her sand dookie.

[SA Bill]

First time I took Sissy there,she was 6 months old,already 50+ lbs,& totally freaked out at the water. She stood in the shallows biting at the water at first,then started dredging,dunking her head all the to the bottom bringing mouthfulls of sand. A little later she just sat down looking funny. Then she pukes up about a pound of sand. Actually kind gravelly stuff. We went back to the camp & the next day she was doing her BUSINESS & it was about another pound of sand. My girlfriend & I laughed for hours about her sand dookie.

 Talk about your bulk and fiber diet!
   Bill

[lparent]

You're a tough one to hike out there in June (or this June at least!).  Hope it was before the temps started breaking 100 degrees every day.  There isn't much river left out there at this point.  The drought has gotten so bad that the Guadalupe and Blanco rivers have quit flowing in some places.  I'm just holed up in the A/C in Wimberley, biding my time till I head for NM and CO at the end of this month.  Not to worry, though, I'm not completely forsaking Texas.  I'll be stopping at the book festival in Alpine for a couple of days on the way.