Tag: mckittrick canyon

Finding Fall Colors in Texas

Summer is finally in the rear view mirror, fall seemed to last about two days, and now cold fronts have blown in from the north. And that means fall colors in Texas are on the way. In early October, I spent a week in Colorado shooting the changing leaves in the Rockies, covering 1700 miles over 7 days and enjoying the amazing display of color across the state. While Texas can’t match Colorado’s Autumn colors and the sheer coverage of changing leaves, the Lone Star State can still offer some pretty stunning areas to take in the red maples and oak and the orange cypress.
Around this time of year – October and November – I’m often asked where the best fall colors can be found. A few years ago, I added an online gallery dedicated to fall colors in Texas. And in this short blog, I’d like to share a few of my favorite places in no particular order.

Lost Maples
Located off Highway 187 near Vanderpool, Lost Maples State Natural Area is arguably the most popular location for fall colors in the Hill Country. And that means it is the most crowded, as well. In good years when the rain and temperatures cooperate, maples and oak turn red and orange during the early part of November. Paths through colorful leaves and overhanging branches lead through small groves of the Uvalde Bigtooth Maple trees.

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Path Through the Woods at Lost Maples 5 : Prints Available

Along the East Trail in Lost Maples State Park, you’ll enjoy views like this in mid November. This day was perfect – calm, temperatures in the 50s, and very few people (it was a weekday). In this area of the Texas Hill Country, you’ll find lots to do besides photograph the beautiful Autumn colors. Towns like Leakey, Vanderpool, and Medina, as well as Garner State Park, offer places to explore, have lunch and enjoy the country life.

The Sabinal River winds through the park, as well, presenting a few opportunities to see and photograph colorful scenes with a peaceful stream flowing through the area. But be warned… this place is packed on the weekends with locals and tourists who drive hours to take in the beauty. So plan ahead, book an entrance ticket early, or better yet – arrive early on a weekday. When you finish hiking, there are even a few good wineries in the area!

Garner State Park
Just 28 miles southwest of Lost Maples near the town of Concan sits Garner State Park – home to the clear Frio River and Old Baldy. In the fall, cypress and oak along the Frio turn red, gold, and orange in a beautiful display of fall color. Here is one image taken while standing in the Frio on a cold late afternoon that shows the river with the Autumn trees lining the banks. This image also appeared on the cover of Texas Highways Magazine in October, 2019.

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Autumn in Garner State Park 2 : Prints Available

* This image from Garner State Park appeared on the cover of Texas Highways Magazine in the October 2019 edition.*

On a serene evening deep in the Texas Hill Country, fall colors of red and gold shine in the evening sun along the Frio River in Garner State Park. Standing in knee deep water to capture this image, and with Mount Baldy in the background, I had to pause at the beauty and mirror-like reflections of this amazing scene.

Photographic opportunities abound in this area. Walks along the river provide various angles full of pristine water and colorful cypress trees. A short hike up Old Baldy, the highest point in the park, affords views overlooking the river valley and the summit makes a nice place for a snack or picnic. But like Lost Maples to the north, the parking lots usually fill up by late morning on weekends. When I shoot here, I bring my wide-angle lenses and I arrive early on a weekday.

After Garner State Park, heck out some of the surrounding drives and towns. The loop from Vanderpool and Lost Maples west to Leakey, south to Garner State Park, west to Utopia, and back north to Vanderpool makes from some amazing views. Try some of the side roads, as well, exploring the smaller streams and creeks that run in the area. Hidden gems are just around the corner.

Guadalupe Mountains
Located about an hour north of Van Horn and seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the Guadalupe Mountains rise out of the Chihuahuan Desert, reaching their highest point at the summit of Guadalupe Peak (also the highest point in Texas). The mountain range is the fossilized remnant of the Capitan Reef and is now composed of almost entirely of Limestone. But hidden in one of its canyons is an ancient stand of bigtooth maple. A hike into McKittrick Canyon in early October reveals secrets of this lost grove of trees, and the trail can often be ablaze in the red fall colors of the changing leaves. The image below was taken a few years ago along the McKittrick Canyon trail and was used by Texas Highways Magazine.

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McKittrick Canyon Glory, Guadalupe Mountains 1 : Prints Available

Following the trail through McKittrick Canyon, there are places of dense maple trees. At one point, you are nearly surrounded by the beautiful leaves, and in Autumn the forest can turn orange and red with some of the most beautiful fall colors in Texas. The main hike is around 4 miles each way, but you can continue up to ‘the Notch,” a climb of about 1500 vertical feet over another mile or so at which point you can look down into a canyon on each side of you. The hike up is a grunt, but the views are incredible. You can look back down and see the colorful maples as they follow the path of the river.


The hike trail will take you as far as you want to go. I usually enjoy climbing to the top of McKittrick Ridge to a point called “the Notch” – a high point in the trail that offers views of the valley in both directions. This trail is a day-use only area, so plan accordingly. I try to hit the trail as soon as the gates open and enjoy a morning and afternoon exploring the area in all its colorful beauty.

Pedernales Falls State Park
I probably know the land that borders the Pedernales River better than any other place in Texas. This little park is close to my home, and I enjoy my early morning walks here when all is quiet and serene. In the fall – usually mid-November at the earliest in this park – the cypress along the clear, cool waters of the Pedernales River turn orange and dark red.
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Texas Hill Country Fall Colors 2 : Prints Available

The Texas Hill Country comes alive with autumn colors each November. Here, the cypress lean in and cover the Pedernales River on a cool fall morning, their gnarled roots wandering their way down into the water.

Exploring both upstream and downstream leads to small cascades and cypress-lined portions of the water. This park does become crowded on the weekends, but when exploring at sunrise or sunset I’ll often find myself alone.
If planning to visit this area in the late fall, check their calendar. The last several years, the park has been closed during peak color times for planned hunts, something that has left me frustrated at missing out on such colorful opportunities. I believe the hunt-closure for 2019 is not until December (thank goodness), but check before heading out.

Other places in Texas offer fall colors as well, and some can be quite amazing. I’d love to hear from folks out there about their experiences in fall at Caddo Lake, Daingerfield State Park in east Texas, and other locations where the colors have been eye-catching.

In the meantime, it is time for me to head out to the hill country and start scouting. I plan on starting my trek for Texas fall colors in just a few days and am ready to go!

Safe Travels, Texas!
~ Rob
Images from Texas

Fall in the Guadalupe Mountains

The Guadalupe Mountains are a long way from my home in the central Texas hill country. But in those remote and ancient mountains is a location I’ve wanted to experience and photograph in the fall – McKittrick Canyon – a winding path through rugged peaks that holds a remnant collection of bigtooth maple trees. Each Autumn, this canyon comes alive with fiery color of the changing maple leaves, a stark contrast to the surrounding desert landscape. I also wanted to hike up to Guadalupe Peak, the tallest point in Texas, and shoot both the sunset and the Milky Way from its lofty summit. I’d made this walk-up before, but this time I wanted to capture the landscape in evening light.

Over the course of four days, I was able to photograph some incredible landscapes, and I’m not sure if an image on a website can really do justice to the rugged beauty of this west Texas area. First, the Butterfield Overland Stage Route provides some great vistas of El Capitan. You have to obtain a key from the National Park to access two gates, but the views are worth it. You will need a four-wheel drive, for sure, as the road is treacherous at times.

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El Capitan Sunrise, Guadalupe Mountains 3 : Prints Available

This panorama from Guadalupe Mountains National Park shows the famous west Texas landmark, El Capitan. This limestone peak is Texas’ 8th highest point at 8,064 feet high. It rests in the shadow of Guadalupe Peak, the tallest peak in the Lone Star State. I have to say thank you to the National Park folks at the Pine Springs Visitor Center for allowing me access during “closed” hours along this dirt road in order to photograph this amazing landscape at sunrise.

This panorama is available in large custom sizes. Please contact me for more information.

I photographed from this location on several occasions and was fortunate to have some great light.

One of my points of emphasis this trip was McKittrick Canyon, the bigtooth maple trees, and “The Notch” that gives a great view of both McKittrick Canyon and South McKittrick Canyon. The maples were beginning to turn, and there were sections of brilliant reds and oranges, yet other areas were still quite green. The weather was beautiful, and with calm winds, photographing the scenery along this trail was a pleasure.

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McKittrick Canyon Glory, Guadalupe Mountains 1 : Prints Available

Following the trail through McKittrick Canyon, there are places of dense maple trees. At one point, you are nearly surrounded by the beautiful leaves, and in Autumn the forest can turn orange and red with some of the most beautiful fall colors in Texas. The main hike is around 4 miles each way, but you can continue up to ‘the Notch,” a climb of about 1500 vertical feet over another mile or so at which point you can look down into a canyon on each side of you. The hike up is a grunt, but the views are incredible. You can look back down and see the colorful maples as they follow the path of the river.

The grunt up to “The Notch” was steep and rocky, but the landscape showcased those granite mountains and jagged peaks both to the north and south. Looking back in the direction I came, the winding flow of red and orange leaves of the bigtooth maples in the distance followed the winding creek as it snaked through the canyon. While resting at the top, I even sat about three feet from a rattlesnake. That was quite the surprise. The round trip to this point and back to the trailhead turned out to be a little over 10 miles and actually wasn’t too bad. I’m glad, because the next evening I’d be trekking up a different trail – this time to Guadalupe Peak and the highest point in Texas.

At 8,751 feet, Guadalupe Peak is the tallest mountain in Texas. The trail to the top is relatively easy – just a gradual walk up gaining ~ 3,000 feet in altitude over 4 miles. The views at the top offer a unique perspective that looks across the Chihuahuan Desert to the east, south, and west. Below the peak is the famous El Capitan, the 8th tallest summit in Texas and one that I’d photographed both that morning and the night before from other locations. I arrived at the top of Guadalupe Peak a little before sunset, enjoying the quiet solitude. While there, I took in a wonderful sunset, and later witnessed the Milky Way at it rolled across the sky in the southwest. The walk down passed quickly, but I was glad to arrive back at the trail head. Trails at night always seem a bit creepier and unknown. I have good flashlights, but I’m always happy to be finished with long hikes at night. The thought of mountain lions is always in the back of my mind.

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El Capitan from Guadalupe Peak after Sunset 2 : Prints Available

This panorama taken on Guadalupe Peak, the tallest summit in Texas at 8,751 feet, shows the southwest sky at sunset on a fall evening. The hike is nearly 9 miles round trip, especially if you spend time exploring around the summit, and you’ll gain 3,000 vertical feet. If you stay for sunset, you’ll likely have the entire mountaintop to yourself. This hike is one of the gems not only in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, but in all of Texas.

This panorama from Guadalupe Peak is available in large and custom sizes. Please contact me for more information.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the less well known of Texas’ two national parks, will reward you if you are willing and able to get out and explore. Those age-old mountains – once part of the Delaware Sea 30 million years ago – hide valleys of lush green trees and crystal clear streams. Trout even survive in some of the pools tucked away in the canyons. Outside those canyon walls is a rugged and unforgiving desert. Both provide opportunities for exploration and contemplation. I hope to return again soon!

Happy Travels, Texas.
~ Rob