Spicewood Spotlight

http://krausesprings.net/

Krause Springs is a well-known camping & swimming site located in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas. It is located in Spicewood, Texas approximately 30 miles west of Austin. The 115 acre property is listed on the National Registry of Historical Sites and has been privately owned by the Krause Family for over 50 years.

Krause Springs has many natural sites to explore. There are 32 springs on the property, and several feed the manmade pool and the natural pool which flows into Lake Travis. It’s a refreshing treat to swim in the Springs during the hot summers of Texas! If camping is in your plans, there is primitive tent camping as well as 24 RV sites with water and electricity available. Guests are also welcome to relax and to stroll through the Butterfly Gardens; take time to listen to the music of the wind chimes and the fountains during your visit!

http://www.cypressvalleycanopytours.com/about.html

In 1998, after successful business careers, David and Amy Beilharz and their four children moved from an upscale West Austin neighborhood to a beautiful undeveloped plot in the Texas Hill Country. With nothing but a travel trailer and a portable generator, they decided to live close to nature, to let it teach them as it has taught humans for thousands of years. Amy and David worked to develop this beautiful creek and surrounding land by working with nature instead of trying to substantially alter it. They have developed a solar, wind and hydro generating energy system; they raise buffalo which are indigenous to this area; and just recently moved from a yurt into their house which David built himself with the help of his family and friends.

After buying this land west of Austin, Amy and David looked at many ways to share its beauty with others. But doing so on any large scale would have meant making trails, removing fallen trees and branches, and cutting down some vegetation. This would have disturbed the existing habitat of the ravine and the trail traffic would have been trampled the complex bio-diverse life on the ravine floor, further disturbing the existing inhabitants. When David experienced a canopy tour in Costa Rica, he knew he had found the answer to sharing the beauty of Cypress Valley with minimal impact on the environment and a whole new angle of viewing nature – from a bird’s eye view. “When I experienced the zip-lines in Costa Rica I had a full body experience that opened a new doorway to my relationship with nature,” commented David. “That is what we hope to bring to the people that visit Cypress Valley.”

In 2004, we began searching for a way to supplement our farm and ranch activities with a business which would be exciting and honor our values of conservation and family. We were looking for something fun for our children and fun for our customers. Our personal interest in family outings, increasing environmental awareness and encouraging people to spend more time in nature has prompted us to start a business which educates and inspires people to be more ecologically conscious while being a thrilling physical experience. Our hope is to provide an enlivening adventure while instilling knowledge and a desire to protect our natural resources.

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rpd03

Dead Man’s Hole, located south of Marble Falls in southern Burnet County, is a deep, well-like hole probably caused by gas pressure. It was discovered in 1821 by entomologist Ferdinand Lueders while he was in the area to study night-flying insects. The cave achieved notoriety during the Civil War as a dumping place for the bodies of Union sympathizers. The remains of several bodies were recovered from the cave in the late 1860s, but the presence of gas prevented extensive exploration. The gas evidently dissipated over time, for in 1951 a group of spelunkers from the University of Texas successfully descended the hole. They reported that Dead Man’s Hole was seven feet in diameter at the surface and about 160 feet deep; at its base, the hole split into two “arms,” one extending straight back for about fifteen feet, and the other sloping downward at a 45° angle for about thirty feet.

A Texas Historical Marker was erected for the landmark in 1998. Owner Ona Lou Roper deeded Dead Man’s Hole and its surrounding 6.5 acres as a park to Burnet County in 1999.

https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/pace-bend

Pace Bend Park is located in far western Travis County in the Hill Country of central Texas. With more than nine miles of shoreline along scenic Lake Travis, Pace Bend is one of the most popular areas in the Highland Lakes region, offering visitors a wide range of recreational opportunities. The west side of the park features high, limestone cliffs and numerous rocky coves with some of the most impressive views available of Lake Travis, especially at sunset.

Most of Pace Bend Park is easily accessible by vehicle from the six-mile, paved roadway that loops the park. However, the interior of the park is managed as a wildlife preserve and can be reached by foot, bicycle, or horseback only. Numerous trails lead into the hills and provide excellent views of the lake and the Hill Country. This area serves as home to a large number of whitetail deer, raccoon, fox, ringtail cat, and dozens of bird species.

http://www.hiddenfallsadventurepark.com/

Welcome to Hidden Falls!
Come out and Ride
Whether you are a 4x4 enthusiast, Dirt Bike fanatic, or UTV/Quad rider Hidden Falls is the place for you.

Our ranch is aproximately 3000 acres with miles and miles of trails suitable for riders and wheelers of any skill level, from the beginner to the expert, and everyone in between.

http://cutnputt.com/

Welcome to the Pedernales Golf Club, also known as Willie Nelson’s Cut-N-Putt.

This is a beautiful nine-hole course spanning the hill-tops near the Pedernales River in western Travis County, Texas. It’s just 8 songs away from Austin. Owned by Willie Nelson and operated by Pro, Fran Szal, the Pedernales Golf Club is more than just a beautiful course; it’s a relaxing and refreshing divergence from the formal country club scene. The rules here are a little different. We play golf here to have fun, and as you would expect, a lot of fun is had by all.

http://www.fallsmuseum.org/

From prehistoric times to 1951, the Colorado River plunged over the falls at this location on its romp to the Gulf of Mexico. The falls, just upriver from the present Hwy 281 bridge, were covered by the waters of Lake Marble Falls after Max Starcke Dam was built in 1951.

The geological formation of the falls is a transitional state between limestone and marble. To early settlers, the interior of the rock, a hard cherty, looked like marble – hence the name Marble Falls.

When the LCRA lowers the lake level, the falls can still be seen, although partially obliterated by silt. Photographs in the FOCM historic collection show many views of the river, the falls, and the part they played in the lives of area citizens before 1951. The museum is located at 2001 Broadway Street in the historic Granite School, built in 1891 on the main floor.

Hours of operation are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 – 5:00 p. m.

Our location is on the campus of Marble Falls Elementary School, and MFISD security requires visitors to have a photo identification scanned at the museum during school days (before 3:30 p. m.)

http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Balcones_Canyonlands/about.html

From the viewpoint of a gliding red-tailed hawk, the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge appears to straddle the divide between the Colorado and Brazos watersheds. The canyons facing Austin are deeply etched by erosion from the Colorado River tributaries.

https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/reimers-ranch

This pristine parkland, open space and reserve land in western Travis County with almost 3 miles of continuous frontage along the Pedernales River is the largest parkland acquisition in the history of Travis County.

The Reimers Ranch parcel is already well known and well loved by many potential park users. The sizeable Central Texas rock-climbing community views Reimers Ranch as a destination with world class rock climbing. The active local mountain biking community likewise enjoys Reimers Ranch’s over 18 miles of trails through the classic Central Texas landscape. Local anglers have come to Reimers’ for generations to fish for white bass in the Pedernales River. The Pogue Springs Preserve/Hogge Reserve component of the land acquisition is less known but equally spectacular with Pedernales River frontage, deep canyons and panoramic views of the Texas Hill Country.

http://www.zooexotics.com/

A one of a kind preserve where several endangered species of animals have a chance to increase their numbers and at the same time allowing people to enjoy their beauty and company. The commitment of the Zoo is not only to maintain a healthy atmosphere for the animals, but help them to become people friendly. Everyone has a chance to have a hands on experience with all the animals. You not only can see them, but you can touch them!

https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/hamilton-pool

Hamilton Pool Preserve is a historic swimming hole which was designated a preserve by the Travis County Commissioner’s Court in 1990. Located 3/4 mile upstream from its confluence with the Pedernales River, Hamilton Creek spills out over limestone outcroppings to create a 50 foot waterfall as it plunges into the head of a steep box canyon. The waterfall never completely dries up, but in dry times it does slow to a trickle. However, the pool’s water level stays pretty constant, even during periods of drought.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/longhorn-cavern/park_history

Longhorn Cavern State Park is 645.62 acres of rugged Hill Country south of Burnet in Burnet County. The state acquired Longhorn Cavern from private owners in 1932 to 1937. The park opened in 1938, and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1971.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/pedernales-falls/park_history

Pedernales Falls State Park, 5211.7 acres in Blanco County east of Johnson City, was acquired from private owners in 1970 and was opened in 1971. It is located along the banks of the scenic Pedernales River. This area, formerly the Circle Bar Ranch, is representative of typical Edwards Plateau terrain.

http://westcave.org/visit/weekend-public-tours

Westcave has been successfully connecting kids and their families to nature since 1976 when the nonprofit Westcave Preserve Corporation was established to clean up and restore this spectacular Hill Country grotto. We have since grown in mission and vision to encompass a state-of-the-art Environmental Learning Center and environmental education curriculum that supports state mandated learning objectives (TEKS) – hosting nearly 8,000 school children in 2012. In 2008, Westcave expanded its physical footprint to include the 45-acre “rim around the canyon,” bringing Westcave to its current size of 75 acres. In 2012 the Westcave Board of Directors unanimously agreed to incorporate the Children in Nature Collaborative of Austin as a core program of Westcave after an extensive strategic business planning process. Another outcome of this process was the need for Westcave to better express the organization it has become. In March of 2013 – on the 10th anniversary of the Warren Skaaren Environmental Learning Center – Westcave announced its new name, Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center. The Board of Directors and staff believe this name better represents Westcave’s range of programs including its magnificent Preserve, the new rim property that will be open for daily, self-guided hiking, its partnership role with El Ranchito Discovery Camp and Conservation Corp, and leadership of the Children in Nature Collaborative of Austin.

https://www.wildflower.org/

Lady Bird Johnson, our former first lady, and actress Helen Hayes founded an organization in 1982 to protect and preserve North America’s native plants and natural landscapes. First as the National Wildflower Research Center and later as the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, this special place exists to introduce people to the beauty and diversity of wildflowers and other native plants. Every day, the Wildflower Center brings life to Mrs. Johnson’s vision in its public gardens, its woodlands and sweeping meadows as well as in internationally influential research. In 2006, the Center became an Organized Research Unit of the University of Texas at Austin.

http://austinzoo.org/about/

The mission of Austin Zoo is to assist animals in need through rescue, rehabilitation and education.

Located on the southwest edge of Austin off of Highway 290 West and Circle Drive, Austin Zoo is a pleasant Hill Country zoo where visitors from around the world can come to learn about animals close-up, spend some time outdoors getting exercise and have fun.

http://www.theheritagemuseum.com/about.html

The HeritageMuseum of the Texas Hill Country is a regional resource for fostering awareness of the unique natural and cultural history of the CanyonLake area, education through collection, preservation, interpretation and display.

http://pioneermuseum.net/

Willkommen to the Pioneer Museum, a memorial sponsored by the Gillespie County Historical Society (GCHS), that celebrates a unique Texas Hill Country community created by early settlers for future generations.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/colorado-bend/park_history

Colorado Bend State Park, a 5,328.3-acre facility, is located west of Lampasas in San Saba and Lampasas counties. The park site was purchased partly in 1984, with the remainder acquired in 1987; the park was subsequently opened in 1987.

http://www.magicgreens.com/

Magic Greens is a 18-hole miniature golf facility at the corner of RR12 and Sports Park Road. Our facility is nestled among many oak trees with an emphasis on native landscaping to include native grasses and wildflowers. The water features include two waterfalls, three ponds and two streams resembling the mountain streams of the southwest. The entrance to the course has a 250 ft. granite pathway with vine-covered tunnels and gazebos, fountain, statuary, benches and wind chimes. Magic Greens also supports education in the community, and is offering a free game of golf for any report card presented confirming perfect attendance for a report card period.

http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lyndon-b-johnson/park_history

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site is in Gillespie County, between Fredericksburg and Johnson City, and contains 717.9 acres. Lyndon B. Johnson State Park honors a native Texan who achieved the nation's highest office.

http://www.fortcroghan.org/home

Established in 1849 by the U. S. Government to protect the Settlers from Indian depredations, Fort Croghan was named for Col. George Croghan, War of 1812 hero and later Inspector General of the U. S. Army. The fort originally consisted of 1600 acres from Hamilton Creek westward including Post Mountain in Burnet County, and was decommissioned in 1853