Colorado Bend State Park consists of 5,328.3-acres of land. It is located west of Lampasas in San Saba county. The park has 32 miles of trails that are perfect for casual hiking and biking.

The park is also home to Gorman Falls, a 60-foot-high waterfall that cascades down travertine formations covered in lush vegetation. 

The falls' travertine formations and associated lush vegetation are very scenic. The formations and habitat are extremely fragile, therefore there is no swimming, wading, climbing or fishing allowed in the falls area.  For swimming, there is a spring fed swimming hole located on the opposite end of the park, as well as the river that runs through the park.

In addition to the falls, there are numerous caves throughout the park. Tours of these caves are available at the ranger station. 

When I visited, I went on the shortest cave tour, which lasted about 30 minutes and was not physically demanding. There are more strenuous tours available which require repelling down the side of a cliff in order to reach the cave.

St.Mary's Falls Trail, trail #624, is a moderate hike in North Cheyenne Cañon/Pike National Forest near Colorado Springs, CO.

The trailhead is located just above Helen Hunt Falls. At the end of the trail awaits St. Mary's Falls, a 300ft waterfall. The distance to reach this waterfall is almost 6 miles roundtrip with about a 1,300 foot elevation gain.

Before reaching the trail for St. Mary's Falls, you will hike along Upper Gold Camp Road. Along the way, you will be treated with scenic views of the surrounding canyon and mountains.

The first portion of the trail is fairly easy with gradual elevation gain. A mountain stream runs alongside the trail and there are numerous small waterfalls.

When you are about 0.2 miles away, the trail becomes much steeper and more difficult. After some switchbacks you will reach a sign that says the base of the falls is 500ft away.

I went in the late spring, when the snowmelt was cascading down the side of the mountain. The icy cold water spray was so refreshing.

At the base of the falls, there are benches to rest at. We ate our lunch here and relaxed before heading back. Another option is to continue up the mountain for another 3 miles to reach the summit of Mt. Rosa.

      Pedernales Falls State Park is located Johnson City, TX and 30 miles west of Austin. The park has 19.8 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, 10 miles of equestrian trails, and 14 miles of backpacking trails. The Pedernales River flows over tilted, layered stair steps of limestone and through channels carved by the river.
          There is a short trail from the parking lot to the Pedernales Falls Overlook and a set of steps leading down to the river. Once down at the falls, there is little shade and the sun bounces off the limestone. For this reason, I recommend visiting the falls either in the early morning or late evening.

      Due to the turbulent water and tendency for flash floods, swimming in the falls area is not permitted. However, there are other areas in the park where you are able to swim.

      If you walk up the river, past the limestone slab, you will be rewarded with another group of waterfalls. Do not cross the river in this area, as the other side of the river is private property.

      There are several small creeks that flow through the park. The creeks are spring-fed and the cold water flows over slick limestone.