Dogwood Canyon

The weather in Dallas has been beautiful! When we arrived in Texas, the state had just experienced its first freeze of the year just a week before. It was still cool, but not too cold, and all of the leaves were beginning to change to various hues of gold and crimson. In short, it's probably the most beautiful time to be visiting the States!

autumn in my home state of Texas

After Thanksgiving, we wanted to make the most of the beautiful North Texas scenery before winter really set in (and I really needed to burn off some of that pecan pie...). My dad had a few days off from work, so my dad, my girlfriend, and I decided to head to nearby Cedar Hill State Park for some hiking on their awesome trails.

When we arrived, however, the park ranger told us that the recent rain had flooded the trails, and that they were still closed. He let us in on a little local secret though: the next-door Audubon Center maintained a few trails at Dogwood Canyon, and they were always free to hike (compared to the $7 per person at the state park). We had never been there before, and in fact, I didn't even know that there was an Audubon Center in this part of the state, but it was easy to find, and presently we had turned off the road and arrived at our new destination.

hawk rehabilitation exhibit at Dogwood Canyon

The trail is a couple of miles long, but winds through the cedar forests, offering amazing views of the north Texas landscape, and some great chances to catch a glimpse at some native birds. It is, after all, an Audubon trail, so it's an awesome place for bird watching!

setting out on the trail

After hiking around for a little while, you can spend some time at the center's headquarters. There, you can sit at the observation deck, where a half dozen or so bird feeders - all containing different types of feed - lure birds up close for some excellent viewing.

overlooking Cedar Hill

The photos don't really do justice to how beautiful it was out there that day! And to think, I didn't even know that this trail was there! When you live somewhere, you sometimes don't do all of the local things. Now, when I visit Texas, I have the mindset of a traveler. I want to do cool stuff while I'm home. It lets me explore my home as a tourist would, and through that, I've been introduced to a lot of cool places that I never knew of before.

a great day for a hike in the woods