Lost Maples State Natural Area, Texas

Talk about as pretty as a picture. with rugged limestone canyons and branches of vivid red maple leaves overhanging sparkling streams, Lost Maple Natural Area packs some major scenic punch -- so don’t forget your camera! Snap some shots while you hike miles of Maple-shaded trails, criss crossed by clear, cold water creeks. Take a dip in Sabinal River, which snakes through the eastern portion of the park. But don’t let Lost Maple’s good looks fool you; the park’s got some tough, steep sections of hiking trails that’ll have you working up a sweat. A walk in this park isn’t exactly a walk in the park (speaking of walking -- try to stay on the designated trails so you don’t damage the fragile roots systems of the unusual bigtooth maples found throughout the park). So take some time to unwind after a long day of swimming, hiking, “oohing” and “ahhing” by relaxing under a dark Texas sky studded with stars; we hear they put on quite a show.