Mother Neff State Park, Texas

Osage Orange. Texas Ash. Rusty Blackhaw. No, these aren’t just awesome stage names for the frontmen of a kickin’ bluegrass band -- they’re just several of the many types of trees you’ll encounter at Mother Neff State Park. Pick up a tree guide at the ranger station and see if you can spot the many deciduous varieties as you wander the park’s miles of shady trails that wind through hardwood forests and grasslands near the Leon River. Birding is popular, too, so bring your binoculars to hone in on red-tailed hawks or swift-footed roadrunners. There are also several spots for fishing access on the river, if you want to sit back with a pole after a hard day of hiking -- areas of the park can be steep and rugged. Or just take in the rolling hills and leafy beauty of Texas’s first state park from one of the trail’s scenic overlooks; watching the sun sink behind the rocks is the perfect way to end a day at Mother Neff.