A hiking, kayaking, swimming, campout weekend
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Colorado Bend State Park is Texas Hill Country at it's finest: thickets of live oak and juniper host whitetail deer and armadillos. The dramatic Gorman Falls, a 60-foot waterfall tumbling over a cliff and misting a stand of maiden hair ferns and other lush, tropical vegetation is a must-see. The underground Spicewood Springs creates a beautiful hike through a crystal-clear stream, dotted with waterfalls and pristine swimming holes. Kayaking the Colorado River leads you to an amazing waterfall. A trip to Colorado Bend will make you feel like you've traveled into a scenic postcard from the lush jungles of Costa Rica.
This 5,300 acre Texas state park is approximately a 4-hour drive from Dallas, 50 miles west of Killeen.
 
Here's the plan...
FRIDAY
Start the trip off right by meeting everyone for a quick lunch at Noon (location TBD) before driving to Colorado Bend State Park. We'll plan to hit the road around 1pm, carpooling down together (it'll take around 4 hours).
If you have a kayak or mountain bike, bring it!
Our reserved group camping area is in a shady grove of Live Oaks. Perfect! Pick your favorite spot and set up your tent. After everyone's settled, and if there's still daylight, you'll want to explore the Colorado River banks a bit while dinner-by-starlight is being prepared around a campfire (burn ban permitting).
After dinner, it's time for smores, games and stargazing. We're far enough in the boonies you'll be able to see SO many stars that you can't see from the city, including the Milky Way Galaxy's spiral arm cloud! Or, if you've never gone spider hunting at night... we'll teach you the technique!
SATURDAY
 This morning we take the Gorman Falls Trail Hike – depart by car for the trailhead at 9:15 am.
On Gorman Falls Trail, we'll hike about 35 minutes through mostly flat, brushy dessert terrain until we reach a steep, rocky cliff covered in foliage. At the base of this cliff is the cool oasis that is Gorman Falls, a spring-fed waterfall 60-feet high and covering a cliff 100-feet wide, the whole of which dripping in moss, water, and travertine pre-cave formations. Standing here it's hard to believe you are in Central Texas and not some part of Central America! We'll spend about 30 minutes enjoying the falls until we hike back. The roundtrip hike is 1.5 miles.
We’ll prepare lunch for everyone at the campsite around 12:30-1:00.
 The afternoon's adventure takes us to the Spicewood Springs area.
It starts with a short drive to the trailhead, followed by a 15-minute grassy walk to a natural grotto swimming hole. We'll take a dip in the refreshing, cool spring waters before hiking up the stream that fills the grotto.
The stream has a flat rocky bottom that keeps the spring water clear to the bottom and is flanked by two cliff walls so it's like hiking in a small canyon. This stream's terrain is similar to a canal lock, with flat segments in varying water depths ranging from ankle-deep to thigh-deep, and mini-waterfalls separating each flat level. A few of these waterfalls are quite tall, so they present some bouldering/rock climbing opportunities, in addition to one particular cliff along the way being excellent for V0 bouldering. Those who climb to the top of the 70-foot cliff are rewarded with pieces of natural crystals growing in-between an exposed rock layer!
At the end of Spicewood stream you are rewarded with the biggest, most beautiful waterfall and swimming hole along the trail! It is totally secluded, and the water this close to the spring's source is refreshingly cool after the long hike. We'll take a dip before hiking back on the dry land trail that follows the stream.
We'll cook dinner at the campsite again this evening.
SUNDAY
Today we kayak the Colorado River.
There are a couple of choices here so everyone can decide their own preference. You can rent a one or two-person kayak for either half day or a full day. Half day rental for a 2-person boat is $20.
 There’s a limited supply of boats at the park so if you have your own kayak, bring it. This will help to ensure sure everyone gets a boat. We’ll plan to get to the park office at 9am sharp while they have the largest selection.
We'll paddle downstream to the tallest, most amazing waterfall you'll see on the entire trip! You can get out of your kayak and stand underneath the falls, climb around the rocks, and explore a small cave area.
After exploring the falls, we’ll head back to camp for lunch or you’ll continue paddling (if you’ve rented your boat for a full day).
After lunch we pack up the campsite and check out by 2:00. For those with more energy and mountain bikes, you might want to explore some of the 26 miles of trails within the park. We’ll have maps so you can take off and explore on your own.
After, we'll hit the road for the drive home, stopping along the way for a quick bite to eat.
COST: $79 per person
What's included in price:
Breakfast Saturday & Sunday
Lunch Saturday & Sunday
Dinner Friday & Saturday
Park Entry Fee
Campsite Rental Fee
What's not included in price:
Lunch Friday
Dinner Sunday
Kayak Rental Fee
Camping Gear
Transportation to the Park
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