Lost Maples

Lost Maples SNA https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lost-maples https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Maples_State_Natural_Area Lost Maples State Natural Area is a large, pristine area of beautiful hills and canyons on the upper Sabinal River in the Edwards Plateau Region of Texas. It is designated a Natural Area, rather than a State Park, which means the primary focus is the maintenance and protection of the property's natural state. Accordingly, access and recreational activities may be restricted if the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) deems such action necessary to protect the environment.

For assistance using this map, contact the park. Lost Maples State Natural Area Private rty prope outsid e park ndary boun Lan eC A Hale H ol l We st L oop Trail East G Trail Headquarters k Ea st FLASH FLOODS are common in this area. In case of heavy rain, move to higher ground and DO NOT cross swollen streams. Showers Tra il Composting Toilet Primitive Camping Sites Water and Electric Sites Ri 2,200 Elevation Spring ree ve r Steep Spring Cr k S Dump Station Hiking Trail t Tra H il Ponds Picnic Area dary East Trail l Maple Trai Service Road We s t Tra i l Myst ic C anyon n Eas ee i ab Park Boun n Stee p al Ca Parking Scenic Overlook Interpretive Center F ep p D Bird Viewing Blind East T rail st Trail We e W Ste y oundar Park B il Tra st Stee Wheelchair Accessible Residence y oundar Park B N E r Pa • • • • • • WALK ON DESIGNATED TRAILS ONLY. Do not climb on cliffs or hillsides. Camp in designated areas only — A through H. FIRES PROHIBITED IN THE BACK COUNTRY. Cook only with contained fuel stoves. Pack out what you pack in. Keep noise to a minimum. Park quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Pets allowed on leash only. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. © 2023 TPWD PWD MP P4507-074B (2/23) This publication can be found at tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/parkinfo/maps/park_maps/ Maple Trail – .8 mi. 12 3 27 26 2 245 23 22 30 29 28 r ive al R Sabin ry da un Bo KEEP IT SAFE. Portions of hiking trails are steep and rugged. Take plenty of water and please consider your physical ability, trail and weather conditions before hiking. CONSULT PARK PERSONNEL FOR ADVICE ON TRAIL USE. TRAIL & PRIMITIVE CAMP USE Maintenance Hiking Trails (Round-trip) k PLEASE NOTE #BetterOutside Restrooms k o w Cree Ste Steep 2,075 Elevation #TexasStateParks LEGEND ing spass No Tre dary - B ou Park B TexasStateParks.org/SocialMedia ep Park closes at 10 p.m. except to overnight guests. TexasStateParks.org/App 4 5 6 7 8 21 East Trail – 4.6 mi. 20 19 18 9 11 2 10 1 13 4 1 15 17 West Trail – 4.9 mi. 16 West Loop Trail – 2.5 mi. RM 7 18 PARK RESERVATIONS TexasStateParks.org ParquesDeTexas.org (512) 389-8900 37221 F.M. 187 Vanderpool, TX 78885 (830) 966-3413 Proud Sponsor of Texas State Parks 

For assistance using this map, contact the park. For a web version of the map text, visit our Trails Information page. For information on #TexasStateParks, visit texasstateparks.org Sign up today for free email updates: texasstateparks.org/email /TexasStateParks @TPWDparks @TexasStateParks Sponsor: Whole Earth Provision Co. 

INTERPRETIVE GUIDE THANK YOU FOR VISITING! FALL FOLIAGE, LOST MAPLES While enjoying this natural beauty, please remember everything you see in the natural area is protected. Artifacts, rocks, animals, and plants (even maple leaves) are all part of the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage. Help us keep the natural area a special place for everyone. STATE NATURAL AREA Hike only on designated trails and stay out of closed areas. HOLDS MORE THAN MAPLE Leave no trace. Keep your natural area clean by picking up your trash. KNOWN FOR ITS STRIKING TREES. RUGGED AND ROCKY TRAILS LEAD TO SWEEPING VISTAS, SHADY CANYONS, AND TRICKLING STREAMS. Preserve the natural area for future generations and leave plants, animals, and fossils where you find them. Get involved by joining the Friends of Lost Maples State Natural Area, a volunteer organization committed to the preservation, protection, and improvement of the natural area. QUIET CAMPSITES, FOR CAMPING OR BACKPACKING, PROVIDE PLACES TO RECHARGE. YOU CAN EXPLORE Lost Maples State Natural Area 37221 FM 187 Vanderpool, TX 78885 (830) 966-3413 www.tpwd.texas.gov/lostmaples/ THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF WILDERNESS AT THIS HILL COUNTRY TREASURE. © 2019 TPWD. PWD BR P4507-074H (7/19) In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. LOST MAPLES STATE NATURAL AREA L O S T M A P L E S S T A T E N A T U R A L Chemical changes in the leaves make for a spectacular show. CHANGING BEAUTY Autumn’s magic has its roots in summer. In warmer months, each bigtooth maple leaf acts as a miniature factory. A leaf turns sunlight into sugar, giving the tree energy to live and grow. The shorter days and cooler air of early fall signal a change, like the whistle at the end of a workday. At that time, the leaves halt their production of sugar. Chemical changes within each leaf bring new colors to the canyons. Reds, oranges, yellows, and browns emerge and replace greenery by November. The hue of each tree depends on the season’s temperature. An early frost can curtail the year’s display. With their bright red foliage, bigtooth maples are the natural area’s most celebrated resident. Other trees offer a show, too. The hand-sized leaves of sycamore trees turn golden in the fall. The deep green leaves and cinnamon bark of the Texas madrone offer an eye-catching contrast. After the burst of color in the fall, the canyons quiet with winter. Last year’s leaves line the ground. They’ll become next year’s fertilizer, nourishing new sycamores, maples and madrones in springtime. Texas madrone A R E A SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN THE HILL COUNTRY MORE THAN MAPLES Recent settlers and scientists were not the first to see a bigtooth maple or a Lacey oak. These trees, and many other plants, supported prehistoric people long before ranches, parks, and towns were here. While we don’t know the ancient names for many plants and animals, we do know that early people relied on them to survive. iscover a different landscape up on the hilltops. Up there, tall grasses and small clusters of trees dot the land. One of these plateau dwellers is the Lacey oak, named not for delicate leaves but for a Hill Country naturalist, Howard Lacey. Look around and consider what it would take to make a life here. Could you gather enough food, water and shelter to live? For thousands of years, people did just that in these canyons and plateaus. Fresh water, food, and good stone for tool making drew prehistoric people here starting around 10,000 years ago. They stayed here temporarily, and moved when seasons or food sources changed. In the fall, they may have eaten the madrone tree’s small, orange-red fruit—if they beat the birds to it! The nearconstant flow of the Sabinal River, a comfort in warmer months, provided water. Some groups built large earth ovens with rocks and dirt to cook fiber-rich plants. They roasted leaves or roots for up to two days, softening them enough to eat. The remains of these ovens, known as burned rock middens, now look like piles of scorched rock hidden among thick brush. The canyons and plateaus here looked different to prehistoric people. Many n

LOST MAPLES SNA BIRD CHECKLIST This checklist is a list of common and specialty birds seen in the park. Staf and volunteers have used previous checklists as well as eBird data to compile these lists. This list should not be used as a comprehensive list of birds seen in this park. Please help us protect the natural avian communities by refraining from using playback tapes of bird songs. Thank you for your cooperation. Waterfowl ___ Wood Duck ___ Blue-winged Teal Grouse, Quail, and Allies ___ Northern Bobwhite ___ Wild Turkey Grebes ___ Pied-billed Grebe Pigeons and Doves ___ Rock Pigeon ___ Eurasian Collared-Dove ___ Inca Dove ___ Common Ground Dove ___ White-tipped Dove ___ White-winged Dove ___ Mourning Dove Cuckoos ___ Greater Roadrunner ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo Nightjars ___ Common Nighthawk ___ Common Poorwill ___ Chuck-will’s-widow Swifs ___ Chimney Swif Hummingbirds ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird ___ Black-chinned Hummingbird ___ Rufous Hummingbird Rails, Gallinules, and Allies ___ American Coot Cranes ___ Sandhill Crane Shorebirds ___ Killdeer ___ Spotted Sandpiper Herons, Ibis, and Allies ___ Great Blue Heron ___ Great Egret ___ Cattle Egret ___ Green Heron Vultures, Hawks, and Allies ___ Black Vulture ___ Turkey Vulture ___ Osprey ___ Mississippi Kite ___ Northern Harrier ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk ___ Cooper’s Hawk ___ Red-shouldered Hawk ___ Broad-winged Hawk ___ Swainson’s Hawk ___ Zone-tailed Hawk ___ Red-tailed Hawk Owls ___ Eastern Screech-Owl ___ Great Horned Owl Kingfshers ___ Ringed Kingfsher ___ Belted Kingfsher ___ Green Kingfsher Woodpeckers ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ___ Golden-fronted Woodpecker ___ Downy Woodpecker ___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker ___ Northern Flicker Falcons and Caracaras ___ Crested Caracara ___ American Kestrel ___ Peregrine Falcon Tyrant Flycatchers: Pewees, Kingbirds, and Allies ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee ___ Acadian Flycatcher ___ Least Flycatcher ___ Hammond’s Flycatcher ___ Black Phoebe ___ Eastern Phoebe ___ Vermilion Flycatcher ___ Ash-throated Flycatcher ___ Great Crested Flycatcher ___ Brown-crested Flycatcher ___ Western Kingbird ___ Eastern Kingbird ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Vireos ___ Black-capped Vireo ___ White-eyed Vireo ___ Bell’s Vireo ___ Hutton’s Vireo ___ Yellow-throated Vireo ___ Blue-headed Vireo ___ Warbling Vireo ___ Red-eyed Vireo Shrikes ___ Loggerhead Shrike Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens ___ Blue Jay ___ Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay ___ Common Raven Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice ___ Carolina Chickadee ___ Black-crested Titmouse Penduline-Tits and Verdin ___ Verdin Martins and Swallows ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow ___ Purple Martin ___ Barn Swallow ___ Clif Swallow ___ Cave Swallow Long-tailed Tits and Bushtit ___ Bushtit Kinglets ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet Treecreepers ___ Brown Creeper Gnatcatchers ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Wrens ___ Rock Wren ___ Canyon Wren ___ House Wren ___ Winter Wren ___ Marsh Wren ___ Carolina Wren ___ Bewick’s Wren Starlings and Mynas ___ European Starling Catbirds, Mockingbirds, and Thrashers ___ Curve-billed Thrasher ___ Northern Mockingbird Thrushes ___ Eastern Bluebird ___ Townsend’s Solitaire ___ Hermit Thrush ___ American Robin Waxwings ___ Cedar Waxwing Old World Sparrows ___ House Sparrow Finches, Euphonias, and Allies ___ House Finch ___ Pine Siskin ___ Lesser Goldfnch ___ American Goldfnch New World Sparrows ___ Olive Sparrow ___ Chipping Sparrow ___ Clay-colored Sparrow ___ Field Sparrow ___ Black-throated Sparrow ___ Lark Sparrow ___ Dark-eyed Junco ___ White-crowned Sparrow ___ Vesper Sparrow ___ Savannah Sparrow ___ Song Sparrow ___ Lincoln’s Sparrow ___ Canyon Towhee ___ Rufous-crowned Sparrow ___ Spotted Towhee Yellow-breasted Chat ___ Yellow-breasted Chat Blackbirds ___ Eastern Meadowlark ___ Orchard Oriole ___ Hooded Oriole ___ Bullock’s Oriole ___ Audubon’s Oriole ___ Baltimore Oriole ___ Scott’s Oriole ___ Red-winged Blackbird ___ Bronzed Cowbird ___ Brown-headed Cowbird ___ Common Grackle ___ Great-tailed Grackle Wood-Warblers ___ Louisiana Waterthrush ___ Black-and-white Warbler ___ Orange-crowned Warbler ___ Nashville Warbler ___ Common Yellowthroat ___ Northern Parula ___ Yellow Warbler ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler ___ Yellow-throated Warbler ___ Golden-cheeked Warbler ___ Black-throated Green Warbler ___ Wilson’s Warbler Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Allies ___ Summer Tanager ___ Northern Cardinal ___ Pyrrhuloxia ___ Blue Grosbeak ___ Indigo Bunting ___ Painted Bunting ___ Dickcissel © 2021 TPWD PWD CD P4507-0074J (5/21) TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe

-Official- FACILITIES Get the Mobile App: MAPS ACTIVITIES TexasStateParks.org/app T O Y O T A T U N D R A The Toyota Tundra is built to explore the great outdoors. No matter what the weekend throws at you, your Tundra takes it on with ease. | toyota.com/tundra Official Vehicle of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation CONTENTS 4 100 Years of Texas Parks 6 Parks Near You 8 90 Checklist DIRECTORY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT 52 68 20 38 60 30 84 68 David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. Executive Director Rodney Franklin State Parks Director Mischelle Diaz Communications Director TPW COMMISSION Arch “Beaver” Aplin, III, Chairman Lake Jackson Dick Scott, Vice-Chairman Wimberley James E. Abell Kilgore Oliver J. Bell Cleveland Paul L. Foster El Paso Anna B. Galo Laredo Jeffery D. Hildebrand Houston Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr. Fort Worth Travis B. “Blake” Rowling Dallas T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman-Emeritus Houston Lee Marshall Bass, Chairman-Emeritus Fort Worth 52 Panhandle Plains 48 State Parks Map Special thanks to Toyota and advertisers, whose generous support made this guide possible. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Cover illustration: Brad Woodard, bravethewoods.com Texas State Parks Official Guide, Nineteenth Edition © TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (3/23) TPWD receives funds from DHS and USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, visit tpwd.texas. gov/nondiscrimination or call (512) 389-4800 for information on filing a complaint. To obtain information in an alternative format, contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915, by Relay Texas at 7-1-1, (800) 735-2989, or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you speak a language other than English and need assistance, email lep@tpwd.texas.gov. You can also contact Department of the Interior Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, and/or U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), Mail Stop #0190 2707, Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20528. In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. WELCOME from Rodney Franklin, State Parks Director This year is very special for Texas State Parks: We are celebrating our 100-year anniversary in 2023. More and more Texans are discovering the beauty of State Parks and exploring the outdoors in new and adventurous ways. Our teams across the state are incredibly excited to welcome outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who have yet to discover what our parks have to offer. The variety of Texas’ lands is unmatched; from the mountains of west Texas to the Gulf shores, the Texas State Park system celebrates and preserves the natural and cultural treasures that make Texas such a special place. The 640,000-plus acres that make up the state park system are nearly as diverse as the people of Texas. Since 1923, our mission has been to help connect our visitors with the outdoors. As we honor those who have come before us, I invite a new generation to be a part of the story of the lands that connect us all. There is more to enjoy in our parks than you know, so please join us in our celebrations and activities. Every day we look for new and better ways to ensure your state parks are welcoming to every Texan, regardless of their background or experience being outside. I hope you’ll visit soon and often, while bringing your friends and family along. YOU are a natural and we’re looking forward to celebrating the 100-year anniversary of state parks with you! WHAT’S NEW IN STATE PARKS Galveston Island State Park reopened the beachside of the park with a new headquarters, campsites, restrooms, and more. Bastrop State Park unveiled an extensive new group of trails, the “Tree Army Trails,” many of which are ADA-accessible. Improvements and major repairs are planned for Indian Lodge, Tyler, Inks Lake, Cedar Hill, South Llano River, Eisenhower and several other state parks All-terrain “GRIT” wheelchairs are now available at 10 parks with more adaptive equipment on the way to help people of all abilities experience Texas State Parks. Learn more about our accessibility efforts, page 14. More information: TexasStateParks.org/whatsnew 100 Years of Texas Parks The crown jewels of Texas road trips started as an unfunded wish list before the Depression. Back in 1923, Governor Pat Neff realized rising numbers of new car travelers needed places to camp overnight on multi-day trips. Neff convinced the state legislature to create a six-member State Parks Board, half men, half women. Isabella, the Governor’s mother, and her family donated acreage on the Leon

Guía de Parques INSTALACIONES Descarga la Aplicacíon Móvil MAPAS ACTIVIDADES texasstateparks.org/app ¡Los niños entran gratis! La entrada es gratis para los niños de 12 años y menores. Encuentra un parque: parquesdetexas.org Contenido Estero Llano Grande SP 2 Actividades y Programas 4 Parques Cercanos 6 Lugares para Quedarse 8 Tarifas y Pases 9 Directorio 10 Mapa de Parques 18 Instalaciones y Actividades BIENVENIDO Rodney Franklin, Director de Parques Texas tiene algunas de las tierras públicas más diversas del país, con una gran riqueza natural y cultural. La vida silvestre está por todas partes, los paisajes florecen con belleza, y la historia es abundante. Sus parques estatales son parte del legado que nos enorgullece. La gente de Texas ayuda a asegurar ese legado para las generaciones futuras al visitar y ser voluntarios. ¡Gracias! Estos más de 630,000 acres exhiben algunos de los grandes tesoros del estado. Los parques nos ayudan a crear recuerdos con la familia y a encontrar consuelo en la naturaleza. Los parques fortalecen las economías locales y unen a las comunidades. Sobre todo, los parques nos permiten pasar tiempo al aire libre para recargar energías, estar saludables y relajarnos a nuestra manera. Les invito a disfrutar de sus parques estatales, explorando lo mejor de Texas con amigos y familia. Los parques están aquí para todos. Nos pertenecen a todos. ¡Visítelos, diviértase y ayude a protegerlos para siempre! Foto de portada: Estero Llano State Park, Chase Fountain © 2021 TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (5/21) TPWD recibe fondos del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU. (USFWS por sus siglas en ingles). TPWD prohíbe la discriminación por raza, color, religión, nacionalidad de origen, discapacidad, edad y género, conforme la ley estatal y federal. Para solicitar un acomodo especial u obtener información en un formato alternativo, por favor contacte a TPWD en un Teléfono de Texto (TTY) al (512) 3898915 ó por medio de “Relay Texas” al 7-1-1 ó (800) 735-2989 ó por email a accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. Si usted cree que TPWD ha discriminado en su contra, favor de comunicarse con TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, o con el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU., Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. De acuerdo con la Ley de Depósito del Estado de Texas, esta publicación está disponible en el centro de Distribución de Publicaciones del Estado de Texas y/o las Bibliotecas de Depósito de Texas. ACTIVIDADES Y PROGRAMAS ¿Qué puedo hacer en los parques estatales? ¡Disfruta de un día de campo, visita un sitio histórico o elige entre muchas otras opciones! Bicicletas Pedalea a lo largo de los parques a cualquier velocidad, en cualquier estilo, con cualquier grupo. Elige las rutas, el tipo de terreno y las distancias que cumplan con tu zona de confort. Caminatas Empieza con un circuito más corto, avanza a terrenos más difíciles o únete a una caminata guiada. Pescar Puedes pescar sin licencia en tantos como 70 parques estatales. Muchos parques ofrecen equipo para pescar a manera de préstamo y eventos especiales para aprender a pescar. Barcos Renta canoas y kayacs y explora uno de los senderos acuáticos en Texas. Nadar Animales Silvestres Acampar Descubre aves, mamíferos y plantas que tienen su hogar en Texas. Muchos parques tienen señalamientos y listados que te ayudan a aprender más. Encuentra un lugar que cumpla con lo que quieres. Prueba nuevas recetas, comparte historias favoritas y disfruta de las estrellas. 2 Más información y reservaciones: parquesdetexas.org Escape del calor en arroyos, ríos, lagos, manantiales, piletas y playas del mar. Tu seguridad en el agua es muy importante. Lleva el chaleco salvavidas. Aprende a nadar. Guarda a los niños. (512) 389-8900 ¡Pregunta en tu parque cuáles están disponibles! Los niños de 12 años y menores entran GRATIS Cielos Estrellados Escapa de las luces de la ciudad y goza de maravillosas vistas del cielo que no encontrarás en ninguna otra parte. Ven a una fiesta de estrellas o toma una excursión de constelaciones auto-guiada. Familias en la Naturaleza Elige un taller o diseña tu propia aventura. ¡Monta una tienda de campaña, cocina al exterior, prende una fogata y juega al exterior! Nosotros te Toma una publicación gratuita de actividades o pregunta por los paquetes gratuitos con los parques proporcionamos todo el equipo. No es necesario tener experiencia. participantes. Usa los binoculares, lupas, libros de bosquejos y libros de guías para explorar el parque. Mochilas para Exploradores Soldados Búfalo de Texas Descubre la historia con cuentos, vestuarios y herramientas. Sigue la pista de un animal, pesca con caña, cocina sobre una fogata, visita los fuertes y más. Adéntrate en las historias de vida de aquellos que sirvieron valientemente en los primeros regimientos Áfrico-Americanos de las Fuerzas Armadas. ! Seguridad en el Parque Ten cuidado con el agua Pre