Category Archives: Outdoor Adventures

Monarchs of McKinney

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The City of McKinney adopted the slogan “Unique by Nature” in 2005. The slogan can be interpreted different ways, and the city encourages that ambiguity with a nod to the unique character of the community as well as its natural assets. These two forces, community and nature, combine in Monarchs of McKinney, a public art program.

Monarchs of McKinney

Posted eight-foot high, the butterflies have a wingspan of four feet and can be found throughout the historic downtown district. Though structurally the same, each butterfly is unique. Tapping into its strong arts community, the city commissioned eight McKinney artists to paint the steel structures as part of its McKinney Monarch Initiative. The result is a public art display that educates as well as entertains.

Artist Lynne Hubner painted her sculpture (Chestnut Square) in butterfly-friendly native plants, and Annie Royer’s butterfly (The Cove) depicts the North American migratory route of monarch butterflies. Monarch butterfly life cycle is portrayed by artist Stuti Mehta on the sculpture at Old Settler’s Recreation Center.  Other sculptures are painted to represent native species. And there is even a sculpture painted in mandalas by a group of artists.

Why Monarchs

McKinney is on the migratory flyway of Monarch butterflies. As the human population has grown in North Texas, habitat and native plants have declined. The McKinney Monarch Initiative hopes to educate the public and encourage use of native plants to help butterflies and other critical pollinators.

Monarch Migration

Beginning in August, you’ll likely notice butterflies along North Texas roadways. This is the annual Fall migration of North American Monarch butterflies on their way to warmer climes in the Oyamel fir trees in central Mexico. Unlike migrating birds, the Monarchs are not returning to a wintering ground. They are making the journey for the first and only time.

Texas Backyard Naturalist Monarch Butterfly

Monarchs born in late summer have a life span of seven to nine months. That’s long enough to journey south, winter over, and then begin the journey back north. In early spring, this generation of Monarchs will make it as far as south Texas to lay eggs in milkweed. The Monarchs born in spring continue their northward journey to Minnesota and other northern states. But unlike their parents and grandparents, the summer Monarchs live only two to eight weeks.  That means the Monarchs you see next Fall will be the great-great grandchildren of the ones you see today!

Monarch Watch is chocked full of information on Monarch butterflies and how you can help in their conservation.

When You Go

Want to see all eight Monarchs of McKinney sculptures? Here are the McKinney butterfly locations:

Roy and Helen Hall Library (101 E Hunt Street)

Chestnut Square (315 S Chestnut Street)

McKinney Performing Arts Center (111 N Tennessee Street)

Central Park (105 W Hunt Street)

Heard-Craig Center for the Arts (205 W Hunt Street)

Chestnut Parking Garage (202 W Chestnut Street)

The Cove (402 N Tennessee Street)

Old Settler’s Recreation Center (1201 E Louisiana Street)

North Texas Star Gazing

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This year’s solar eclipse awakened my inner stargazer. Without a telescope, however, it’s frustrating to see anything but points of light in the night sky. Enter the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas (TAS). Founded in 1955, this amateur astronomy group hosts star parties around the Metroplex most Saturday nights.

TAS Star Party

The star gazing hobbyists set up their personal telescopes at local parks and invite the public.  

At the star party you’ll find several viewing scopes in place at dusk with the party really getting started at dark. Telescopes are positioned on an astronomical body of interest, and everyone is given an opportunity to look. There are even stepstools to help the youngest look through the viewfinders on the massive scopes. TAS members are friendly, fun, and knowledgeable guides. No night sky is the same, with different times of the year featuring slightly different cosmic bodies. What a great opportunity for kids to learn about the night sky and the constellations.

TAS Star Party Locations

The amateur astronomers host viewings at four locations.

Fairview Community Star Party is held on the first Saturday of each month at Sloan Creek Intermediate School (440 Country Club, Fairview). Scopes are set up at the track and field complex east of the school building. Be sure to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. This star party begins a little later than the rest, at 9pm, and can last past midnight.

Frisco Starfest happens on the second Saturday of each month in Frisco Commons Park (8000 McKinney Road, Frisco). Meet near the park entrance (next to the parking lot). There are some park benches, but you can also bring your own lawn chairs. Frisco Starfest begins at dusk and finishes about 10:30 pm.

Cedar Hill Starbolt occurs on the third Saturday of each month in JW Williams Park (1605 High Pointe Lane, Cedar Hills). This viewing begins about dusk and finishes around 10 pm.

Finally, on the fourth Saturday of the month the Stars on the Rock is held at the Shores Park (2358 Shores Boulevard, Rockwall).

When You Go

Star parties occur year-round but are weather dependent … no star party on cloudy nights. Frisco Starfest and Fairview Community Star Party can be found on Facebook. The TAS calendar and TAS Facebook page can also be helpful. Star parties are come-and-go events and are free.  

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge Birding

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Snow Geese at Hagerman

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Central Flyway, hosts up to 30,000 migratory birds each year. Just west of Sherman, the refuge provides wetland habitat for thousands of Canada, snow, and Ross geese along with ducks, heron, and songbirds. Late fall through winter offers prime viewing for birds wintering in our area.

North Texas Birding Bonanza

Over 300 species of birds reside or migrate through the refuge. Cormorant troll the waterways their long necks like submarine periscopes. Ducks such as northern shoveler paddle in ponds, and shorebirds from stilts to sandpipers are found along the Lake Texoma shoreline. My favorite is the great blue heron whose flight reminds me of a prehistoric pterodactyl. In wooded areas you’ll find wrens, titmice, and woodpeckers. Lucky birders may be rewarded with rare glimpses of migratory ibis, stork, and spoonbill. Most notably, bald eagle have returned to the refuge.

Unique Bird Blinds

One of my favorite things about Hagerman is the opportunity to bird by car. The refuge has a four-mile, self-guided auto tour. Ideal for birders with limited mobility, the driving route gets you close to thousands of birds without ever leaving the car. The best part, your parked vehicle serves as an effective birding blind!

An audio auto tour is available for cell phone users. No phone, no problem. The tour is also available on CD from the visitors’ center. The auto tour includes six stops with information about Hagerman’s history and wildlife.

Hagerman Tram Tours

The Wildlife Explorer, a ten-person, open-air tram, is in operation for small group tours of the refuge every Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. The tours are free but, due to space restrictions, require advance registration. Friends of Hagerman volunteers lead the tours. Other tram tours can be arranged in advance by contacting Friends of Hagerman.

Explore on foot

In addition to the driving route, the refuge sports miles of hiking trails. You’ll find additional bird species along with many local animals like armadillo, rabbit, fox, and squirrel; and the occasional coyote, bobcat, and feral pig. Trails cover a variety of habitat from prairie to marsh to woodland. The Meadow Pond trail is along an unpaved service road that is an easy hike for families with small children. For those wishing a hike on dirt trail, I recommend Haller’s Haven trail. It’s on the north end of the refuge and offers a longer loop footpath through woodland.

Enjoy your lunch at one of the many picnic areas scattered throughout the refuge.

Counting Birds

Every Tuesday, volunteers conduct a day-long bird count. Anyone, novice or expert, can ride with the bird counters on a space available basis. A recent Tuesday count tallied 76 different species. This weekly bird count is reported to Cornell Lab on Ornithology for research use. What makes Hagerman so unique is the fact that the bird census has been going on for over 50 years!

Other bird counts include first Saturday sunrise events affectionately dubbed The Little Sit.  A master naturalist leads the count that starts 30-minutes before sunrise. This is a great opportunity for birders of all skill levels to get tips from the experts. Advance registration is encouraged but not required. Participants to Little Sits should bring their own binoculars and camp chairs.

Finally the Christmas Bird Count will happen at the refuge on December 16 this year. All skill levels are welcome. In addition to counting birds on the refuge, you can participate in the annual event right at home by contacting the Audubon Society.

Hagerman Second Saturday

On the second Saturday of most months, a master naturalist or other wildlife expert presents a free program open to the public. Most recently, I attended a talk on waterfowl, ducks and geese, at Hagerman. Being a true novice, I found the lecture helpful with its tips on bird identification. Birds aren’t the only topics covered. An upcoming talk will discuss frogs and past talks have included information about the area’s history.

Kids at Hagerman

Friends of Hagerman are active in producing programs for children under the moniker of The Refuge Rocks. There is a Junior Wildlife Nature Journal available at the visitors’ center. The pamphlet has a number of activities to keep youngsters engaged like a scavenger hunt and backyard birding notes. Programs designed for children are available most months and tie thematically to the season like the November program Talkin’ Turkey. What a great way to introduce children to a life-long appreciation of nature. 

When You Go

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge (6465 Refuge Road, Sherman) is a day use facility open from sunrise to sunset. Visit the Friends of Hagerman website for information on free tours and talks at the refuge.

Old Tunnel State Park

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The nighttime exodus of millions of bats ranks as one of Texas finest natural wonders. In season, Old Tunnel State Park, located in the heart of Texas Hill Country, provides prime bat viewing. If you plan a summer visit to Fredericksburg, Texas, be sure to reserve an evening for the bats.

Mexican Free-tailed Bats

Unlike their northern cousins, Mexican free-tailed bats do not hibernate in winter. Instead, these flying mammals spend time between Mexico in colder months and south Texas in warmer months. The bats arrive in Texas Hill Country around March and return to their winter homes in Mexico around October. Up to three million Mexican free-tailed and 3,000 cave myotis bats have repurposed the abandoned railway tunnel at Old Tunnel into their summer home.

The little Mexican free-tailed bat is less than five inches long and weighs about 14 grams (that’s just half an ounce), and are a tasty bite for hawks and owls. The bats emerge en masse to increase their odds of escaping predators flying outside the tunnel opening. The counter-clockwise emergence vortex serves the additional function of helping the bats to gain lift as bat bones are denser than those of birds.

Aerial River

At dusk, onlookers see a streaming black river flowing above the tree canopy as the little critters make their way south towards the Guadalupe River. The bats will swoop down to the river for a quick, in-flight drink of water and then fly to feeding grounds in farm fields as far as 100 miles away. The bats are insectivores, eating whatever nighttime insects they find. Their primary food are moths, and a Mexican free-tailed bat can consume as many as 40 in a night. Once full, the tiny creatures return to the tunnel to rest until the next evening feeding flight. Viewing a bat emergence is a must on any nature lover’s bucket list. My husband and I were transfixed in awe as the river of bats continued for almost fifteen minutes, and intrigued by the scent left in the bats’ wake. Yes, you can smell the bats! It’s a little like an umami scent.

Bat viewing tips

Old Tunnel has two viewing areas. Aligned with the tunnel entrance, the lower level is space limited and no children under four are allowed. The upper viewing area is also a wonderful option. Both areas require an advance reservation that can be made online at the Texas Parks and Wildlife website. Bats emerge most but not all nights. The mammals are fair-weather feeders and often stay put in the cave during rainy evenings. That makes sense as fewer insects are available during inclement nights. Docents were on site the night we visited. These volunteers are a wealth of information and source of great bat trivia.

Old Tunnel State Park

At a mere 16-acres, Old Tunnel is the smallest Texas State Park. The 920-foot tunnel, now home to our bats, was built at the beginning of the twentieth century to link Fredericksburg to Comfort by rail. The railroad venture didn’t pan out and the line was abandoned in the forties. In an effort to protect the bat colony, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased the land in 1991 with the express purpose of protecting the bat colony. The area became a state park in 2012. The park has a mile-long trail that follows the old railroad bed. No camping is allowed at the park.

Alamo Springs Café

Why not have dinner before seeing the bats? Alamo Springs Café, adjacent to the park, claims to offer the best burger in Texas. It’s a funky café that looks like a house with a few too many additions on it. We ate there on a Saturday night and were treated to tunes from a local band. The café and patios are packed at dinner time, so be patient. The service is friendly and efficient. The burgers are great, but my favorite were the onion rings….awesome!

When You Go

Old Tunnel State Park is at 10619 Old San Antonio Road, Fredericksburg. Bat viewing for both the upper and lower areas requires an advance reservation. Bats don’t use alarm clocks, so you need to check the Old Tunnel hotline at (866) 978-2287 or check the park’s Facebook page to get the latest emergence time. Alamo Springs Café is at 107 Alamo Road. The café is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. There are also a few outdoor tables at Old Tunnel if you want to bring your own picnic.

Be careful driving home. The area is chocked full of deer, we almost hit a buck making our way back to Fredericksburg.

Tip

Frankie the Free-tailed Bat is a cute book for kids. It’s loaded with information about the bats. You can download a free copy courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Chaparral Trail & Farmersville

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If you want a longer walk to stretch your legs, I suggest the Chaparral Trail. The section between Farmersville and Merit provides mountain bikers and hikers five-miles of improved trail surface through rural farmland and township.

Chaparral Trail

Sponsors boast about the trail’s multipurpose use for hikers, bikers, and yes, horses, though I’ve yet to encounter an equestrian on the path. The historic Onion Shed in Farmersville serves as the western-most trailhead. A city park and large adjacent lot offer parking, picnic, and restroom facilities, along with easy trail access. The town of Farmersville maintains the first five miles of Chaparral Trail. The level pathway is paved for 2.5 miles and then becomes crushed gravel for the final miles. The paved surface makes it an easy trail for families with small children and strollers.

The path crosses streets through town, skirts schools and parks, and traverses past East Texas farms. I enjoy that change of scenery and its easy ambiance. Walking the Chaparral Trail seems like a stroll through time to catch a glimpse of rural Texas before super highways and urban creep. I appreciate the length of trail, too. If you want a ten-mile hike, then trek the entire distance to Merit and then retrace your steps back to Farmersville. If you’d prefer a shorter walk, you can do that, too.

Northeast Texas Trail System

The Farmersville to Merit path is part of the ambitious Northeast Texas Trail system. The 130-mile project follows the unused routes of the Union Pacific and Chaparral railroads. When complete, it will connect Farmersville in the west, to Paris, and finally to New Boston in the east.

Rail Banking

In the 1980s, a law allowed railroads to ‘bank’ unused rail lines through lease, sale, or donation. This left old rail right-away intact for use as trail systems. Three private agencies banked the 130 miles now known as Northeast Texas Trail. One of the three, Chaparral Rails to Trails, banked the section from Farmersville to Paris. In total, the three banking entities control unused rail line connecting 19 rural towns.

It gets complicated, but many of the small towns along the route obtained quit claim deeds from the banking entities for sections near their municipalities. For example, the City of Farmersville quit claimed the land between it and the Collin County line. That’s the part of the system I’m most familiar with. On my hikes, it’s apparent the trail draws both out-of-town visitors and local residents.

Northeast Texas Trails Coalition

Through grants and donations, bit-by-bit, the 130-mile trail system has been maintained and improved. Still there are sections that are barely passable … it’s an ambitious project to keep up a 130-mile trail. Perhaps the most difficult challenge is repair of the old railroad trestle bridges. The Northeast Texas Trails Coalition (NTTC) maintains a website and Facebook page to help people navigate through all trail sections. Maps delineate trail conditions and cautions in town-to-town segments. You can also query NTTC on their Facebook page to get updated information from Rail Stewards. The group is working with the Texas Legislature for funding and are exploring options to designate the trail system as a state park.

Farmersville

I have a confession to make. Often my hike on the Chaparral Trail is an excuse. I love the little town of Farmersville. With brick and limestone storefronts spanning eighty years of architectural styles, the town exudes charm. Use a little imagination and you can picture classic Studebakers and old Ford trucks parked on the diagonal outside Dyer Drugstore instead of today’s Hondas and Toyotas. Like many small Texas towns, there are vacant storefronts, however, in Farmersville you sense the possibility of rebirth. The Odd Fellows Lodge built in 1899 has been restored and is now home to Fiber Circle Yarns. A realtor, a physician’s office, and an engineering firm have taken up residence in other restored downtown properties. Throughout the historic area, you will find eclectic antique stores.

Farmersville delivers on a collection of small antique malls, you know the type, big buildings partitioned into smaller stalls filled with a multitude of collectables and junktiques. Country Roads Trading Post (110 McKinney Street) has 50 smaller vendors with an assortment of goods from handmade lavender soap to 1940s kitchenware. I found some particularly well-priced treasures there. Main Street Antiques & More (103 S Main Street) is a smorgasbord of china, crystal, depression-era glass, and more.

When You Go

Farmersville is located off US Route 380 between McKinney and Greenville. The Chaparral trail head is near the old Onion Shed. Farmersville Visitors Center is located at 201 S Main Street, though hours vary. A self-paced walking tour of historic Farmersville buildings can be downloaded before you go.