Fort Boggy State Park

After spending the day at home with the boys on Christmas, I decided we all needed some fresh air, away from games and toys, and a little adventure. Fort Boggy is essentially in our backyard, and we have never made it out there, so I felt like today was as good a day as any, given the temperatures in the 70s. Gotta love Central Texas weather!!

Our 5-year-old is not always the most enthusiastic about a long walk, but can occasionally be coaxed. He started out jumping out of the car, excited about going on a bear hunt, but was quickly whining about how long the walk was before we even made it halfway through the trail.

From the main parking lot, we walked up to the cabins to check them out. Several families were camping in these, and they seemed very nice. According to the TWP website, the cabins are for rent at $85 a night. They are more or less a shelter and do not have access to water, but a short walk away are some nice, newly built bathrooms for campers.

We followed the Campbell Trail, along which the primitive campsites are located. These sites have nicely cleared areas and feature a lantern post, fire ring, and picnic table. However, there is no vehicle access. They are hike-in sites, although the hike is straightforward. These sites are available for $10 a night.

From the Campbell Trail, we followed the Tunnel Trail, which our boys were most excited about based on the name. They were slightly disappointed to discover that the trees created the tunnel, and we weren't actually going through a tunnel. I thought it was beautiful. We cut the hike slightly short by following the pipeline up to the main road and back to the parking lot.

The hike totaled 2.07 miles, and we made it just under 49 minutes. We were definitely sweating by the time we made it back to the car, thanks to Central Texas's humidity. Overall, for a hike close to home and to be able to knock a State Park off our list, the trip was well worth it. We will be coming back soon to the Lake Trail. When we drove by the trailhead, I saw posters featuring a book, and upon closer inspection, it became clear that the book continued along the trail across the lake. I'm eager to return and follow the book along the trail. Fingers crossed that it will keep the boys a little more interested.

About a mile outside of the park on Highway 75 is a Historic Marker that we've never stopped at, but is a part of our (DeLeon) family history. Our 9-year-old got out and asked Justin a few questions, to which Justin proudly explained that his [A's] 6th great-grandfather is the one for whom Leon County is named. This marker is currently missing a seal on the front, but the Leon County Historical Committee is in the process of refurbishing it to its original state.