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• Trail Workday - 2nd Saturday of Each Month

  • Start
    Monday, February 05, 2024
  •  
    8:30 AM
  • End
    Monday, December 30, 2024
  •  
    11:30 AM
  • Location
    Various Trailheads

  Register

  Volunteer on the Trails!

  If you love hiking the trails, here's a chance to roll up your sleeves and make a difference.  Trail workdays are scheduled from 8:30am-11:30am on the 2nd Saturday of each month, rotating among the trails. Come join this fun and energetic group of dedicated trail volunteers. 

  Please contact Ryan Beach at trails@friendsofbalcones.org if you are interested in participating and would like additional information. 

  Listed below are the monthly trail maintenance workdays at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge scheduled for 2024.  (Dates  in the summer months are at Warbler Vista where we have lots of shade!)

  13 January	11 May	14 September
  10 February	8 June	12 October
  9 March	13 July	9 November
  13 April	10 August	14 December

  
  The team is always pleased to welcome new volunteers! Please join us! 

  Questions? Contact trails@friendsofbalcones.org

  Thank you!

  Show details
• Pollinator Garden Workday - 1st Monday of Each Month

  • Start
    Tuesday, February 13, 2024
  •  
    9:00 AM
  • End
    Monday, December 02, 2024
  •  
    11:00 AM
  • Location
    Refuge Headquarters: 24518 E FM1431, Marble Falls, TX 78654

  Register

  Volunteer in the Pollinator Garden!

  
  

  Join us on the first Monday of the month from 9:00AM to 11:00AM to help in the pollinator gardens at the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. Volunteers participate in planting, weeding, mulching, and watering. The gardens attract numerous butterfly and bee species to an array of native flowers from Spring through Fall. Bring your favorite garden gloves!

  Listed below are the monthly garden workdays scheduled for 2024.  

  January	6 May	2 September
  5 February	3 June	7 October
  4 March	1 July	4 November
  1 April	5 August	2 December

  
  The team is always pleased to welcome new volunteers! Please join us! 

  Questions? Contact Janet Rogal at janet@friendsofbalcones.org.

  Thank you!

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: Birding the Plateaus and Springs (Kothmann/Hardway)

  • When
    Friday, April 26, 2024
  •  
    7:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  Birding the Plateaus and Springs

  Tour Description:

  Located in the northwestern portion of Balcones Canyonlands NWR, this tour offers a great chance to see and hear many wonderful bird species found in the dry, rocky upland savannas and shrublands of the Texas Hill Country. We will also visit a natural spring nestled within a beautiful lush woodland area which attracts an interesting variety of songbirds, as well as other animals.

  In the woodlands, we will target the Federally Endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos, Cooper's Hawk, and Black-and-white Warbler.

  In the drier upland savannas and shrublands, we will target the Black-capped and Bell's Vireos, Crested Cascara, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo and Painted bunting, Scott's Oriole, Scissor-tailed and Vermilion Flycatchers, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Verdin, Common Ground-Dove and Canyon Towhee.

  Guide(s): Lee Kothmann & Rob Hardway

  Lee Kothmann is a naturalist and founder of Restore Texas, a land & wildlife company focused on native restoration. His lifelong love of the land developed early on a family ranch and camping across Texas. His first undergraduate class was ornithology, sparking an interest that continued into his career. Lee has conducted bird surveys for over 15 years for Plateau Wildlife, Audubon, Hill Country Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, Concordia University, the Vanishing Texas River Cruise, and the National Park system.

  Rob Hardway (bio pending)

  Transportation:

  Tour attendees will be transported via 15-passenger van. This tour will include birding from the van, as well as some walking, including areas of uneven, rocky roads and trails.

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: Hill Country Birding (Hargis/McGrath)

  • When
    Friday, April 26, 2024
  •  
    7:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  Hill Country Birding

  Tour Description:

  Join top Texas birders to look for special Hill Country birds that nest on the Refuge. This tour makes multiple stops along one of the quietest, birdiest country roads in western Travis County, and then brief stops at Doeskin, Flying X and Simons, affording participants the opportunity to see and hear many of the breeding and spring migrant birds of the eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau. The trip leader is familiar with these birds and their vocalizations, and will strive to get scope views for all participants of most of the target birds on the route. We do not specifically target Golden-cheeked Warbler, but occasionally encounter them on this route. In addition to the targets mentioned below, we also often see spring migrants including Raptors, Flycatchers and various smaller birds. 

  Targets: Wild Turkey, Cave Swallow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Summer Tananger, Painted Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Bell's Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo (migrant, but singing), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow and occasionally Vermillion Flycatcher, Canyon Towhee and Black-throated Sparrow. 

  Guide(s): Shelia Hargis & Cheryl McGrath

  Shelia Hargis was first introduced to the amazing world of birds during the summer of 1996 when she took an Introduction to Birds class taught by Fred and Marie Webster. She encountered her first male Painted Bunting, and her world transformed! She quickly slid down the slippery slope into obsession and has happily remained there for over 25 years. She spends most of her free time birding or thinking about birds. (She spends some of her work time thinking about birds too, but please don’t tell her boss!)

  Within the last few years, she has become very interested in watching bird behavior to better understand how birds live their lives, and she completed the Cornell Lab’s Ornithology: Comprehensive Bird Biology online course with some of her birding buddies. Shelia gives presentations on a variety of bird topics, teaches the Introduction to Bird Behavior and eBird classes for Travis Audubon, surveys birds for the City of Austin and the North American Breeding Bird Survey, participates in numerous Christmas Bird Counts each year, and regularly leads birding field trips. She is Past President of both Travis Audubon and Texas Ornithological Society and is still very active in both of those organizations. She is also a proud graduate of the Capital Area Master Naturalist Class of 2022. Yes, Shelia is totally obsessed with birds!

  Cheryl McGrath has lived in Austin since 1982, and has been actively birding Central Texas for the past ten years. Growing up in Central New York, her mother was an avid birder, who in 1975 spotted a Snowy Owl hanging out in nearby fields. It was a good bird to launch a life list, and a life-long fascination with birds great and small!

  Transportation:
  

  Tour attendees will be transported via 15-passenger van. This tour will include birding from the van, as well as some walking, including areas of uneven, rocky roads and trails.

  
  

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: Identifying Bird Song

  • When
    Friday, April 26, 2024
  •  
    8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters
  • Spaces left
    12

  Register

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  Identifying Bird Song

  Tour Description:

  Want a unique experience to improve your birding skills by learning bird songs?  This tour is for you! Wherever there are birds, there are bird songs. Birds songs and other vocalizations provide a wealth of information that birders can use to quickly identify familiar birds, distinguish between closely related species, and decipher some of the more complex communications that go on between birds. 

  The tour alternates between brief discussions of bird song and listening to (and seeing) the springtime birds that vocalize at the Refuge.

  You will be a better birder after this class.

  Guide(s): Jack Cochran

  Jack Cochran is a retired analytical chemist with a lifelong love of the natural world. His initial interest was birds and he eventually expanded to butterflies, dragonflies and moths. Jack’s other hobbies include wildlife photography and community science through iNaturalist, where he is a prolific poster. He is a Texas Master Naturalist in the Good Water Chapter, located in Georgetown, Texas.

  Transportion:

  This tour will take place outside at Refuge Headquarters. No van transportation will be provided. This is a hiking tour. 

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: If You Plant It, They Will Come, Presented by Paula Levihn-Coon

  • When
    Friday, April 26, 2024
  •  
    1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters

  Register

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  If You Plant It, They Will Come

   Presented by Paula Levihn-Coon

  
  

  About the Presentation:

  Join Paula Levihn-Coon to learn all about the benefits of native plants.

  Looking to attract pollinators, moths, birds or even bats to your backyard? No matter how big or small your space is, introducing native plants is likely the answer. 

  Paula will begin the program with an informative presentation and will then guide attendees through the newly updated native plant gardens at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. She will identify various plants, will provide useful tips and will highlight the benefits and impacts that plant selection and plant diversity can have on wildlife. 

  You (and your spring garden) won't want to miss this one! 

  About the Speaker:

  Paula Levihn-Coon is the 2023 Environmental Fellow for the Texas Observer. Enthusiastic about all things outdoors, she is a native plant enthusiast, a Texas Master Naturalist, and a member of the Native Plant Society of Texas. Paula is also a dedicated volunteer Hike Leader at Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, helps biologists find Golden-Cheeked Warblers on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve each spring and is coordinating a new project to do acoustic monitoring of bats for her local Texas Master Naturalist Chapter. She received her master’s degree in journalism and media from the University of Texas at Austin.

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: Hill Country Birding (Hargis/McGrath)

  • When
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
  •  
    7:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters
  • Spaces left
    7

  Register

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  Hill Country Birding

  Tour Description:

  Join top Texas birders to look for special Hill Country birds that nest on the Refuge. This tour makes multiple stops along one of the quietest, birdiest country roads in western Travis County, and then brief stops at Doeskin, Flying X and Simons, affording participants the opportunity to see and hear many of the breeding and spring migrant birds of the eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau. The trip leader is familiar with these birds and their vocalizations, and will strive to get scope views for all participants of most of the target birds on the route. We do not specifically target Golden-cheeked Warbler, but occasionally encounter them on this route. In addition to the targets mentioned below, we also often see spring migrants including Raptors, Flycatchers and various smaller birds. 

  Targets: Wild Turkey, Cave Swallow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Summer Tananger, Painted Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Bell's Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo (migrant, but singing), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow and occasionally Vermillion Flycatcher, Canyon Towhee and Black-throated Sparrow. 

  Guide(s): Shelia Hargis & Cheryl McGrath 

  Shelia Hargis was first introduced to the amazing world of birds during the summer of 1996 when she took an Introduction to Birds class taught by Fred and Marie Webster. She encountered her first male Painted Bunting, and her world transformed! She quickly slid down the slippery slope into obsession and has happily remained there for over 25 years. She spends most of her free time birding or thinking about birds. (She spends some of her work time thinking about birds too, but please don’t tell her boss!)

  Within the last few years, she has become very interested in watching bird behavior to better understand how birds live their lives, and she completed the Cornell Lab’s Ornithology: Comprehensive Bird Biology online course with some of her birding buddies. Shelia gives presentations on a variety of bird topics, teaches the Introduction to Bird Behavior and eBird classes for Travis Audubon, surveys birds for the City of Austin and the North American Breeding Bird Survey, participates in numerous Christmas Bird Counts each year, and regularly leads birding field trips. She is Past President of both Travis Audubon and Texas Ornithological Society and is still very active in both of those organizations. She is also a proud graduate of the Capital Area Master Naturalist Class of 2022. Yes, Shelia is totally obsessed with birds!

  Cheryl McGrath has lived in Austin since 1982, and has been actively birding Central Texas for the past ten years. Growing up in Central New York, her mother was an avid birder, who in 1975 spotted a Snowy Owl hanging out in nearby fields. It was a good bird to launch a life list, and a life-long fascination with birds great and small!

  Transportation:
  

  Tour attendees will be transported via 15-passenger van. This tour will include birding from the van, as well as some walking, including areas of uneven, rocky roads and trails.

  
  

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: Hill Country Birding (Stone/Hardway)

  • When
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
  •  
    7:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters
  • Spaces left
    1

  Register

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  Hill Country Birding

  Tour Description:

  Join top Texas birders to look for special Hill Country birds that nest on the Refuge. This tour makes multiple stops along one of the quietest, birdiest country roads in western Travis County, and then brief stops at Doeskin, Flying X and Simons, affording participants the opportunity to see and hear many of the breeding and spring migrant birds of the eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau. The trip leader is familiar with these birds and their vocalizations, and will strive to get scope views for all participants of most of the target birds on the route. We do not specifically target Golden-cheeked Warbler, but occasionally encounter them on this route. In addition to the targets mentioned below, we also often see spring migrants including Raptors, Flycatchers and various smaller birds. 

  Targets: Wild Turkey, Cave Swallow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Summer Tananger, Painted Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Bell's Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo (migrant, but singing), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow and occasionally Vermillion Flycatcher, Canyon Towhee and Black-throated Sparrow. 

  Guide(s): Dr. Byron Stone & Rob Hardway

  Dr. Byron Stone is an Austin physician and naturalist with a lifelong love of the outdoors. He has been an avid birder for over three decades, and has traveled all parts of Texas to observe birds and wildlife. His identification talents have been touted in the Wall Street Journal as well as other prominent sources. Dr. Stone is the Past President of the Texas Ornithological Society.

  Rob Hardway (bio pending)

  Transportation:
  

  Tour attendees will be transported via 15-passenger van. This tour will include birding from the van, as well as some walking, including areas of uneven, rocky roads and trails.

  
  

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: Birding the Plateaus and Springs (Osborne/Plappert)

  • When
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
  •  
    7:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters
  • Spaces left
    1

  Register

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  Birding the Plateaus and Springs

  Tour Description:

  Located in the northwestern portion of Balcones Canyonlands NWR, this tour offers a great chance to see and hear many wonderful bird species found in the dry, rocky upland savannas and shrublands of the Texas Hill Country. We will also visit a natural spring nestled within a beautiful lush woodland area which attracts an interesting variety of songbirds, as well as other animals.

  In the woodlands, we will target the Federally Endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos, Cooper's Hawk, and Black-and-white Warbler.

  In the drier upland savannas and shrublands, we will target the Black-capped and Bell's Vireos, Crested Cascara, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo and Painted bunting, Scott's Oriole, Scissor-tailed and Vermilion Flycatchers, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Verdin, Common Ground-Dove and Canyon Towhee.

  Guide(s): Jeff Osborne & Joseph Plappert

  Jeff Osborne was born in Madison Wisconsin, and spent as much time as he could outside while growing up. His first real appreciation of birds really came through hunting, and he eagerly learned the silhouettes of all the likely ducks to be encountered before going out to the blind in the early morning. One of his favorite all time birds is still the Ruffed Grouse that he first encountered during this time. In his 20’s he bought hi first real camera, learned how it worked, and practiced taking photos of many wildlife subjects, including the wintering eagles that fished on the Wisconsin River.

  By the time Jeff moved to Texas in 1998, he considered himself a casual birder. After his children left home he ramped up his bird finding, which soon turned into an almost daily habit. Being a teacher, he really enjoys showing others how to find birds and to better appreciate the workings of the natural world.

  Joseph Plappert is an Urban Wildlife Biologist with Texas Parks & Wildlife. As an Urban Biologist, Joseph performs professional planning, management, research and public outreach associated with wildlife, habitat and natural resource management.

  Joseph received his Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Biology and his Master’s Degree in Wildlife Ecology from Texas State University in San Marcos. His Master’s thesis focused on using remote sensing to evaluate the habitat associations of several grassland bird species in Texas. 

  Joseph has professional experience in monitoring for grassland birds and golden-cheeked warblers. In addition, Joseph has experience teaching ecology, bird conservation, and field ornithology.

  Transportation:

  Tour attendees will be transported via 15-passenger van. This tour will include birding from the van, as well as some walking, including areas of uneven, rocky roads and trails.

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: Identifying Bird Song

  • When
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
  •  
    8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters
  • Spaces left
    15

  Register

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  Identifying Bird Song

  Tour Description:

  Want a unique experience to improve your birding skills by learning bird songs?  This tour is for you! Wherever there are birds, there are bird songs. Birds songs and other vocalizations provide a wealth of information that birders can use to quickly identify familiar birds, distinguish between closely related species, and decipher some of the more complex communications that go on between birds. 

  The tour alternates between brief discussions of bird song and listening to (and seeing) the springtime birds that vocalize at the Refuge.

  You will be a better birder after this class.

  Guide(s): Jack Cochran

  Jack Cochran is a retired analytical chemist with a lifelong love of the natural world. His initial interest was birds and he eventually expanded to butterflies, dragonflies and moths. Jack’s other hobbies include wildlife photography and community science through iNaturalist, where he is a prolific poster. He is a Texas Master Naturalist in the Good Water Chapter, located in Georgetown, Texas.

  Transportion:

  This tour will take place outside at Refuge Headquarters. This is a hiking tour. No van transportation will be provided. 

  Show details
• Balcones Songbird Festival: The Power and Purpose of Nearby Nature, Presented by Jennifer L. Bristol

  • When
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
  •  
    1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Location
    BCNWR Headquarters

  Register

  Balcones Songbird Festival

  The Power and Purpose of Nearby Nature

   Presented by Jennifer L. Bristol

  
  

  About the Presentation:

  While conducting research about the connection between nature and people, Jennifer kept hearing the same remarks “nature is a faraway place” or “I never know what to do when I get to a park.” She wanted to change that mindset and offer people opportunities to have rich experiences in nature that were welcoming, meaningful and easy. 

  Birding is an experience that gives people a purpose to be outdoors and as it turns out is beneficial to our mental and physical health. So she decided to write a series of books to help people discover the wonders of birding. Parking Lot Birding focuses on parks, nature centers and other local birding spots, while Cemetery Birding focuses on – well – cemeteries. While doing the research for both books, she traveled to over 430 parks, nature centers, wastewater settling ponds, sanctuaries, highway rest stops, historic sites, and cemeteries to find the perfect combination of habitat, interesting places, and accessible, easy spaces to immerse in nature. 

  We invite you to join Jennifer for a chat about what she discovered along the way as she endeavored to dispel the myth that nature is some faraway place.

  About the Speaker:

  Jennifer L. Bristol is the author of Parking Lot Birding: A Fun Guide to Discovering Birds in Texas and Cemetery Birding: An Unexpected Guide to Discovering Birds in Texas. She also contributed to her father's book, Texas State Parks: The First 100 Years 1923-2023. Passionate about telling the story of nature, Bristol travels the state speaking about birds and conservation.

  She is the former director of the Texas Children in Nature network at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department where she worked to better connect children and families with nature. 

  Show details
• Wildflower Wander at Peaceful Springs

  • When
    Wednesday, May 01, 2024
  •  
    9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Flying X Ranch: 9480 S FM 1174, Bertram, TX 78605
  • Spaces left
    10

  Register

  Explore the Beauty of Wildflowers at Headquarters!

  Stop and smell the wildflowers on this wander at Peaceful Springs!

  On this wildflower wander, we will stop and take the time to get to know the beautiful wildflowers. We will work together using guides and nature applications to identify the flowers and appreciate their purposes and uses.

  This hike is a great opportunity to learn about wildflowers, and take a break from the busy pace of life :) This is also a great opportunity to learn how to use your wildflower guides and get to know some of the nature applications you can use to identify flowers wherever you are!

  Who is this hike for?

  If you enjoy spending time getting closer to nature, this is a great hike for you! Wildflowers come in many different shapes, sizes and colors, and we will take the time to examine them as we move through the trail.

  If you are familiar with flowers and plants, we welcome your knowledge on this hike as well all work together to learn more about the natural world around us.

  We will stay on easily accessible, relatively flat trails and move at a slow pace. 

  How difficult is this hike?

  The hike begins at the Flying X Ranch House and follows 2-tract and fire-break roads. This hike has minimal elevation gains. The route has little shade with moderate slopes. Be sure to bring plenty of water. There are no facilities on the trail.

  What should I bring on this walk?

  Please consider bringing a camera and your wildflower guide if you have one! There will be plenty of time to appreciate and photograph the flowers, as well as use the wildflower guides to identify them.

  We also recommend the following nature based applications to help you identify birds and flowers. Please download these in advance if you’d like to use them because Doeskin Ranch has very limited reception. We may not be able to use these on the trail based on the limited reception, but we will attempt to use them where it is available so we can demonstrate how to use them -

  • Seek (by iNaturalist)

  • iNaturalist

  • Merlin (by Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

  PHONE RECEPTION: Some phone-based GPS’ will not work in this area. A printable/downloadable map can be found here.

  WEATHER ADVISORY & OTHER CANCELLATIONS:In the event that we need to cancel due to extreme weather or other unforeseen conditions you will be notified via email before 10:00 AM on the day of the hike.

  PARTICIPANT CANCELLATIONS:Our hikes are popular and often have wait lists, if you need to cancel, we ask that you try to do so at least 48 hours in advance so that a wait-list participant is notified in adequate time to be able to join us on the trail! You can cancel in two ways:

  • Log in to your profile on the Friends website and use the my event registration link to cancel your registration

  • Send us an email at hikes@friendsofbalcones.org.  Looking forward to seeing you at the Refuge!

  
  

  
  

  Show details
• Second Saturday Group Guided Hike at Warbler Vista!

  • When
    Saturday, May 11, 2024
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Quarry Canyon Trailhead; Warbler Vista, West of Lago Vista on 1431
  • Spaces left
    11

  Register

  Connect with nature and other nature-lovers with a group hike at Warbler Vista!

  The second Saturday of every month we will have a group hike at Warbler Vista guided by our trail guides so you can learn about the birds, plants, history and MORE of this wonderful public trail!

  Join us for multiple months to see the beauty of the Refuge evolve across the seasons

  
  

  Our guided hiking tours on public trails are a great introduction to the trail system at the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge.

  These hiking tours move at a moderate place, with stops along the way to discuss the birds, plants, history, geology and habitats of the Refuge. We see many native plants and beautiful views along the way.

  Who is this hike for?

  If you are interested in learning about the beautiful Refuge right in Austin’s backyard, this guided tour is for you! Spend time with experts on the trail learning about this beautiful environment that is open for you to visit year-round!

  What kind of hike will this be?

  This is a 2.1 mile hike through a beautiful oak-juniper forest. On this hike, we will take a path that meanders up the steep new Quarry Canyon trail, then over to Vista Knoll and Cactus Rocks before descending on the Boulder trail.

  We consider this a moderate difficulty hike due to the inclines, descents, and the occasionally rocky or slippery portions of the trail. We hike at a moderate pace, with about 8-9 pre-determined stops to share information about this wonderful place that so many plants and animals call home!

  On this hike we will pause at moss-covered seeps that feed the Colorado River watershed, wander through the forested hillside, see huge limestone boulders and canyons, and have stops throughout to share information about unique Texas plants and animals that call the refuge home.

  In the Spring time, we have many feathered friends at the Refuge, so we may take longer pauses at various areas to listen to the bird calls and identify birds. Bring your binoculars to look with us!

  MEETING LOCATION: There are multiple trailheads at Warbler Vista. We will meet at the Quarry Canyon Trailhead. There is parking available at the trailhead.

  RESTROOMS: There are restrooms at Warbler Vista at the Warbler Vista parking lot which is the next parking lot after the Quarry Canyon Trailhead.

  EQUIPMENT:As always, wear appropriate shoes, bring plenty of water, bug spray, and sunscreen. Due to slippery rocks on the trail, hiking poles are also highly recommended.

  GROUP SIZE:Registration is limited to 15 participants for this hike.

  WEATHER ADVISORY & OTHER CANCELLATIONS:In the event that we need to cancel due to extreme weather or other unforeseen conditions you will be notified via email and text at least two hours prior to the hike start time.

  PARTICIPANT CANCELLATIONS:Our hikes are popular and often have wait lists, if you need to cancel, we ask that you try to do so at least 48 hours in advance so that a wait-list participant is notified in adequate time to be able to join us on the trail! You can cancel in two ways:

  • Log in to your profile on the Friends website and use the my event registration link to cancel your registration

  • Send us an email at hikes@friendsofbalcones.org.  Looking forward to seeing you at the Refuge!

  Show details
• *WEATHER RESCHEDULE* Photography Hike at Doeskin Ranch

  • When
    Saturday, May 11, 2024
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Doeskin Ranch Trailhead: 10645 FM-1174, Bertram, Texas, 78605
  • Spaces left
    0

  Join waitlist

  Bring your cameras and enjoy the many photo opportunities at Doeskin Ranch!

  Photo by Richard Gaines

  
  

  This photo stroll will be a great way to stop and appreciate the beauty of the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge.

  Guided hike leader and photographer Richard Gaines will share information on the refuge and share photography tips to help you get some great photos of this beautiful area!

  You can view some of Richard's art and photographs here!:https://www.rgainesstudiosart.com/

  Who is this hike for?

  If you are interested in nature photography and continuing to expand your skill sets, then this hike is for you! Any level of photography experience is welcome, we will walk and experiment together. 

  We recommend you only bring gear that is easily portable.

  EQUIPMENT:In addition to bringing your photography equipment, wear appropriate shoes, bring plenty of water, bug spray, and sunscreen. Due to slippery rocks on the trail, hiking poles are also highly recommended.

  PHONE RECEPTION: Some phone-based GPS’ will not work in this area. A printable/downloadable map can be found here.

  WEATHER ADVISORY & OTHER CANCELLATIONS:In the event that we need to cancel due to extreme weather or other unforeseen conditions you will be notified via email.

  PARTICIPANT CANCELLATIONS:Our hikes are popular and often have wait lists, if you need to cancel, we ask that you try to do so at least 48 hours in advance so that a wait-list participant is notified in adequate time to be able to join us on the trail! You can cancel in two ways:

  • Log in to your profile on the Friends website and use the my event registration link to cancel your registration

  • Send us an email at hikes@friendsofbalcones.org.  Looking forward to seeing you at the Refuge!

  
  

  Show details