Celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week with a Walk for the Wild 5K Hike on the Martin Tract!
This year, the Friends of Balcones Canyonlands is participating in the Walk for the Wild 5K Challenge, hosted by the Public Lands Alliance. Teams from across the country are participating to help raise awareness for the National Wildlife Refuge System. The goal is to get people moving a distance of 5K in nature. Guided Hike participants will have the option to join #TeamBalcones if they choose to.
Our guided hiking tours on private tracts provide a special opportunity to see portions of the refuge that are set aside exclusively for our native plants and animals! These private tracts are made available to you to view exclusively through our guided hike program.
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 getting closer to the land by learning some of the important plants, the history, geological features and how this habitat is maintained.
What kind of hike will this be?
This 3.1 mile hike will be along an old 2-track ranch road that has 377 feet of elevation gains. The loose rocks combined with short steep slopes make this mostly un-shaded trail a moderately difficult 2.5 - 3 hour hike.
We hike at a moderate pace and have several stops along the way to discuss plants, geology, birds, habitats and more!
Enjoy long ranging views, learn about how the refuge has changed over time and the conservation work done today to enhance habitats for native Texas Hill Country plants and wildlife.
Meeting Location
BCNWR Headquarters: 24518 E FM 1431, Marble Falls, TX, 78654
Since this hike is on the weekend when the visitor center is closed, one of the hike leaders will meet you at the gate to the headquarters of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge and give you access to the main parking lot. Once all registered participants are checked in, we will go to the trailhead from there.
Please be there 15 minutes before the hike start time so that we can start the hike promptly. Once the hike begins, no one will be monitoring the gate.
Facilities
Please note that since this is not a public trail, restrooms and drinking water are not available at the trailhead. Lago Vista is ~9 minutes from the trailhead and a convenient place to stop prior to arriving at the headquarters!
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 and 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.
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:
