A day in the hundred acre woods

Everything you need to know about Lost Maples, and why it’s the place to take pictures. ​

As autumn slowly comes end, we are all looking for places to take those last minute fall photos. Lost Maples, a state park in  Vanderpool, TX, offers great hiking trails as well as a perfect place to take pictures.

Lost Maples has multiple trails throughout the park. The main trail is the East trail. This trail offers a rugged hiking experience, so wear proper attire. Along the East trail, there are also mini trails such as the Maple trail, which is a perfect place to take fall photos. Not only are there separate mini trials along the main route, but there are also small patches of Maple trees along the hiking trail.

The East trail starts off at a very low elevation, but gradually gets higher. At one point in the trail, about halfway, the elevation gets really steep and there are a lot of loose rocks. It’s for these reasons that the park rangers highly recommend wearing proper hiking shoes, or trainers.

For about ¾ of a mile, the hiking trail remains steep, and eventually flattens out. From here, hikers have the option of either turning around or continuing onto the outlook trail.

The outlook trail offers a really scenic overview of the park and surrounding valleys. The overlook trail also connects to the East/West Trail, which is like a part two to the East Trail.

The East/West trail starts at the top of the hill and gradually goes down. On this trail you get to see the whole park, as well as see the lake and the trail of maple trees.

If you are not a fan of hiking, I recommend starting with this trail, and walking all the way to the lake and back. This way you will be able to take an ample amount of pictures in the leaves without having to do any of the hiking.

It is recommend to go to Lost Maples within the next few weeks because the leaves are still red and the weather is finally cooling down.

If you do plan on going to Lost Maples, bring some friends. There are not many signs posted on the hiking trails, making it easy to get lost. Also, bring plenty of water and food to eat, as the hike can take about three to four hours.

As far as clothing goes, wear layers of light clothes. If it gets too hot during your hike, you can shed a few layers and it will still be easy to carry. Also wear proper shoes to avoid straining your legs and blistering your feet. The loose rocks make it a lot easier to fall if you’re not wearing the correct shoes.

Zahra Soniwalla
Online Editor-in-Chief