A leisurely Hike!

Comments: The Lost Pines Trail at Bastrop State Park is an anomaly in Central Texas. Though these pines are all regrowth forest (the original pines burned in a forest fire in the early 1900s) it is still beautiful; anywhere you can get a whiff of pine while hiking is great. The trail is mostly flat, with an occasional rise here and there. There is abunadant shade, so even hiking during midday was tolerable. I did'nt see a single person my first day out, and on the way back in this morning, I only saw four people at the trailhead. I would have given it a higher solitude rating, if it was'nt for the constant gun fire I heard my first day. As for wildlife, I saw whitetail deer, blackheaded vultures, red-headed woodpeckers, skinks, and a baby Houston toad. Overall, it's an enjoyable hike, only 30 miles from Austin.