Kenneth E. Harker
2001 Lost Maples State Natural Area

The Lost Maples State Natural Area is located in Bandera and Real Counties of Texas, north of Vanderpool on the Sabinal River. It covers 2174 acres and has several creeks and streams in canyons. We hiked a couple of miles to a hilltop primitive camping area at 2250 ft. ASL, where we spent the night in the tent. The next morning, we hiked back down into the canyons for a meandering three mile hike back to the trailhead before lunch.

These photos are copyright (c) 2001-2003 Kenneth E. Harker. All rights reserved.

	On our way up out of the canyon to the camping site, it was kind of grey and rainy, so I didn't take too many photos.
	This is another view of some of the local trees. These are not maples. Right after this, we started to get rained upon, which lasted for a couple of hours.
	Sunrise at 2250 ft. ASL. It had rained hard the afternoon before and the rain clouds didn't completely dissipate until mid-morning.
	Another view of the sunrise, with the camera's flash on. These were both taken from inside the tent.
	Another view of the sunrise a little later, as the clouds obscured more of the sun.
	More of the sunrise, taken while walking in a meadow in front of our campsite.
	The horizon off to the north at sunrise.
	Another sunrise photo.
	More morning sunshine spilling through the clouds.
	About a five minute walk from our tent, this was a brand new outhouse. It was a composting toilet complete with multiple sources of air ventilation and a sky-light. Apparently, the previous one had mysteriously burned down in the middle of the night.
	When I asked Jen what kind of flowers these were, she said "wild flowers."
	This was part of the path down into Mystic Canyon, which was a small tributary that fed into Can Creek. Unfortunately, many of the designated paths were designed to follow dry creek beds for significant stretches. Walking on loose gravel and always wondering when the path would pick up again out of the creekbed became rather tedious.
	A sycamore tree that has leaves that look pretty similar to maple trees.
	Some bigtooth maple trees lining Mystic Canyon.
	Some maple trees in the foreground. The maples by and large grew only very close to the bottoms of the canyons.
	Another stand of maple trees. These are probably in the Can Creek canyon.
	A pretty, deep pool of water where a tributary flows into Can Creek. As it rained all Friday afternoon, there was some water in certain spots of the creeks, but not enough to flow on the surface in others.
	Jen, walking up a short incline from the pool.
	It's hard to see, but just about in the center of the frame, there's a gushing spring coming out of the rock face on the opposite bank of Can Creek.
	Can Creek has two large ponds in it. This was the upper pond, which was more shallow and had a lot of vibrant green vegetation growing inside it.
	This is the top of a short rapids section between the upper and lower pools.
	A large rock.
	A very pretty field beside the larger, lower pond in Can Creek. This was also one of the designated primitive camping areas that we could have chosen. There were a couple of tents pitched here when we walked through.
	A view of the pond from a bench beside the trail where we stopped for a short break to munch on some trail food.
	A view of the pond as we continue our downstream hike.
	A little ways downstream from the lower pond was a small waterfall.
	A view looking down the waterfall that was maybe eight feet high.
	The waterfall and rapids from a little further downstream, with lots of maple trees by the water's edge.
	Jen, walking through a meadow, not far from the trailhead and the end of our adventure.