With a new year comes fresh possibilities and a chance to set goals, create new habits, and improve your lifestyle. If one of your goals for this upcoming year is to get outside a bit more, then you’re in luck because there’s no shortage of enjoyable ways to get outside and take advantage of all that Dripping Springs and the surrounding areas have to offer.
Whether it’s trekking down a new hiking trail or observing the far-off cosmos, here are just a few ways to spend a little more time in the great outdoors in 2023.
Hit the Trails
For many, starting off the new year means lacing up their hiking boots and going for a walk. United States park systems have officially been conducting first-day hikes since the 1990s on the first day of the year, and there are numerous hiking trails in the area worth exploring on January 1st and beyond. Six of our favorite Texas Hill Country hiking trails will take you through woods, deep ravines, over streams, and into hills and mountains.
Trails like the Barton Greenbelt are an oasis in Austin proper, while trails found in Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and Colorado Bend State Park offer some of the most beautiful scenery in the state and a variety of terrain for different skill levels. Living in Central Texas gives residents so many opportunities to get outside, get some exercise, and enjoy our surroundings.
One of the benefits Caliterra residents seem to enjoy the most are the scenic nature trails found right here in our own community. The extensive trail system weaves throughout Caliterra, connecting with other amenities such as The Stage event space, Adventure Barn, and The Hall community hub. For residents who are adding a walk to their regular routine in 2023, Caliterra makes it easy.
Explore Your Town
Is your new year’s resolution to explore a new place or learn something new each month? Whether you’re new to town or you were born and raised here, there is probably something close by that you have yet to discover.
Perhaps we’re biased, but we happen to think Dripping Springs is the best town in Texas and there are some pretty cool local spots worth checking out in 2023. Ranch Park seems to always have something going on and we expect next year to be no different! The 130-acre park has six miles of trails, a playground for the kids, and a meeting center that hosts events you won’t want to miss like the rodeo and DSRP Riding Series.
If you’ve never visited the Pound House Farmstead, then a trip to this local museum is in order. The 1850s farmstead offers a glimpse into Dripping Springs’ past and in addition to offering educational opportunities, it’s the site of the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival each October.
Marvel at the Night Sky
Spending time outside in 2023 doesn’t always have to mean a full day of activity. Going outside after dark still offers fresh air and nature—plus it’s usually cooler! This part of Texas offers some amazing stargazing. It’s so good, in fact, that the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) named Dripping Springs a Dark Sky Community, meaning our minimal light pollution makes for an ideal stargazing environment. And if you want to enjoy some Texas stars in the new year, you can’t go wrong with a visit to Reimers Observatory.
Of course, if you can’t make it to the observatory you can still enjoy the beauty of a Texas sky right in your own backyard, with friends and neighbors around Caliterra’s fire pit at The Hall, or in one of the many open green spaces throughout the community.
However you choose to spend more time outside in 2023, we hope you enjoy all this area has to offer as much as we do.
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