Slideshow: Horseshoe Lake Trail at Brazos Bend State Park

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Hot and Humid. Typical southeast Texas weather in June. I got to the park around 5PM and decided to take a walk along the Horseshoe Lake Trail. The Old and New Horseshoe Lakes are cut off from the main flow of the Big Creek stream. While Old Horseshoe Lake is a natural cut off from the stream, New Horseshoe Lake is an artificial meander that was cut off by the channelization of Big Creek to carry the runoff of flood waters. The cut offs fill with water, mud, and organic debris and are home to frogs, turtles, alligators, fish, and birds.

The trail starts off at a branch from the Elm Lake trail and follows along New Horseshoe Lake where there are a number of benches and places for fishing from the bank. Along the banks of the wood I came across squirrel and rabbits and large black crows. I didn’t see them, but I heard many song birds. The growth is dense and provides great cover for them.

After the trail branches, it goes a short distance between Old Horseshoe Lake on the left and New Horseshoe Lake on the right. There are ibis, egrets, and herons to be found at New Horseshoe Lake. A little further the trail enters a deep oak forest with moss covered trees. I did not see many animals along most of the trail, but I was teased by the sound of two owls calling out to each other in the dark shaded growth.

I came across many flowers from the trumpet creeper vines along the path but couldn’t tell how they wound up there.

As the trail loops back around, Old Horseshoe Lake takes prominence again and I saw a lone Anhinga sunning itself. I didn’t see many other creatures, but did come across an armadillo who seemed not to know I was there as it foraged through the grass looking for insects.

As the sun set, I found a young gray squirrel foraging under a large oak.

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Gallery: Horseshoe Lake Trail – Brazos Bend State Park

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