To get some time outdoors while attempting to beat the summer heat, I recently went camping at Inks Lake State Park (any activity during the day must involve water!).
I got a walk-in campsite near the swimming area know as Devil’s Waterhole and was greeted on arrival by a roadrunner, which I took as a good sign. Also spotted near the campsite: rabbits, songbirds, a pair of screech owls, and a squirrel who flopped lazily around the nearest tree during the hottest part of the day.
My camping trip was only for a couple nights but I managed to float on the lake, swim and hike around the Devil’s Waterhole (where I spotted a small rattlesnake), walk the rest of the very large campgrounds (which includes a dock where you can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards), and fit in a visit to Longhorn Caverns on the way home.
Only six miles down the road, Longhorn Cavern State Park is an obvious addition to a visit to Inks Lake. And at a year-round temperature of sixty-five degrees inside the cavern, doing a midday tour is a great way to escape the summer heat.
The basic walking tour was just over an hour long and covered the interesting history of human activities in the cave, going back to the Native Americans. A lone tri-colored bat was spotted as well as crystal-covered cavern walls.
Part of the reason for this trip was to find some inspiration for new artwork and I have created three paintings which are included below, along with the paintings that resulted from my trip to Enchanted Rock State Park. All of these paintings are on small square panels and are part of a growing series I’m calling “Iconic Texas”.
I’m in the process of planning a longer research trip through West Texas, including the Palo Duro Canyon and the giant sand dunes near New Mexico, where I’m sure inspiration will be abundant.
Paintings from Enchanted Rock:
