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| SUNRAYS MAY 2015
ONLINE:
SCTEXAS.ORG
N
ot many places can boast a
premier regional recreation
trail along with a nationally
recognized trail in their own backyard.
Fortunately, Sun City Texas is not most
places! A short drive from the latte line
at Starbucks and the busy aisles of HEB,
Sun City residents can find tranquility
and solitude at Lake Georgetown and in
the dense forests and prairie grasslands
that border it. Although ringed by ever-
increasing residential and commercial
development, this treasured parkland
under the direction of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers is preserved for
public enjoyment.
Hidden within the bustling, rectangular
traffic corridor of Williams Drive, DB
Wood Road, state Highway 29 and
Ronald Reagan Boulevard, the serene
woodlands and bluffs surrounding the
lake provide visitors with multiple trails
to enjoy nature, including the Good
Water Loop, which loops around Lake
Georgetown. Also at the lake, hikers can
access at Booty’s Road Park the Randy
Morrow Trail, designated by the federal
government as part of the National
Recreation Trails program.
Getting Acquainted with
the Good Water Loop
Renowned as a premier destination for
hikers, trail runners and especially
mountain bikers, the 27-mile GoodWater
Loop is featured in guidebooks and on
outdoor websites. The trail is a favorite
weekend escape for Central Texans but
remains a well-kept secret locally and is
sparsely traveled on weekdays.
Probably the most fulfilling way to
appreciate the natural beauty of Lake
Georgetown is to experience it on foot.
Winding around the lake, the GoodWater
Loop passes through prairie grasslands,
bottomland hardwoods and stands of
oak and Ashe juniper. Vista points along
the forested high bluffs offer views of
1,300-acre Lake Georgetown below. Trail
highlights include the natural springs
dotting the landscape and the charming
waterfall at Crockett Gardens. The
area is home to deer, fox, raccoons and
armadillos. Rare salamanders inhabit
hollows springs, where sightings of feral
hog activity are common.
Discovering evidence of the dinosaurs
that once roamed the region requires
Our Local Treasure:
Lake Georgetown’s “Good Water Loop”
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY KATHY CORBETT
2015 Half-Marathoners take a break at tree-shaded Walnut Springs as they traverse the 13.5 miles between Overlook Park
and Tejas Camp along the north shore of Lake Georgetown on the Good Water Loop.
Front row: Julia Reynolds, Jack Noble, Vikki Alpher, Mary Jane Berry, Gary Massaglia. Back row: Dave Alpher, Doug
Steinke, Keith McDowell, Hanna Hooper. Not pictured: Kathy Corbett (photographer).
By Kathy Corbett
