Gorman Falls & the Colorado Bend

The Gorman Falls trail is 3 miles round-trip through juniper canyon to a moss-covered travertine waterfall that drops 65 feet into a pool surrounded by maidenhair fern and columbine — one of the most botanically rich spots in the Hill Country. Travertine formations take centuries to build; the mineral-rich spring water creates new rock as you watch. Arrive early as the trailhead lot fills by 10am on weekends.

Use the afternoon to explore a different trail, cool off at a swimming hole, or find a scenic spot to watch the sunset.

This is the lunch stop for the day — a legendary rural Texas anomaly in the village of Bend (population: about 100) that has been serving burgers, ice cream, and cold drinks since the 1950s. The peach shakes are made from local Stonewall peaches in season. The kind of place that reminds you why back-road Texas is worth the extra miles.

Inks Lake is a constant-level Highland Lakes reservoir fed by Inks Dam, with water so clear the granite boulders are visible 15 feet down. The Blue Hole is a swimming area among large pink granite outcroppings with a natural rope-swing cliff. The 7.2-mile Inks Lake Trail circuits the park through varied terrain — granite slopes, cedar forest, and creek drainages — with lake views throughout.

The most popular swimming spot at Inks Lake is a slot between granite boulders where a small waterfall spills into a deep pool — locals call it Devil's Waterhole. Kayak rentals are available at the park's camp store; paddling the lake's irregular granite shoreline for an hour reveals dozens of coves inaccessible by trail.