I'd Rather Be Hiking

09/15/2026

Wowsie!

Situated along the banks of Waller Creek, one of the largest measured Durand Oaks in Texas overlooks Waterloo Greenway at Palm Park and along the trail of the newly opened Phase II: The Confluence. This tree is a true living landmark, measuring an astonishing 68 inches in diameter, with sprawling limbs that have weathered an estimated 200+ years.

Having witnessed centuries of Austin's history unfold along the creek, this oak must hold a million stories in its leaves, branches, bark, trunk, and roots. It was named the 2014 State Champion for its species and has been admired by many generations of visitors. A storyteller in its own right, its burly trunk and time-worn form are a testament to resilience and endurance. Visitors can stand beneath its canopy, embrace its shade, and feel inspired by this unique and wonderful character in our midst!

Nominated by Emily Erickson in the Large Tree Category for the Austin Tree of the Year Awards 🌳

Public voting is open until October 19th! Choose your favorite trees for the 2026 awards: treefolks.org/toty

Thanks to the City of Austin, HEB and the Still Water Foundation for their support of the Austin Tree of the Year Awards!

09/14/2026

09/11/2026

A Texas natural treasure

🧠Did you know: Nothing in state or federal law requires that Caddo Lake keep receiving the water it needs? The flow guardrails that protect this lake are held in place by decades of monitoring, advocacy, and agency relationships. That's been our work for more than three decades: monitoring, advocacy, and a seat at the table when upstream decisions get made.

09/11/2026

Preview of coming attractions!

Good morning, everyone! Today’s post comes from Garner State Park in the Texas Hill Country. It is truly a beautiful place, filled with breathtaking scenery and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. If you ever get the chance to visit or stay at Garner State Park, I highly recommend it. It’s definitely a place worth experiencing!

09/11/2026

"Big Bend National Park is a showcase for those effects. The “Sunken Block,” an immense, down-dropped basin, dominates the center of the park. On the west, it’s bounded by the Terlingua Fault, which has raised the iconic cliffs of the Mesa de Anguila, at the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon. Faults on the east have produced the Dead Horse Mountains and the high, striated escarpment of the Sierra del Carmen, rising 7,000 feet above the Rio Grande."

The American West is slowly being torn apart by tectonic forces. One element of this “extension” is the Rio Grande Rift, a growing rip in the continent, traced by the river itself, from Colorado to Big Bend.

09/11/2026

🔭✨ Join us for a Public Night at the SFA Observatory! ✨🪐

Come spend an evening under the East Texas sky with us! Starting at 8:00 PM, we’ll have telescopes set up for visitors to explore some of the best sights in the October night sky.

🪐 Saturn will be a highlight of the evening, with its famous rings visible through our telescopes. October is an especially good time to see Saturn, as the planet is near its closest and brightest for the year.

🌌 We’ll also turn our telescopes toward some of the other great sights of the fall sky, including star clusters, double stars, and, conditions permitting, the Andromeda Galaxy and other deep-sky objects.

⭐ We’ll also give a guided tour of the night sky, pointing out the major stars and constellations overhead and showing you how to find your way around the autumn sky.

The event is free and open to the public, but we ask visitors to register in advance so we can plan for parking. Only one free ticket is needed per vehicle, not per person.

🎟️ Reserve your free parking ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sfa-observatory-public-night-october-2026-tickets-2000303351170?aff=oddtdtcreator

Bring your family, your questions, and your curiosity. We hope to see you under the stars! 🌠

*This event is weather permitting and will be postponed if clouded out.*