In early March, Liz and I took a short drive over to Eisenhower State Park in Denison, Texas—about an hour away. We’ve been here before but wanted to get outside and explore somewhere close to home. 🌳🚗

After checking in at the entrance and flashing our annual pass, we headed straight to the last parking lot to hop on Ike’s Hike and Bike Trail, which runs along the lake. 🌊 It’s a great little trail with a mix of wooded paths, rocky outcroppings, and some awesome lake views. The terrain keeps things interesting—some parts are easy and flat, while others have a few twists and turns over roots and rocks. 🥾🌿

One of the highlights along the way is Lover’s Leap, a scenic overlook perched on the edge of a cliff. Liz, being way braver than me, walked right up to the edge to take in the view. 😲 I, on the other hand, admired it from a safer distance—no need to test my balance today! 😅 The view from up there is stunning, with the lake stretching out below and the trees framing the scene perfectly. 🌅

Of course, after all that hiking, we ended up with several pounds of Texas clay mud stuck to our boots. 🥴 So, we made a quick detour down to the swimming area to rinse off before heading back. 💦

It was such a beautiful and relaxing hike—the kind of place you want to come back to. 🌞 We spotted a few perfect spots for a picnic 🧺, and Liz is already thinking about bringing her plein air painting gear 🎨 next time. Meanwhile, I might bring my mountain bike and hit the trails a little harder! 🚴‍♂️