The next morning, I hit the hiking trails. Lost Maples boasts more than 10 miles worth, including the Maple Trail, East-West Trail, East Trail, West Trail and West Loop Trail.

The other 52 weeks of the year it’s a quiet, heavily wooded canyon cut by the Sabinal River and laced with hiking trails. Of the 89 state parks, six are classified as natural areas.

But for the last two weeks of October and the first two weeks of November, Lost Maples State Natural Area is hard to beat. Explore the 11 miles of hiking trails.

1. The Lost Maples State Natural Area costs $6 per person 13 years or older. There's no entrance fee for children 12 years and under. Annual passes are available for Texas state parks and parklands.

Hiking at Lost Maples: There is so much to do at Lost Maples. You can fish, camp and backpack. You can search for geocaches, a modern-day buried treasure hunt.

He has been hiking the trails of the Pacific Northwest since 1976. Find out more at the IMAC Facebook or Meetup pages. He can be reached at pjkrupin@gmail.com.

Lost Maples State Natural Area is five miles north of Vanderpool, a one-store town on scenic FM 337. A good three hours from Austin, the park is in an area with little to no cell phone service.