Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 2:48 am
Kalrog,
Sorry this took me a while to get to, hopefully it isnt too late to do you some good.
Cameron Park is supposed to have some of the best mt. bike trails, so it isnt very flat at all. Most of it isnt bad, but do expect frequent steep climbs up and down. Look at it this way, if people do it on bikes, you shouldnt have any serious problems on foot, just be careful so you dont slip and break something or fall into poison ivy and wish you had. This is one of the areas where you can get the best view of the Balcones Escarpment. You'll likely go along at the bottom of Emmons cliff, and along the top of Lover's Leap. These are two areas that have claimed several lives when people get stupid and ecide they're gonna climb these cliffs. The cops frown on people climbing these, so i'd put money on it that they wont have you climbing these, but it gives you an idea of some of the elevation changes you'll see along your trail. Another warning is the tick population. Did a few miles through it with my dog about a week or so ago, and picked about 20-25 ticks off me and him. Also, there have been several assaults and robberies over the last few months in that park. Pattern seems to be after dark and by groups of young males. Daytime seems to be fairly safe, with plenty of people after work hours and on weekends, but i always carru so business as usual there for me at least. Just stay safe.
Places to stay. Cameron park is right on the Brazos river. The side you'll be on, is usually fairly good, but close enough to questionable areas on the same side [abbreviated profanity deleted] the river. Theother side of the river is a high drug/crime/prostitution area, so you might wanna stay away from there. Closest motels are just on the other side of that, and the neighborhood is an improvement, but still in close proximity so watch your back and answer the door with a gun if you get woke up in the middle of the night. I'd recommend getting a little further away from there, if you dont mind a little further drive. And i mean about an extra mile or mile and a half past the questinable area and right along I-35 in Bellmead or Waco. Either way would still put you within about 5-10 minutes of the park, but at least you arent likely to get an unpleasant surprize when you're trying to sleep.
Bellmead and Waco are right across the river from each other, so a place to stay will be easy to find right along the highway right there. Last weekend, the rains we had here took out the road along the Waco-side of the river and there is now a sinkhole where the road was that would have provided you the easiest way from the Waco side into Cameron Park. I'd recommend going the other way, through Bellmead. Just go west on Lakeshore Dr (loop 340) off I-35, til you cross two rivers and get to 19th street, take a left, and go to Herring, where you take another left. There are signs pointing your way from there on, but if you cross the river you have gone too far. If you insist, or wanna stay in Waco and dont mind a drive through a iffy area for a couple miles, take any one of the several one way roads leading west from I-35, 4th, 5th area, or further from the river, and go til you hit Herring once again. Take a right this time to get you closer to the river and the park itself. The road that is collapsed is right next to the river and they are trying to fix it, but if you stay a few blocks away from the river you can avoid all that mess.
If I missed anything, let me know, and if anyone wants my # for anything, just PM me. Sorry it's so long, but hopefully there's some info you can use. Also, if possible, get familiar with a map of Cameron park and bring a compass if your directional orientation gets thrown off easy, cause those trail wind back and forth a lot, and an idea of what you're going into could be helpful, even though there are maps posted here and there at the various trails--you just cant take them.
Sorry this took me a while to get to, hopefully it isnt too late to do you some good.
Cameron Park is supposed to have some of the best mt. bike trails, so it isnt very flat at all. Most of it isnt bad, but do expect frequent steep climbs up and down. Look at it this way, if people do it on bikes, you shouldnt have any serious problems on foot, just be careful so you dont slip and break something or fall into poison ivy and wish you had. This is one of the areas where you can get the best view of the Balcones Escarpment. You'll likely go along at the bottom of Emmons cliff, and along the top of Lover's Leap. These are two areas that have claimed several lives when people get stupid and ecide they're gonna climb these cliffs. The cops frown on people climbing these, so i'd put money on it that they wont have you climbing these, but it gives you an idea of some of the elevation changes you'll see along your trail. Another warning is the tick population. Did a few miles through it with my dog about a week or so ago, and picked about 20-25 ticks off me and him. Also, there have been several assaults and robberies over the last few months in that park. Pattern seems to be after dark and by groups of young males. Daytime seems to be fairly safe, with plenty of people after work hours and on weekends, but i always carru so business as usual there for me at least. Just stay safe.
Places to stay. Cameron park is right on the Brazos river. The side you'll be on, is usually fairly good, but close enough to questionable areas on the same side [abbreviated profanity deleted] the river. Theother side of the river is a high drug/crime/prostitution area, so you might wanna stay away from there. Closest motels are just on the other side of that, and the neighborhood is an improvement, but still in close proximity so watch your back and answer the door with a gun if you get woke up in the middle of the night. I'd recommend getting a little further away from there, if you dont mind a little further drive. And i mean about an extra mile or mile and a half past the questinable area and right along I-35 in Bellmead or Waco. Either way would still put you within about 5-10 minutes of the park, but at least you arent likely to get an unpleasant surprize when you're trying to sleep.
Bellmead and Waco are right across the river from each other, so a place to stay will be easy to find right along the highway right there. Last weekend, the rains we had here took out the road along the Waco-side of the river and there is now a sinkhole where the road was that would have provided you the easiest way from the Waco side into Cameron Park. I'd recommend going the other way, through Bellmead. Just go west on Lakeshore Dr (loop 340) off I-35, til you cross two rivers and get to 19th street, take a left, and go to Herring, where you take another left. There are signs pointing your way from there on, but if you cross the river you have gone too far. If you insist, or wanna stay in Waco and dont mind a drive through a iffy area for a couple miles, take any one of the several one way roads leading west from I-35, 4th, 5th area, or further from the river, and go til you hit Herring once again. Take a right this time to get you closer to the river and the park itself. The road that is collapsed is right next to the river and they are trying to fix it, but if you stay a few blocks away from the river you can avoid all that mess.
If I missed anything, let me know, and if anyone wants my # for anything, just PM me. Sorry it's so long, but hopefully there's some info you can use. Also, if possible, get familiar with a map of Cameron park and bring a compass if your directional orientation gets thrown off easy, cause those trail wind back and forth a lot, and an idea of what you're going into could be helpful, even though there are maps posted here and there at the various trails--you just cant take them.