WILDERNESS WEEKENDS
FEATURED
Cabin Camping
Have you ever wanted to experience some outdoor adventure, but weren’t really sure where to start? Sure, there are a lot of great state parks out there, but they are often overcrowded and you can easily end up being in a filing cabinet of other campers, RVs, and trailers. Another deal breaker is that most state parks prohibit the consumption of alcohol. Can you believe it! How are you supposed to enjoy the great outdoors without your favorite beverage in hand?
There’s always wilderness camping, but that means a complete lack of any amenities. Who wants to answer nature’s call in a bush for three days, anyway? Also, there are other dangers associated with backpacking into the middle of nowhere (the first few chords of Dueling Banjos comes to mind).
Here at the Wildcatters Network we’ve come up with a solution we call Cabin Camping. This combines everything you love about the outdoors with a warm (or cool) place to sleep at night. With a reasonable budget you can use sites like Airbnb and Homeaway to find cabins, ranch houses, and even upgraded airstream trailers that sit in the middle of scenic nature settings. Basically, we’re shooting for nicer than state parks, but not quite Glamping.
At these properties, you can fish all day then take a hot shower at night, or watch deer graze while you drink coffee on the porch. You can hike to your heart’s content then recover your energy in a comfortable bed. Heck, if the weather is nice, set up a camp by the river and sleep under the stars, but when the bugs start biting, get up and go inside.
This edition of Wildcatter “Wilderness” Weekend will feature the Texas Hill Country. We searched various rental property listings high and low, as well as chamber of commerce websites and Facebook pages to find the best places for Cabin Camping. Then, we went and experienced each of these places just to make sure they made the Wildcatter grade.
STAY
Honey Creek Ranch
Check out Honey Creek Ranch, just outside Mason, Texas. This serene and beautiful setting features sloping banks to the Llano River and towering limestone bluffs. The river is wide and deep with great access. You can kayak in either direction for quite a ways. You’ll really enjoy watching the sunset and roasting marshmallows over the giant fire pit. Honey Creek can also accommodate large parties with their open floor plan and extra beds.
DRINK
The Schuster Ranch
Sip on coffee in the morning while you watch hummingbirds hover around the bird feeders, drink an ice cold Shiner Bock from the bottom of the cooler while you bass fish Sycamore Creek, or sip iced tea while exotic Watusi bulls carelessly roam about. Located just outside Segovia, Texas, The Schuster Ranch is a working cattle ranch that just about has it all. This sprawling property features wildlife galore, excellent shore fishing, hunting, hiking, stargazing, as well as a nice three bedroom two bath cabin that has a large back porch overlooking a bubbling stream.
EAT
Savor… just about anything you like. Every property on this list has a full kitchen, refrigerator, and grill. The great thing about Cabin Camping is you can cook as much or as little as you like. If you think cooking will get in the way of your outdoor adventure, then pre-cook all your meals. Sandwiches, chili, and pre-cooked barbecue can be packed and reheated very easily. If cooking is your thing, then nothing is off limits. You can do just about anything from grill steaks to have a massive fish fry. But remember, some of these places are a little remote, so come prepared!
PLAY
Schuster Pecan Farm
See nature in all its glory at the unique Schuster Pecan Farm. This is another Schuster (a very nice family and accommodating hosts, by the way) property, located just outside Junction, Texas. This is a tremendous setting for nature and wildlife. During any given weekend, visitors can see deer, frogs, turtles, various birds, and wild hogs. If you’re really lucky, you might even catch a family of river otters taking a swim at dusk. Two small cabins sit right in the middle of a massive pecan orchard for a truly unique experience.
HIDDEN GEM
Copperas Creek Cabins
We stumbled onto Copperas Creek Cabins through their modest Facebook page. They don’t have an Airbnb listing or a fancy website, and the accommodations consist of a small A-frame cabin, but the property has charm to spare. The location is very secluded and the isolation is truly serene. The creek is rather small, but there is a damn that has created an acre-or-so sized pond that’s great for fishing and swimming. There are lots of neat places to hike and explore. The wildlife is also spectacular with flocks of turkey and herds of deer constantly wandering about. Check out the Copperas Creek Cabins if you really want to “get away from it all.”
