Travel: An Afternoon Hike at McKinney Falls
I’ve been dying to go to McKinney Falls for a while now. It’s been at the top of my list for hiking places over the past year and I finally had a chance to visit it last weekend. McKinney Falls State Park is located on the southwest side of Austin. It's a really beautiful place that you could easily spend an entire day swimming and walking. Although I did not take advantage of swimming on this particular afternoon, it would be a nice spot during the warmer months.
There are two sets of waterfalls in the park - an upper trail and lower trail. The lower trail is a little over three miles and will take you off a paved road and through the most magical setting. The path was lined with yellow flowers and covered in butterflies during golden hour. The trail starts and ends at the base of the waterfall.The upper trail is a little shy of three miles with an asphalt ground. The trail is much steeper in parts and just as beautiful. Hiking and walking are my favorite forms of exercise. Especially, being able to go longer distance or up an incline. I find that it works a completely different set of muscles than when I’m on a flatter terrain.
Most of my exercise gear consists of the same style – shorts/capri pants, a tank top, jacket/hoodie and sports bra. I also prefer a pair of lightweight running shoes like these from Puma. I typically buy gray work out shoes because they show less wear and tear than white does. Same follows my clothing – most of it is in shades of black or gray with an occasional pop of color. When I’m on a hiking trail, I oftentimes wear my hiking boots or Hunter rain boots depending on the intensity or weather conditions.
I recently also purchased this adorable Patagonia hat and red jacket. I’ve mentioned how much I love wearing red and started incorporating more of it in my wardrobe this season. It’s perfect for fall afternoons and Patagonia has great materials for outdoor activities. This jacket is waterproof and slightly insulated so it’s not too heavy. I also prefer to wear a baseball cap to keep the sun off my face and hair out of the way. I find that oftentimes, I do not need to wear sunglasses if I have a cap on. I found that my workouts are much more enjoyable when I am comfortable and equipped for whatever conditions I am going to be weathering.