Buffalo Bull LbNA #37448
Map
Nearby Boxes
Add Note
Add Location| Owner: | Bloomin' Gramma Jo  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jan 6, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Austin |
| County: | Travis |
| State: | Texas |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Fantastic Mrs. Fox |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Jan 6, 2018 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Jan 6, 2008 |
Buffalo Bull
Streams flow out of the Edwards Aquifer at the Bull Creek Watershed, home to more than 600 plant species. People have been attracted to this area for thousands of years. Ice Age folk hunted the wooly mammoth here long before the Tonkawa hunted bison.
By the 1800’s Anglo pioneers were beginning to put homesteads along the creeks and valleys of Balcones Escarpment. But the bison were disappearing. Famed Texas Ranger Richard Lincoln Preece reportedly killed the last buffalo in Travis County along the banks of the creek at the base of the escarpment. Thus, the creek became known as Bull Creek, to honor that mighty beast.
In 1850, settlers like Hugh & Rachel Walden brought their families from the East to settle along Bull Creek. Their wagon tracks are still visible in the creek’s limestone bed.
In 1941 Irving & Hazeline Smith purchased 60 acres on Bull Creek for recreational outings, taking family and friends for picnics, barbecues, exploring and swimming. Smith family heirs preserved the property, selling it to the City of Austin in 1999 as part of the Water Quality Protection Lands.
Today, a “descendant" of that mighty buffalo hides along the trail, awaiting letterbox hunters.
Clues
Follow 360 to Old Spicewood Springs Road
Turn west, then immediate right, to a car parking hold.
Leave your car locked, and cross to the trailhead quite nice.
To a Memorial to the Smiths—Irving and Hazeline to be precise.
The stops on the trail kiosk are 8 in all
From Victory Garden to Stone Bridge Fall(s).
Locate the stop where little ones played,
With a name synonymous with the one who this stamp made.
At that place face the info and read all about it.
Then step to the right counting steps (twice 15) + 8…
…to the trail marker brown, on your right it will be.
Then 66 more steps—to the large oak tree.
The tree’s on your left, but please don’t howl,
For protruding without is a wire most foul.
A bearing now take, by degrees 210.
There’s a cedar you’ll see, by feet 5 and 10.
Between the split trunk the bull will be found,
Hunted again in old Balcones Escarpment ground.
Stamp the logbook; leave your trail name below.
The date would be nice, as you certainly know.
Rehide the box well, with branches to cover,
So others can find this buffalo brother.
Tread lightly on flora, no branch to disturb.
Leave everything sightly, on the grass not a blurb.
Let me know how it goes, contact placer, s’il vous plait.
It’s great to hear from fellow “hunters” both night and day.
Streams flow out of the Edwards Aquifer at the Bull Creek Watershed, home to more than 600 plant species. People have been attracted to this area for thousands of years. Ice Age folk hunted the wooly mammoth here long before the Tonkawa hunted bison.
By the 1800’s Anglo pioneers were beginning to put homesteads along the creeks and valleys of Balcones Escarpment. But the bison were disappearing. Famed Texas Ranger Richard Lincoln Preece reportedly killed the last buffalo in Travis County along the banks of the creek at the base of the escarpment. Thus, the creek became known as Bull Creek, to honor that mighty beast.
In 1850, settlers like Hugh & Rachel Walden brought their families from the East to settle along Bull Creek. Their wagon tracks are still visible in the creek’s limestone bed.
In 1941 Irving & Hazeline Smith purchased 60 acres on Bull Creek for recreational outings, taking family and friends for picnics, barbecues, exploring and swimming. Smith family heirs preserved the property, selling it to the City of Austin in 1999 as part of the Water Quality Protection Lands.
Today, a “descendant" of that mighty buffalo hides along the trail, awaiting letterbox hunters.
Clues
Follow 360 to Old Spicewood Springs Road
Turn west, then immediate right, to a car parking hold.
Leave your car locked, and cross to the trailhead quite nice.
To a Memorial to the Smiths—Irving and Hazeline to be precise.
The stops on the trail kiosk are 8 in all
From Victory Garden to Stone Bridge Fall(s).
Locate the stop where little ones played,
With a name synonymous with the one who this stamp made.
At that place face the info and read all about it.
Then step to the right counting steps (twice 15) + 8…
…to the trail marker brown, on your right it will be.
Then 66 more steps—to the large oak tree.
The tree’s on your left, but please don’t howl,
For protruding without is a wire most foul.
A bearing now take, by degrees 210.
There’s a cedar you’ll see, by feet 5 and 10.
Between the split trunk the bull will be found,
Hunted again in old Balcones Escarpment ground.
Stamp the logbook; leave your trail name below.
The date would be nice, as you certainly know.
Rehide the box well, with branches to cover,
So others can find this buffalo brother.
Tread lightly on flora, no branch to disturb.
Leave everything sightly, on the grass not a blurb.
Let me know how it goes, contact placer, s’il vous plait.
It’s great to hear from fellow “hunters” both night and day.