Speak of the Devil Series LbNA #73638

Terrain Difficulty: Moderate (slight slope, 3.6 miles RT)
Recommended Ink: red, green, blue & black
Status: alive

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Parts of Texas can be quite inhospitable, so it's no wonder many places and things are nicknamed after the Devil. There was even a poem written about it called Hell In Texas. Since the Devil was prominent in Dante's Inferno, I decided to place this series on Dante's Trail in Upper Purgatory Creek Natural Area. What can I say, the Devil made me do it.

Directions:
From I35 take Wonder World Drive west for about 2 miles to Craddock Ave. Turn left then right before subdivision on Valencia Way and go about 0.5 mile, as it becomes a gravel road, to parking area for Upper Purgatory Creek Park.

Box 1: Devil's Horse
The praying mantis earned this nickname because according to TX folklore it was poisonous, and a man would go blind if one spit in his eye. Find this evil spitter by walking on the trail from kiosk about 100 yards to Dante's Trail and going right on it 55 steps, then right on small path 35 steps to V oak tree behind a cedar tree. LB is at back base under rocks & leaves.

Box 2: Devil's Darning Needle
Old-time believers gave dragonflies this nickname because it was assumed they were poisonous, and if stung by one they would be sick a long time. Continue on Dante's Trail, staying right at nearby confusing set of paths, to yellow D21 marker after trail bends left. Go left behind tree with marker 20 steps to medium double-trunk oak tree with smaller one behind it. LB at back base of first tree under rocks & leaves.

Box 3: Devil Bird
Native Americans and hunters called blue jays this nickname because their raucous cries alerted other animals of danger, thus spoiling the hunt. Continue on Dante's Trail to huge oak tree on left 9 steps away with large limb reaching out toward trail. LB is at back left base under rocks & leaves.

Box 4: Devil's Pincushion
Devil's head cactus earned this nickname, along with the horse crippler, because it grows low to the ground where it is hard to see and has many sharp spines. Continue on Dante's Trail about 75 yards to jct with Paraiso Trail. Go straight on Dante's Trail past "Grandma's Oak" to yellow D40 marker. Go right behind tree with marker 25 steps to large multi-trunk oak tree. LB is at back base under rocks & leaves.

Box 5: Devil's Claw
This refers to a bizarre seed pod that when dried splits lengthwise into two curved, sharp claws that latch onto furry animals to scatter seeds. Continue on Dante's Trail, going down "The Slope" and past a rocky area, to yellow D68 marker. Go left 10 steps to 4' Y-cedar stump just left of smaller stump. LB is at back base of larger stump under rocks & leaves.

Box 6: Devil's Rope
When barbed wire was first used livestock were injured by it, causing religious people to consider it the work of the devil. Continue on Dante's Trail to jct with other end of Paraiso Trail. Go straight on Dante's Trail 50 steps to where trail goes through an old Devil's rope fence. Go 3 more steps then right 10 steps off trail to double-trunk oak. LB is at back base under a rock & leaves.

Box 7: Devil's Toenail
This is the common name for Gryphaea, a genus of extinct oysters with a large gnarly-shaped shell. Continue on Dante's Trail to yellow D105 marker on large oak tree branch over the trail. Go left 15 steps to 3' cedar stump. LB is at back base under rocks & leaves.

Box 8: Devil's Walking Stick
This nickname refers to Ocotillo, a spiny-stemmed shrub found in the desert. Continue on Dante's Trail past "The Overlook" (stop & admire the view) to jct with Malacoda Trail. Go left off trail 10 steps behind oak tree with limb across the jct to second multi-trunk oak tree. LB is at back base under rocks & leaves.



Hike length: 3-5 miles