Answers To Go: Introduce kids to the outdoors with ‘60 hikes within 60 Miles’

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“60 Hikes within 60 Miles.”

March 6, 2010

By Susan Smith San Marcos Public Library The San Marcos Record Sat Mar 06, 2010, 10:51 AM CST

— Each week hundreds of people call or visit the San Marcos Public Library to find information. "Answers•To•Go" highlights recently received questions. Please visit the library at 625 East Hopkins, call 393-8200 for information over the phone, or e-mail us through our Web page at www.ci.san-marcos.tx.us/library.htm.

Q. I’d like to introduce my children to hiking. Do you have any books that recommend hikes in our area?

A. We’ve got a lot of Texas travel books. One that specializes in trails is “60 Hikes within 60 Miles” by Tom Taylor and Johnny Molloy. It covers San Antonio, Austin, and the Hill Country.

They list a hike in New Braunfels that has a lot going for it. First there’s the name, Panther Canyon Trail. Then there’s the location, Landa Park. After your hike, a picnic and a visit to the playground are bound to be popular.

Here are some details on the hike. It’s a 1.6 mile in and out trail. With younger children, you can always make your time on the trail a bit shorter.

Taylor and Molloy write, “The trail begins at Comal Springs, the headwaters of the Comal River. Panther Canyon is dry, heavy rains excepted. You will crisscross the wet-weather streambed beneath rich woodland covering the canyon floor and hills.

Sheer rock bluffs add a scenic touch to the walk.

“At a bench, look across the canyon for a small cave, really more of a narrow tunnel-like opening. This is an old spring mouth, now dry. It is known as Hairy Cave. During the summer, the cave is so thick with granddaddy longlegs that the inside appears to be hairy.”

On weekends, the park also operates a small train, a miniature golf course, and a boat house. For details call (830) 221-4350.

If you’d like to hike in San Marcos, the San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department and the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance have worked together to offer a number of trails. For details, go online to www.smgreenbelt.org/SMNaturalAreas.htm

I think our Schulle Canyon trail would be great with little kids. The trail is only a half mile long and it’s easy to find. Take Ranch Road 12 toward Wimberley. Turn right at the Holland Street traffic light. Take the second left onto Alamo Street. Alamo dead ends at a kiosk with parking area for the trail.

If you want to have spring break fun in town, don’t forget the library! Miss Ashley has planned puppet shows, storytimes, juggling classes, and a story festival with crafts. For details, call (512) 393-8200 or check out the library’s Web page at www.sanmarcostx.gov/library.

Q. Could you help me find out how much it costs to mail a letter to the Netherlands?

A. The United States Postal Service website has a long page of information about mailing letters and packages to the Netherlands. Toward the bottom, it gives rates for mailing first class letters.

The charge for a letter that weighs one ounce or less is 98 cents. If your letter weighs more than one ounce and not over two ounces, the price is $1.82.

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