We chose a state park that was relatively close--Pedernales Falls is only an hour drive from our house. We chose Monday, Memorial Day, because we guessed that most of the people camping would be busy packing up their tents, leaving the river to us. We packed our bags the night before, then got up before dawn, leaving the house at 6:00 am. Tiernan slept almost the whole way, and when we arrived at 7:00, the sun was just up, the morning was cool, and the river virtually deserted.
There on the shore, we ate our breakfast of banana muffins and fruit.
Tiernan was ecstatic.
The entertainment of choice was throwing rocks into the water to make splashes, exploring, and playing in the sand.
Parts of the falls reminded me a lot of Johnson's Shut-Ins, one of my favorite parks in Missouri.
Near the falls is a spring pouring out from underneath the roots of a tree. It was a beautiful spot, so full of life.
The view from the overlook, on our way back up.
Swimming is not allowed in the falls, so we headed to the area downstream that is open for swimming.
We played for a few hours in the shallows.
Mid-morning snack on the bank.
Although people were beginning to explore the falls, this part of the river was empty until later in the morning.
More play!
He wasn't so sure about deeper water.
After swimming, we ate a quick lunch and headed home, getting back as the heat was picking up.
For more pictures, you can see the full web album.
