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A flat, easy connector bridging Government Canyon's main trails.


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Map Key

0.6

Miles

0.9

KM

Point to Point

1,212' 370 m

High

1,185' 361 m

Low

27' 8 m

Up

11' 3 m

Down

1%

Avg Grade (1°)

3%

Max Grade (2°)

Dogs No Dogs

Government Canyon State Natural Area is open Friday through Monday, 7 am to 10 pm. Some additional openings are found around major holidays, and there may be closures after inclement weather to protect the trails. Check their website for updates, tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/….

Admission for visitors 13 years and older is $6. Overnight camping is available.

Pets are allowed on the frontcountry trails only (Savannah Loop and Lytle's Loop).

Description

A short, easy route between Joe Johnston Route and Sendero Balcones, Little Windmill is also home to Government Canyon's backcountry camping area. The trail is much more open to the air than others in the area, and can be a welcome relief for hikers turning off from some of the nearby technical routes.

The western end of the trail begins as a flat packed dirt doubletrack, though it narrows quickly down to standard singletrack. A pit bathroom is located a few hundred feet down the trail to the left and is impossible to miss. A huge grassy clearing follows soon after.

Around the halfway point, Little Windmill enters the trees and a few rocks join the mix, though it remains an easy hike. The track parallels a dry creek bed briefly before ending at a signed intersection on Sendero Balcones, just across from Black Hill Loop and the Protected Habitat Area.

Flora & Fauna

The Texas Hill Country is well known for its abundant tree life. Government Canyon exhibits a number of these varieties, including mountain laurel, Ashe juniper, mesquite and live oak. Birds and deer are the most common animals encountered in the area.

Contacts

Shared By:

Brendan Ross

Trail Ratings

  3.3 from 3 votes

#27006

Overall
  3.3 from 3 votes
5 Star
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4 Star
33%
3 Star
67%
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Trail Rankings

#664

in Texas

#27,006

Overall
2 Views Last Month
126 Since Feb 14, 2016
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate

33%
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67%
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Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
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