Wolf counselor Loc: Heart of Texas

(written July 6, 2016)

I finally found (little) Onion Creek and it certainly lives up to its name.

There are two Onion Creeks in Texas.

One is part of a popular tourist attraction at McKinney Falls and is a tributary to the Texas branch of the Colorado River.

The other one, I call (little) Onion Creek, is much smaller and is on private property.

Until today, I've only seen it on maps.

This little creek is not easily accessed and it runs through a large pond.

My friend Eldridge told me about this enchanted little creek years ago.

I searched for it once a few years back while I was exploring Station Creek, during the drought.

Station creek was mostly dried up back then, but there were quite a few isolated pools as I hiked south from FM107.

I took my dogs then, which turned out to be troublesome and resulted in me turning back after much effort trying to catch them up to the leash.

This time I'm alone and I've got permission from the land owners son, in Eagle Springs, to access it from a closer location.

He put me on to a game trail that led from the property of one of their tenants.

Onion creek flows into Station Creek, which further south, flows into The Leon River.

The creeks are now brimming full and the pond is a paradise of tall cattails, wild onions and a thicket of Live Oaks and other trees.

I've already set up to spend the night and after shooing away a couple of water snakes (not cotton mouths), I was able to cool down in the pond.

It's a scorcher of a day and I don't have the luxuries of my camp at The Leon.

There, I'm able to drive my truck right up to the campsite, which gave me use of my generator and my camping gear, including of course, my two 50 quart ice coolers.

But here, I'm truly roughing it.

I will, however, use a small fire later to warm up a bean and sausage m.r.e.

And you can bet I'll spice it up a bit with some wild onions.

I've already eaten a few of them raw.

They sure do open up the sinuses.

I've gorged on some nice cool  plums that I packed to eat while hiking here, so I'm content for now.

This area remains pristine and the owners won't allow four wheelers or off road vehicles on the property.

But getting here on foot with a forty pound cool pack and a rifle, ain't no cake walk my friends.

And I certainly ain't no spring chicken.

I had to stop more than a few times to ward off the heat and take a breather.

I thank God I was able to make this trek and find this place before I get too old to try.

It's everything my friend said it would be.

The sun is well past its meridian now, and evening will soon bring a comforting sunset.

I've already positioned my little home made hammock so that I can watch the western horizon above the tree line.

As I write, there are several mockingbirds chatting away in the branches above me, and they seem to be trying to out do each others mimics.

And two scissortails are performing acrobatic maneuvers in the patch of blue sky to the west.

I'm at the south end of the pond where the creek continues south to join the other creek.

The soft rippling sounds are inviting me to take another cool dip, which I plan to do before supper.

And I'll most likely do it again afterwards so that I'll be completely cooled down before I settle in to sleep.

As it gets later into the evening, I'll settle down and be quiet and see if any wildlife shows up to drink from the pond.

I've already seen sign of deer, hogs, coon, coyote and bobcat tracks at different areas along the creek and around the pond.

I'll get an early start back to my truck in the morning and I should be home by tomorrow evening.

And there, I'll watch the sunset from my own front porch.

While I review my new memories of the legendary Onion Creek.

peter11937 Loc: NYS

You are a very lucky man. Sounds like a true Texican paradise.

mcmlx

Sounds like paradise.

Armageddun Loc: The show me state

This is the type of writing describing your adventures that I like. You and BearK, and Auntie are among the best on the Opp. Thanks for sharing moments that are often "once in a lifetime moments."