The Upper Cibolo II Traditional Cache
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(regular)
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Cliffs, a valley, and running water. Not much is prettier than this! Take a drive in picturesque Kendall County along Upper Cibolo Creek.
Cibolo Creek rises upstream of Champee Springs, ten miles northwest of Boerne in southwestern Kendall County. It runs southeast for 100 miles forming the Bexar-Comal and the Bexar-Guadalupe county lines and crosses Wilson County, to its mouth on the San Antonio River, five miles northwest of Karnes City.
This upper system contains most of the persistently flowing reaches of Cibolo Creek and is an important component in the drainage area of the Edwards Aquifer. Rain falling in the drainage area soaks into the limestone of the Edwards Plateau forming spring-fed streams. These streams flow over relatively less permeable older rock formations until they reach the recharge zone of the aquifer.
Noteworthy examples of plants endemic to Kendall County and the Hill Country are easily seen. This south facing slope supports a colony of young American smoke trees Cotinus obovatus. What a rare treat! Smoke trees are only marginally available in the nurseries and this was the first time I had seen them in the wild. Female trees put on a show twice a year. In spring pink to purple-pink flowers give a smoky haze, and in fall leaves turn bright yellow or orange. In the bottom of the canyon, the creek banks are dotted with intense spots of green from maidenhair ferns. The Ashe junipers (cedars) here are the real thing – old growth. Look at the twisting trunks and peeling bark, just like giant bonsai!
Listen up. A multitude of bird song can be heard in this undisturbed place. Look for American robins in spring. Check power lines for American kestrels, the smallest North American hawks, and usually only winter residents here. Vocal red shouldered hawks are usually overhead. You may see beautiful Rio Grande turkeys on the way in.
The geology of the area is on permanent display. Exposed limestones of the Glen Rose Formation soar overhead and provide vivid evidence of the Cretaceous Period. The erosive power of water and weather can be seen where huge boulders have fallen to the creek bed revealing the cream colored surface of unweathered rock. These limestone cliffs create a sheltered feeling while driving along the road and are the textural backdrop for one of the most beautiful views in southern Kendall County.
• This road is five miles long and you need to drive slowly.
• That's Kerr County on the other side of the gate.
• Please pay careful attention and don’t trample any plants. Some are rare and a joy to see.
• Be sure to look before reaching – A good place for a container is also a good place for a critter and/or a thorny plant.
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