Kenneth E. Harker
2009 Lake Somerville State Park

Jen and I spent an afternoon at Lake Somerville State Park and Trailway in January, 2009. The park is separated into two units, the Birch Creek Unit and the Nails Creek Unit, with the 13 mile long Lake Somerville Trailway, a hiking/equestrian trail that connects the two park units through the Somerville Wildlife Management Area. We visited both units of the park, took a mile-long hike inside the Birch Creek Unit, and walked about a mile and a half of the trailway. This was not our favorite state park - you really cannot escape the sound of oil and gas wells anywhere you go, especially in the Nails Creek unit.

These photos are copyright © 2009 Kenneth E. Harker. All rights reserved.

	We started our visit at the Birch Creek unit. This was a beach/picnic area where we had a picnic lunch. It must be the windiest place in the park.
	The sun came out briefly while we were there, but the wnter day was mostly overcast.
	Two armadillos at a culvert that went under one of the park roads. It looked like maybe one was a parent and the other a juvenile, but I'm not a biologist, so I could be wrong.
	The smaller of the two armadillos, rooting around in the grass and the oak leaves.
	The larger of the two armadillos.
	The older armadillo had some damage to one of its ears.
	The younger armadillo decides to run away.
	We walked a trail that forms a one mile loop around what is normally a peninsula that extends out into the lake. The lake level was somewhat low when we were there - most of this field of grass would be underwater when the lake is at its normal conservation level.
	The stand of trees in the distance was separated from us by a very marginal stream of water that you can't see through the field of grass.
	Our first view of the lake from this trail.
	The trail came down to this beach, where the wind was blowing across the lake.
	Jen, with the wind in her hair.
	A view of the beach and some of the other shoreline. The black tree stumps might be from trees that were growing there during the original impoundment of the reservoir in 1967. Normally, they would be several feet underwater.
	The wind creates some small waves breaking on the shore.
	This part of Texas is naturally a mix of grassland and stands of post oak. I thought the lone oak tree on the opposite shore was evocative.
	The sun came out briefly again.