Inks Lake, Revisited: A New Year’s Adventure
We’ve been to Inks Lake State Park before, but this visit felt completely different. Last time, the park was nearly empty—quiet trails, peaceful campsites, plenty of solitude. But this time, we were there for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and the place was buzzing with activity. Turns out, spending New Year’s in a state park is a thing, and we love that!
New Year’s at the Park
The park had a group midnight hike planned for New Year’s Eve and a First Day Hike for the next morning. We fully support these traditions… in spirit. We were in bed by 10 p.m., so the midnight hike wasn’t in the cards for us, but it was fun knowing a group of people were out there ringing in the new year on the trails.
We spent New Year’s Eve afternoon exploring the park, watching the ducks on the lake, and just taking in the festive atmosphere. Families were out enjoying the day, campers had their sites decorated, and it felt like a great way to close out the year.
First Day Hike: Gneiss Rocks and Rocky Trails
New Year’s Day brought our first hike of the year, and we kicked it off with the Devil's Waterhole Nature Trail, Valley Spring Creek Trail, and Devil's Backbone Nature Trail.
This route wraps around the northeast edge of the lake, taking us through some interesting and rocky terrain. The highlight? The gneiss ("nice") rocks—some of the oldest in Texas, formed over a billion years ago. Not a bad way to start the year, hiking through deep geological time.
We made it about halfway through Devil’s Backbone Trail, but then things got… questionable. The trail got very rocky, and at a certain point, we weren’t entirely sure where we were supposed to go next. Rather than turn our First Day Hike into our First Day Scramble, we decided to play it safe and turn back.
If anyone has successfully navigated the western half of this trail, please send tips for next time!
Final Thoughts
Even though this wasn’t our first time at Inks Lake in the winter, being there for New Year’s made it feel like a completely new experience. The mix of festive energy, crisp winter air, and peaceful lake views was something special. It turns out starting the year on the trail is a pretty great way to do it.
Have you ever spent New Year’s at a state park? Or tackled Devil’s Backbone Trail all the way through? Let us know—we’re already making plans for our next visit!
