Dripping Area Outdoor Spaces Self-Guided Tour
Dear New Life Friends,
Please visit some of these local outdoor spaces. Some are restaurants, some businesses, some sacred/church spaces. There are more, we know - feel free to let Pastor Carmen know some of your other favorites. If you are able to visit these before our Listening Day on the land, they can give us information about our hopes and goals for our New Life property. How can we spread the gospel - the good news of God’s love - to our neighbors and serve others with this gift of place we have been given to steward. Let us pray and dream together!
Peace,
Pastor Carmen
Link to map here: https://goo.gl/maps/18MRNaD3YMJ2
New Life to Westcave:
17 min./ 12.5 mi
Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center
24814 Hamilton Pool Rd, Round Mountain, TX 78663
While you are here at this lovely outdoor space, with trails and a beautiful canyon and cave, please visit the bathrooms! This is a Clivus Multrum brand composting toilet - they have done many park and recreational facility bathrooms (check out their website: http://www.clivusmultrum.com). The ones at West Cave are older (15 years?), and work great with low maintenance. The Westcave visitor center is a cool building with rainwater collection.
Westcave to St. Luke’s:
10 min/8.2 mil
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
10063 Cypress Mill Rd, Cypress Mill, TX 78663
Check out this little country church for a couple of reasons: 1) stations of the cross trails, 2) a small stone chapel that is open all the time for people to come and pray.
St. Luke’s to Fitzhugh Baptist
26 min/19.5 mi.
Fitzhugh Baptist Church
11607 Crumley Ranch Rd, Austin, TX 78736
http://www.fitzhughbaptist.org
At this little country church, check out the old pavilion.
Fitzhugh Baptist to Stanley’s
5 min/2.5 mil.
Stanley’s Pizza
Ceres Park Ranch, 13187 Fitzhugh Rd, Austin, TX 78736
http://www.stanleysfarmhousepizza.com
This barn-like structure has sliding barn doors, a pathway to an open-air kitchen, and bathrooms in an old airstream - lots of ideas for us here!
Stanley’s to Natural Gardener
15 min/8.5 mil.
Natural Gardener
8648 Old Bee Caves Road, Austin, TX 7873
http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com
This nursery and gardening store has a large grounds with several things that might be of interest to New Life: many archways demarcate special areas; there is a labyrinth; the central greenhouse building has restaurant-grade roll-up heavy plastic sides; open-air storage sheds around parking lot; and they have a tent for speakers and events that stays up and has roll-up sides.
Natural Gardener to Oak Hill UMC
6 min/3.1 mi.
Oak Hill United Methodist Church
7815 US-290, Austin, TX 78749
Look at their labyrinth - is very large and has nice signage and walking information. This was an Eagle Scout project.
Oak Hill UMC to Wildflower Center
11 min/4.7 mi.
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center
https://www.wildflower.org/visit/family-garden
There is much to see here: paths, plantings, open spaces, rainwater harvest, and a variety of structures. But what we are most hoping New Life folks will check out is the “family garden:” this is an interactive area - a natural playscape! There is a shrub maze, big boulders to climb, and more.
Wildflower Center to Charro Ranch
23 min/15.8 mi.
Charro Ranch Park
22690 W. FM 150, Driftwood, TX 78619
http://www.cityofdrippingsprings.com/page/parks_charro
This is a new park on land similar to New Life. See the bird blind (with solar-powered automatic watering hole), walking paths, a spiral/labyrinth, and a new pavilion structure.
Charro Ranch to DSUMC
7 min/3.8 mi.
Dripping Springs United Methodist Church
28900 Ranch Rd 12, Dripping Springs, TX 78620
Our neighbors at Dripping Springs United Methodist Church have a labyrinth near their parking lot that is handicap-accessible- on cement. An idea as we expand accessibility -stop by and pray there to experience it.
