David and I really needed a vacation recently. So, we went camping at Lake Fannin for Easter weekend. We got up there around sunset. The gate to the park was closed. I was nervous because it didn't look like anyone else was around at all. We went to the boat launch across the lake and filled up the canoe with our stuff. Then we paddled across to the park and dropped it off. We went searching for the caretaker, a little old man named Robin. He was a nice guy who lived alone at the park as a volunteer. He told us some stories about losing 2 of his 4 dogs to coyotes and mountain lions and the history of the park. He said that we could stay there. We were the only ones. I set up the tents in the dark. The toads and coyotes were crazy at night. But I was able to sleep through them. David went fishing in the morning, but didn't catch anything. After we ate breakfast, people started showing up to the park. There is a 6 miles trail there. The weather was perfect. There were other volunteers building bridges.
Apparently the park was built in 1938 by the U.S. Forest Service. 20,000 people came to opening weekend. There were stone cabins, a boat house, 2 lodges, and a bath house. Over the years, it got old and dilapidated. There are ruins of cabins all over the park. The Forest Service didn't want to put any money into it. So, this couple adopted the place and fixed it up. Once they were done, the Forest Service said, "We want it back now." Right now, a non-profit organization runs it, but the Forest Service owns it. It's not the much of a park, I could see why they didn't want to put any money into it. But I am glad they kept it open.
We walked around for a while. The lodge is in a very pretty place in the park. We paddled around the lake, there is a little island in the middle. We drove around the outside areas of the park. They are cutting down all the cedar trees that have invaded the area because they are not a native species of tree. It was originally prairie land. The smell of cut cedar is great! We found out from Robin that it was supposed to rain or snow Saturday night. We pondered leaving then, but we didn't. It rained a little that night, just enough to be annoying while cleaning up. We packed up before breakfast and took 78 all the way home. We stopped in Wylie to eat. At the cafe, we had a couple blatantly cut in front of us for a table. That makes me so mad. Easter dinner we ate at David's parent's house in Irving. No Easter pizza this year. The whole trip was very relaxing, I can't wait to go again.
A Canadian Goose sitting on our dock.
Looking at the restored cabins.
Sara, the happy paddler.
Sara, the big truck driver.
One of the less stellar "sign shots" we've taken.
Water tower outside the caretaker's house.
Out little boat.
Our campsite from the water.
This is an old boathouse. You would park your boat at the bottom and there was a dancing deck up top.
The ruins of a cabin.
A Canadian Goose sitting on her eggs. She is very made we are there.
David making breakfast.
You can't really see it, but this is a picture of the Red River and Oklahoma. The catch is we are facing southwest.
The High Bluff Lodge.
A new bridge built by volunteers.
Erosion.
Getting ready to go.
Our little campsite.
David on the lake.
David coming in to the dock.
David cooking breakfast.
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