Family-friendly hiking spots in Williamson County

By April S. Kelley

With more than 2,600 acres of parks and trails stretching across Williamson County, it’s easy to find a familyfriendly hike beneath the warming spring sun on any given day. Not sure where to go? Check out the handy-dandy list below of the best hiking trails to explore with your family, all within the county.

Chisholm Trail Crossing

Brushy Creek Regional Trail

This 7.75 mile, mostly concrete, trail is about as family-friendly as one can get - all without being boring. From scenic views to parks and ponds, families can find something for everyone, as the trail winds its way from Cedar Park through Round Rock. Several access points along Brushy Creek make it easy to hike a different part each time, and it is one of the easiest hikes, suitable for strollers, a rambunctious toddler or even favorite furry friendship.

Chisholm Trail Crossing

Round Rock’s most well-known park, featuring the town’s namesake, is likely the most family-friendly trail in the area, with playscapes for all ages, sculptures and a trail winding through nature, history and community. Though the park is only 1.51 acres, it is bursting with potential for the perfect spring day.

San Gabriel River Trail

The San Gabriel River Trail in Georgetown offers 6.6 miles of trails, featuring natural springs and culminating at the historic “Blue Hole” swimming hole. While important to note one of the area’s best swimming holes, especially come summer, this trail provides so much more than a preview of summer fun. Blue Hole never dries up, regardless of drought conditions, and even if it’s too cold to swim, it is one of the most beautiful sights in Williamson county. Part of this mixed-surface trail does not work well with a stroller, but it is easy and safe for children to walk along.

Southwest Williamson County Regional Park

Southwest Williamson County Regional Park literally has it all, sports fields and courts, playscapes, trails, a train and even a splash pad in summer months. Several natural, mixed-surface trails run across the more than 500 acres that make up this park. And the kids can take a ride on the Cedar Rock Railroad miniature train, which travels alongside and through the trails, adding an extra level of excitement to an already awesome park. Therefore, be sure to keep safe and be on the lookout for the train when hiking or biking the trails.

Stony Point High School journalism teacher helps direct

students into the media field

By Pamela Cosel

ROUND ROCK, Texas – Yearbooks and school newspapers are usually considered extra-curricular activities – not as “important,” perhaps to some, as reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic. Ah, but many current-day journalists and television news anchors started out showing their reporting skills on a high school newspaper, or as graphic designers working on layouts for their school’s yearbook.

Such is the case at Stony Point High School. Former TV journalist and reporter at WJHG Newschannel 7 in Panama City, Florida, Holly Nichols has been a full-time teacher at SPHS since 2017. Just as a former teacher led her into journalism, she is now doing that for current students, who recently participated virtually in the annual National High School Journalism Convention in November. In 2019, Nichols was able to take students in person, but due to COVID-19, that was not possible in 2020. The conference features keynote speakers, and has representatives attend from major media schools, such as the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication from Arizona State University.

“I was drawn into the field of journalism during my high school years,” Nichols explained. “We had a program called ComTech (communications technology academy) that combined all of the core classes with the technology electives, so the work we did for yearbook, newspaper, and TV productions counted for our English, history, science, and math credits. It also had a program where we interned at local businesses during our senior year. I interned at WJHG Newschannel 7 back in Panama City, FL and they hired me before the first semester ended.”

One could say journalism is in her blood, as her paternal grandparents worked at a newspaper in their younger years, she said. “I always felt journalism kept my connection to them. I finished my Master’s degree in communications, with the intention of becoming a news director at a television station one day.”

In moving to the Central Texas area ten years ago, Nichols felt a pull to become a teacher.

“I tried substitute teaching to see what grades I would like to teach,” she explained. “It was very obvious that high school was my best fit. There weren’t any journalism positions open in Round Rock, so I taught down in Austin for two years. When the position opened at Stony Point High School, I applied as soon as I saw it. I remembered how much I loved substitute teaching there and what a wonderful community of teachers and staff they have.”

SPHS senior Moryah Kline attended the 2019 conference. While she does not expect to pursue a journalism career, she said she will participate in such organizations in college. She said attending the national National High School Journalism Convention was very beneficial to her.

“The most important thing that I was exposed to at the national journalism conference was leadership tips,” Kline said. “This was, and still is, so important to me because I am a CoEditor-in-Chief of the yearbook staff at Stony Point as well as the Student Council President. Leadership has always been, and will continue to be, important to me, so it is always beneficial for me to find new ways to improve in that area.”

SPHS senior Lucy Kulzick has realized she is drawn to broadcast journalism by being involved in Nichols’ classes.

“I became interested in journalism my freshman year of high school,” Kulzick said. “I had a free space in my schedule and had always been interested in writing and storytelling, so I signed up for journalism 1. When I took the class, I became more interested in journalistic news and was especially drawn to broadcast journalism. The ability to have access to cameras and video editing software made the overall experience so much more enjoyable.”

The other students who participated in the national conference included Zohee Zaragoz, Tess Howicz and Trevor Cross.

“I know it seems cliche to say, but the highlights, to me, are my students,” Nichols explained. “They really are amazing. Many of my yearbook, newspaper, and broadcasting students are academic high-achievers and participate in many other extracurricular activities too. I have students in cheerleading, orchestra, band, student council, choir, NHS, dance, soccer, football, cross country, and HOSA. They’re all very informed about their world and they give me a lot of hope for the future. Some of my students aren’t planning to stay in journalism in college, but the teamwork and leadership they’ve learned from my journalism teams will stay with them.”

The field of journalism has changed over the past few decades since Walter Cronkite was on the air, his significant emotional delivery of the news in 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. But the passion for conveying the news is the same for those who like telling stories and sharing what is going on in the world. Perhaps one of the SPHS students will one day create a legacy such as Cronkite did.