Yegua Knobbs, a Gift of Nature

By Raymond Butler

It is the time of year that we gather together to count our blessings and to give each other gifts of joy and well being. We travel across nations to our loved ones, taking the many wondrous things we see along the way as treasures of the trip. I would like to tell you about one of those things, a place here in our own backyard. We are fortunate to live in the Bastrop – Lee County area, as we have a geographic feature standing between the two rivers, the Brazos and the Colorado, which marshaled trade and transportation for this region till the modern age. This unique geographic feature is known as “The Knobbs of McDade”. Within this special area is a protected land which is home to the fourth tallest knobb and is known as the “Yegua Knobbs Preserve”. 360 acres include a pond that is perfect Houston Toad habitat, a spring that bubbles right out of the ground, a beaver pond, a marsh and bog all call this place home. Being protected land, it is also a home and release facility for raptors and other native Texas animals. Trails allow a hike to cover the perimeter, or walk the county line; and of course, trails lead you to those precious places that call the Yegua Knobbs home. The Yegua Knobbs Preserve is also a partner in twice yearly bird population census, helping to monitor the health of the wild bird species that transit through the area. The Yegua Knobbs Preserve is open by appointment for groups wishing to learn about the nature of Central Texas, thus enabling visitors to return to their communities to help spread the word of the beauty that is Texas - all from here in our own back yards. The YKP is also open to the public during field days in the spring and fall.

The Yegua Knobbs Preserve is owned and operated by Pines and Prairies Land Trust to help preserve the rural character of our communities and provide places to learn about the natural world. For more information about Pines and Prairies Land Trust, the Yegua Knobbs Preserve and other PPLT projects and land protection programs please contact Carrie Knox at 512-308-1911 or check the website at www.pplt.org. For more information about the Yegua Knobbs Preserve please contact Travis Brown at 512-914-3681 or travisbrown@earthlink.net.