Ben Masters’ latest documentary focuses on Texas rivers and the wildlife they support. Photo courtesy Fin & Fur Films

If you’ve paddled the Devils River or leaped off a rope swing into the Frio, you know that springs, creeks and rivers make Texas special.

The newest documentary from Texas filmmaker Ben Masters, “Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers,” focuses on the state’s water, and the challenges the water supply faces as the population swells.

The film is a follow-up to Masters’ 2022 documentary, “Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story.” That film, narrated by Matthew McConaughey, celebrated wildlife and landscapes of the Lone Star State. This one turns to our rivers, from the rugged Rio Grande to the Sabine and Neches, and the wildlife they support.

Texas actor Ethan Hawke narrates the latest film. To create it, the Fin & Fur Films  team from spent months filming mountain lions on the Pecos, snapping turtles on the Neches, otters on the Sabine, fatmuckets on the Llano, and whooping cranes in the estuary of the Guadalupe.

Masters says most of his favorite memories are tied to Texas rivers.

“I grew up on the Canadian, fell in love on the Brazos, got married on the Guadalupe, found adventure on the Rio Grande, and am raising my kids on the Colorado,” he said in a press release. “Spending three years in cinematography gave me a newfound appreciation for how special and unique our rivers are.”

Masters’ previous credits include “Unbranded,” “The River and the Wall,” and “The American Southwest.”

The film will screen in theaters starting Sept. 25.

A javelina looks over an area where bulldozers have begun clearing land at Bend National Park. Photo by Natalie Newman

One of my longtime journalism sources, former Big Bend Superintendent Bob Krumenaker, sent out more information about what’s happening at Big Bend National Park.

Contractors broke ground on Wednesday, but Customs and Border Protection still won’t say exactly what they’re doing, instead claiming they are “in the initial stages of planning and design.”

Krumenaker, now chairman of Keep Big Bend Wild, says bulldozers are clearing a right of way for a new road, likely a “patrol road.” The road is adjacent to the existing paved road from the Santa Elena boat ramp, heading east.

Bulldozers began clearing land near Santa Elena Canyon at Bend National Park this week. Photo by Natalie Newman

“The road is heading in the direction of the popular Cottonwood Campground and the Castolon Historic District,” the press release says. “The consequences for Cottonwood Campground are unknown, but likely devastating.”

He also points out that the route is in the Rio Grande floodplain, and subject to damaging flooding. It also goes through designated critical habitat for the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. (The Secretary of Homeland Security has waived the Endangered Species Act for the project.) And no word on the impacts to the Castolon Historic District.

Crews are clearing land near Santa Elena Canyon at Bend National Park this week. Photo by Natalie Newman

Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest Pool was the first 50-meter pool to open in Austin.

I took my first swim lessons at Northwest District Pool in 1970, more than a decade after it opened as the first 50-meter Olympic-sized pool in Austin.

In the ensuing years, my sisters and I spent long afternoons there, leaving our belongings in wire baskets behind the entry desk, working up the nerve to jump off the high dive and buying ice cream sandwiches from a vending machine in a chain link shed.

The diving board and vending machines are long gone, but the pool recently underwent a renovation. And at noon on Aug. 9, it will mark its 70^th birthday with free entry and a community celebration.

The City of Austin purchased land for the park – at 7000 Ardath Street, the site of an old quarry – in 1955. The pool opened for a swim meet on July 28, 1956, and was formally dedicated on August 9, 1956. During the pool’s first month of operation, more than 31,000 people visited – more than visited Barton Springs Pool at the time, according to a press release from the city.

Read more: Why swimming in a lake, pond or river beats a pool every time

The park was renamed to honor former Parks and Recreation Director Beverly S. Sheffield in 2001. Sheffield’s daughter, Sally Sheffield Attaway, will speak at the Aug. 9 celebration, and other family members will attend.
Recent renovations included resurfacing of the 50-meter pool, new shade structures, upgraded fencing and lighting, and an improved entry area. Thankfully, the curved, open-air bathhouse looks the same, although it’s been upgraded with new fixtures.

The celebration starts at noon and will include a demonstration by the McCallum High School swim team and displays of historic photos and memorabilia. Snacks will be provided. Austin Parks and Recreation, Friends of Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park, Austin Parks Foundation and the Allandale Neighborhood Association are hosting the event.

Shield Ranch Barton Creek is located 20 miles west of downtown Austin. Photo courtesy Shield Ranch Foundaiton

Dream of scampering up and down rolling ranch roads in the Hill Country on a mountain bike?

Registration is open for this fall’s Wild Ride at Shield Ranch Barton Creek, set for Sept. 26. The ranch, a 6,600-acre property west of Austin protected through land easements, allows rare cycling access to the property. The ranch makes up about 10 percent of the Barton Creek Watershed.

Here’s a story I wrote about Shield Ranch for The Nature Conservancy a few years ago.

Proceeds from the ride will benefit the Shield Ranch Foundation’s Wild for Good Circle, which supports programs including Camp El Ranchito, which brings fourth- through twelfth-graders from low-income households to the ranch for nature immersion camps.

Shield Ranch will open to mountain bikers for Wild Ride on Sept. 26. Photo courtesy Shield Ranch Foundation

Participants can choose from 8-mile and 16-mile routes.

Cost is $150 and includes a $100 tax deductible donation to the Shield Ranch Foundation. Lunch and post-ride refreshments are included. (Cost is $50 for non-riders.)

The ride starts at 8:30 a.m.

Last year I hiked and swam up Santa Elena Canyon at Big Bend National Park. Charlie Gandy photo

I first got hooked on hiking as a kid, when my dad led me into the ravine at the end of our street in Northwest Hills. That led to longer hikes along Shoal Creek and the Barton Creek Greenbelt. But even I discovered plenty of new routes while researching my latest book, “Urban Trails Austin” (Mountaineers Books; $18.95.)

The guide, set to publish Oct. 1, highlights 40 trails in and around the city, from the Ann and Roy Butler Trail at Lady Bird Lake to the Brushy Creek Regional Trail in Round Rock.

I’ve hiked over Whitney Pass on the John Muir Trail twice. Chris LeBlanc photo

The book is available for pre-order now here. I’m also planning several book signings. Stay tuned for more information on that.

I’ve spent the last couple of years sneaking in hikes whenever I can, and I’ve learned a lot.

The best trail if you’re training for a backpacking trip? The River Place Nature Trail.

The best trail for birdwatchers? The Hornsby Bend Trail.

The best trail if you want to take a dip when you’re done? The loop at Commons Ford Ranch.

The 224-page book covers these trails and more, including routes at Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park and along Onion Creek.

If you’re not familiar with my work, I’m a long-time journalist who spent 21 years at the Austin American-Statesman, where I wrote mainly about fitness and adventure. (Remember the Fit City column?) I’m happiest outside, and biking, hiking and swimming are part of my daily life. I’ve backpacked the John Muir Trail and the High Sierra Trail in California, as well as routes through Glacier National Park and Big Bend National Park. Here in Austin, you can frequently find me on the Barton Creek Greenbelt, especially if there’s been rain.

Today I’m on the loose as a freelance writer. I focus on travel, outdoor adventure and environmental issues for about 30 publications, including Texas Monthly, Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine, The Nature Conservancy Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, Texas Highways, and Texas Coop Power Magazine. Find links to my latest work at www.pamleblancadventures.com.

Pam LeBlanc sits in a Helinox Zero LT. Chris LeBlanc photo

A can of beans. A large bag of potato chips. Four sticks of butter.

The newest ultra-light chair from Helinox, the Chair Zero LT, weighs barely an ounce more than each of those things, which means it might actually make it into my backpack when I hit the John Muir Trail again later this summer.

I’m a weight weenie. I work hard to keep the weight of my backpack low. Nothing’s more miserable than trying to lug a heavy pack over mountain passes.

When I hiked 200 miles on the John Muir Trail in 2016, my backpack, including nine days of food, weighed 28 pounds. (That’s without water, which weighs a little more than 8 pounds per gallon.)

The Helinox Zero LT, center, weighs 1.1 pounds. Pam LeBlanc photo

I didn’t carry a camp chair then, but I’m thinking about it now. I’m older. My bones are creaky, and the idea of settling into an actual camp chair instead of lowering my buns onto a hard rock at the end of the day sounds appealing.

With that in mind, I recently tested the Chair Zero LT by Helinox, which weighs just 1 pound 1 ounce.

That’s significantly lighter than the Helinox One, which weighs in at about 2 pounds – not worth it on a long backpacking trip, but good for a shorter adventure. That chair is sturdier and an inch or two larger in every dimension. It also holds more weight– 320 pounds for the One compared to 265 pounds for the Zero LT.

The new Zero LT is made of lightweight mesh and ripstop fabric, so tears don’t spread. The poles are shock-corded, so it whips itself into place when you unpack it. It comes with an X-shaped stabilizer strap that helps prevent it from sinking into the sand or grass, but I’d leave that at home.

One complaint? I staggered like a drunk trying to get up from the seated position. And it’s expensive. The Helinox Zero LT costs $159.95. The Helinox One costs $139.95, but you can find it on sale for less than $100.

Now I’ve just got to figure out where I can shave a few more ounces off my base weight so I can take my new chair with me.