Hill Country Hiking began with a trip to the Waco Mammoth Site outside of Waco.  Students were given a tour and taught about what scientists believe happened to the Columbian Mammoths whose fossil remains were found in that area.  Afterward, students were given a chance to look for fossils in a bucket of dirt. They were surprised to find all kinds of sharks teeth and shells.  Later that day, students did team building activities at Highland Lakes Camp, where they climbed a wall as a group and rode the zip line. On the second day, students rotated between a physics challenge, nature hike, orienteering, and archery lessons.

Finally, on the third day, students hiked or rock climbed at Enchanted Rock.  After a morning with the ranger, students hiked on their own while exploring a cave or climbing to their heart’s content.  On Thursday, a trip to Hamilton Pool revealed a beautiful open cave complete with stalactites and fallen shale along with a gorgeous swimming hole.  In the afternoon, back at the camp, students fished and played paintball. The trip ended with a ride on Towne Lake where students ate pizza and watched the bats come out from under the bridge and a trip to Amy’s for ice cream where some tried to catch their ice cream from across the street.  During the adventures of the week, students learned about the rock cycle, how Enchanted Rock and Hamilton Pool formed, along with sedimentary rock and fossil identification.  Students learned while having an adventure and enjoying the beautiful planet that God gave us to explore.

Rachel Berkley said, “Thanks for making a memorable experience that I will always remember from my 6^th grade year.”

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