Although Enchanted Rock is located just west of Lake LBJ, it’s a short drive over to Fredericksburg for one of the best hiking experiences in the Texas Hill Country. As legends have it, people have been enamored with this pink granite dome for thousands of years - coming from all over the country to experience the beautiful scenery and rock formations. It rises a whopping 425 feet above ground, the entire dome covers 640 acres.

When hiking, there are a couple trails you can take such as the summit or loop trail. Depending on how regularly you hike, the trails may vary in difficulty. The loop trail is actually the longest path around the park at 4 miles, but it also has the easiest terrain. The summit trail, on the other hand, is the most popular path in the park because it leads you right to the highest point of Enchanted Rock. However, this trail is much more difficult (typically rated ‘moderate’ difficulty among regular hikers) mostly due to the steep and smooth surfaces that become slippery when wet. If the weather forecast predicts heavy rainfall, you may want to set out for the hike another weekend if you’re planning on hiking the summit trail as it’s often closed when it becomes too wet.

After sunset, you can see the gorgeous hill country sky full of sparkling stars cover the entire Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Known as one of the most scenic spots in Texas, the picturesque evening sky is just one of many breathtaking views you can experience around the area.

Now, hiking isn’t the only thing Enchanted Rock offers. In fact, you could camp there if you don’t already have a place to stay on Lake LBJ. Additionally, if you’re feeling ambitious (and you have experience), you could even rock climb the granite dome. Similarly to hiking, you have different trail and route options that vary in difficulty when it comes to rock climbing at Enchanted Rock.

Are you looking to plan your next weekend on the lake? Throw in a day trip to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area - especially if you’ve never been - you won’t regret it!