Outbound Collective logo

Enchanted Rock Loop

Fredericksburg, Texas

4.9/5
based on 20 reviews

Details

Distance

5.13 miles

Elevation Gain

344 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Nick Tort

This 5.5 mile hike with minimal elevation gain gives you gorgeous 360° views of the Texas Hill Country. The summit has a lot of surface area, giving you the opportunity for a little privacy. This hike is great for all ages and is family and pet friendly (except for the summit).

Once inside the park, you can't miss either parking lots that are surrounded by picnic tables and well marked signs pointing towards the trails. There are also some public restrooms and a truck with some snacks. Once geared up, head straight towards the Summit Trail and begin your adventure!

The trail is incredibly easy to follow - there are signs at every turn along the way. You are making your way through small boulder fields and lush desert vegetation. Once you get onto the granite boulder itself, you will see pockets of lichen and lonesome tree patches seemingly growing straight out of the rock. The trail leads to the base of the boulder and it's left up to your imagination to pick your own path to the top.

The summit is huge so there are plenty of spaces to carve out some privacy as well as mini boulder fields that offer a break to the wide open expanse you will find yourself in. In any direction you look, you will be seeing miles of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Take out your camera, snap some photos, grab a snack and soak it all up.

On the descent, I recommend heading down the west face where Enchanted Rock meets Little Rock. Here you can see the power of the earth in action - big & small fractured pieces of granite are seemingly frozen in place as they have broken away from the top layer and have began sliding down the face. Enchanted Rock is an "exfoliation dome," meaning it has layers like an onion, and as the outer layers are pushed up by the base layers, they crack and fall away.

Head up onto Little Rock to look back at Enchanted to truly appreciate the unique beauty of it. Also keep an eye out for climbers making climbing their way up!

You can easily spend the better part of a day just exploring the summit and surrounding areas! If you have the opportunity to stay for sunset, well, now you may have struck granite gold!

Note: Dogs ARE allowed on the loop trail, but NOT allowed on the summit.

Read More

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app
Download GPX File

Features

Hiking
Bathrooms
Dog Friendly
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Groups
Picnic Area
Scenic

Enchanted Rock Loop Reviews

When we went it broke into a hail storm out of no where. The rock was very slick after that. Be sure no rain in forecast or you have slip resistant shoes

It was very challenging for someone that does not do hiking very often but it was amazing, the view of the Texas Hill Country. The vegetation coming from the rocks is also amazing!!

It's absolutely gorgeous and good for all ages. Plenty of parking and cool crystals everywhere

Pretty close day trip, I realized I was not in as good of shape as I thought, it’s a long steep climb to the top.

Went out to hike up the summit trail, but was told that dogs aren't allowed on the summit because they tend to fall and get stuck in between the rocks, totally understandable, just wish we got to do the summit hike. However there is a very nice 4 mile long trail that goes around the base of the mountain and up a few small ones. Beautiful streams and lovely landscapes. Just know that no furry friends are allowed on the summit!

We visited Enchanted Rock in November 2016, weather was great, we were able to climb up to the summit with our 2.5 years old daughter, we had a great time, landscape is amazing, the ride from San Antonio is worthy, bring a lot of water and some snacks, also save some energy to drive back. :)

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Turkey Peak via Turkey Pass Trail

Enchanted Rock Summit Trail

Primitive Camp at Moss Lake

Catch a Sunset at Badu Park

Tour the Longhorn Caverns

Hike the Inks Lake State Park Trail