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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.

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Features

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

Enchanted Rock Loop Reviews

Incredible geological structure. There are campsites at the base with water access and primitive camping around other parts. There are also many trails going all around these massive rocks that offer some great running!

This is one of the most amazing spots in Central Texas. It rises out of nowhere and it is really incredible. One of the coolest things is staying in the park in one of the hike to campsites where you can hear the rock creaking as it contracts at night after being heated by the sun all day.

Haven't camped before, but a nice day trip from Austin for lunch on top of the rock!

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