Hill Country Travel Blog
Ring of Fire: Hill Country Solar Eclipse October 14, 2023
There's nothing prettier than the wide-open skies in the Texas Hill Country. For example, if you find yourself a dark and secluded spot at night, you'll see the cloud-like specter of the Milky Way overhead, an intimate view of the billions of neighbors in our home galaxy. Meteors streak by every night, and during certain times of the year showers of them put on a brilliant sky show. The sunrises and sunsets over the picturesque backdrop of the mountains and valleys present a brilliantly-colored start and end to every Hill Country day!
Read More
HILL COUNTRY HISTORY: MUSEUMS AND SITES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST
How much do you know about Texas history? If you're like the average American, your knowledge on the subject probably doesn't extend much beyond the Alamo and whatever information you might have absorbed from reruns of “Walker, Texas Ranger.” With that said, it's not a huge surprise that those interested in historical events, artifacts, and sites don't necessarily think of the Lone Star State when they plan a sightseeing getaway. It's our hope that this article will help those people to re-think those plans, especially when they visit the historic Texas Hill Country.
Read More
SOUTH LLANO RIVER STATE PARK: HILL COUNTRY RIVER LIVIN'
About an hour northwest of Kerrville and Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country, you'll find the sprawling riverside park known as the South Llano River State Park . That's quite a mouthful, and you might hear locals abbreviating it as “South Llano State Park,” “South Llano Park,” or simply “Llano Park” or “South Llano.” Whatever you call it, this state park provides fun, adventure, and relaxation both on and off the river. The Llano River (the south fork of which runs through the park) flows for just over 100 miles through the limestone terrain of the Edwards Plateau in the northern Hill Country. The Spanish word
Read More
KREUTZBERG CANYON NATURAL AREA: BACK TO NATURE
Just a few miles northeast of Boerne in Kendall County lies the 117-acre plot of scenic land set aside as the Kreutzberg Canyon Natural Area (this link leads to the Kendall County Parks Department web page; click on the Kreutzberg tab on this page for more specific information). Though not as publicized or well-known as some of the Hill Country's other parks and State Natural Areas, Kreutzberg Canyon offers a wide array of things to see and do for nature enthusiasts, fossil hounds, hikers, birdwatchers, and those just looking for a peaceful and restful experience in the most picturesque region of the Lone Star State. Speaking of
Read More
HONEY CREEK STATE NATURAL AREA: HILL COUNTRY HISTORY
Though technically part of the Guadalupe River State Park, the Honey Creek State Natural Area really is its own separate entity. With that said, we believe it deserves its own entry in our look at the Hill Country parks...and lo and behold, here it is! (For more information on the Guadalupe River State Park, please take a look at our detailed overview of it at this link .)
Read More
GUADALUPE RIVER STATE PARK: RIVER THROUGH TIME
The Guadalupe River (locally pronounced “Gwa-da-loop,” as opposed to the traditional Spanish “Hwa-da-loo-pay”) is one of the major rivers that tracks its way through the Texas Hill Country, and throughout recorded time it has attracted wildlife, human settlement, commerce, and recreation alike. Just north of San Antonio, and perched on the eastern edge of the Hill Country, is the Guadalupe River State Park (occasionally referred to as “Guadalupe State Park”), which is one of the major focus points of recreation on this beautiful river.
Read More
DEVIL'S SINKHOLE STATE NATURAL AREA: A HOLE LOTTA BATS!
Out on the western edge of the Texas Hill Country, just north of the little town of Rocksprings, you'll find the Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area (occasionally referred to as “Devil's Sinkhole State Park,” or just “Devil's Sinkhole Park”). Despite its ominous name—and peeking down into it from above, you might get a little vertigo—the Devil's Sinkhole is actually a fascinating natural formation to check out.
Read More
BLANCO STATE PARK: THE HILL COUNTRY'S WHITE WATER
Just a half hour's drive southeast of Fredericksburg, or less than an hour's drive east of Kerrville, you'll find the Texas Hill Country recreational wonder known as Blanco State Park (though you may hear it referred to locally as simply “Blanco Park”). The park takes its name for the river that runs through it, which in turn was named the Spanish word for “white” for the distinctive limestone banks that line the river. For over 80 years, the park has provided adventure and relaxation on and around its waters to its visitors.
Read More