Hill Country Travel Blog
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
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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 .)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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VANDERPOOL, TEXAS: A TWIST OF THE HILL COUNTRY
To the average traveler, smaller towns like Vanderpool are a blink-and-you-miss-it experience. They’re places to merely pass through on the way from Point A to Point B. Those more major points, to the average traveler, are more exciting and interesting, simply because they’re larger and, supposedly, have more to offer. In their minds, places like Vanderpool are just another wide spot in the road. Flyover territory. Nothing much. Here at Backroads Reservations, we celebrate small Hill Country towns like Vanderpool, and we think it's a shame so many travelers tend to overlook them. Like hundreds of small towns and villages across
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UVALDE, TEXAS: HILL COUNTRY CROSSROADS
Dividing lines of both natural and man-made design seem to converge in Uvalde, Texas, the county seat of the county of the same name, located on the southwestern edge of the Texas Hill Country. US Highway 83 runs north to the Canadian border, and south to Mexico, and US Highway 90 traces an east-to-west route from Florida to the Rio Grande. Both roads intersect in Uvalde, literally at a crossroads that links it to the rest of the country. Naturally speaking, you’ve got the lush Hill Country to the northeast, and semi-arid desert land to the west of town. This creates a community of diversity on many levels.
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TARPLEY, TEXAS: A TINY HILL COUNTRY JEWEL
The majority of visitors to central Texas tend to focus on the larger cities along the I-35 corridor, simply because there’s more to do in those major population centers. There are hundreds of venues to choose from, no matter what interests you; the pace is faster; something’s going on no matter the time of day or night. That's well and good for those who crave a packed and busy itinerary, but what about those of us who'd like a relaxed and recharging retreat or romantic getaway? What is there for the stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of people?
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