Hill Country Travel Blog
THE TOAST OF TEXAS: HILL COUNTRY WINERIES AND TOURS
Take aside any random stranger on the street, inside or outside of Texas, and ask them what comes to mind when you mention the Lone Star State. They'll mention the Alamo for sure, maybe the oil industry, and the rich history of cowboys and cattle drives. Texas BBQ and Tex-Mex cuisine will probably pop up on their lists, and those with their finger on the pulse of business might mention the growing tech sector in the “Silicon Hills.” And these are all famous and true things about Texas. Fair enough.
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The Tale of the Hill Country’s Historic Polly, Texas
The term “ghost town” often conjures images of dilapidated and abandoned buildings, a forlorn and forgotten representation of a slice of time from which society has moved on. In that context, it seems a shame to apply that somewhat sad term to the historic town of Polly, Texas. This gone-but-certainly-not-forgotten little village is locally respected, revered, and (at least partially) renovated. It’s in that spirit that we’d like to present Polly’s story.
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LOST MAPLES STATE NATURAL AREA: PRISTINE HILL COUNTRY
Anthropological and historical records show that the Lost Maples area had been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times. Luckily, however, throughout its history, the human habitation that took place had been low-impact—that is to say, no irreversible harm was done to the land, wildlife, or plant life indigenous to what we now know as the Texas Hill Country. Small Spanish colonies, Native American settlements, and ranching were prominent in the area during its more modern history (from the 17th century forward), leaving it more or less untouched and in its natural state.
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GARNER STATE PARK—OLD BALDY AND MORE!
In north-central Uvalde County, Texas, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, lies Garner State Park, one of the Lone Star State's most popular camping, fishing, boating, hiking, and nature-viewing spots. Backroads Reservations is proud to present a brief history and overview of this enormous and awe-inspiring park.
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The Cowboy Mardi Gras: Bandera’s Take on a Cajun Tradition
The Mardi Gras celebration has always been a kind of “last fling” before the more somber period of Lent between February and Easter Sunday. It’s a chance for folks to let their hair down, and the phrase conjures images of beads, colorful floats, whimsical costumes, Cajun cooking, and, of course, carousing.
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The White Lady of the Frio River
The scenic Frio River flows through the southern Texas Hill Country, and visitors to Leakey, Concan, and Garner State Park flock to the region for the majestic natural beauty and adventures on the water.
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The Moon's Day in the Sun: Hill Country Total Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024
If you said “heart,” congratulations! You survived the 80s! However, what we were looking for in this instance was the word “sun.” You see, while the entire world knows that the stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas, we're going to take a moment to discuss something spectacular up in the Hill Country Solar Eclipse skies that will occur during broad daylight—or at least, it will begin and end with broad daylight.
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Rumble at Rattlesnake Ridge: Bandera’s Cowboys on Main
Word on the streets is that there have been some bad hombres slinkin’ around and causin’ mischief in these here parts! Sure enough, the local law’s caught word of it, too, and they’re lookin’ for a showdown. If my guess is right, it looks like things are gonna come to a head at Rattlesnake Ridge. Hide the little ones and women folk!
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