Guide To Visiting Enchanted Rock

I’ve been to Enchanted Rock twice now and each time it’s been an amazing experience. Love driving up and seeing the granite rock emerge in the distance. Enchanted Rock is a massive granite pink boulder.

Location:

Enchanted Rock is located in the Hill Country of Texas. More specifically it’s 18 miles north of Fredericksburg or 1.5 to 2 hours away from Austin. If you’re starting from Dallas like me, it’s a little over a four hour drive.

Best Time to Go:

It’s open year round, but I recommend going in the cooler months like fall through spring. Unfortunately this is when everyone else will come as well. Try for May or September on a non holiday. Also not during bad weather. They will close the trail if it rains. Rain and that giant slick rock do not mix!

Early morning is the best time of day, especially if it’s going to be warm. The sun will heat up the rock. The number one complaint is how hot it is. There’s no shade and it’s a strenuous hike, short but strenuous.

Cost:

Daily entrance fee is $8 for ages 13 and up.

What to Do:

Hiking the Summit Trail is the most popular thing to do. This is the hike to the top of the big rock, lol. It’s marked as a challenging .7 mile one way hike. Don’t let the challenging part scare you. If I can do it, anyone can do it. It is a steep climb, but again very doable. Take your time and enjoy the views on the way up.

When you get to the top you are rewarded with 360 degree views of the Texas Hill Country. There are small vernal pools at the summit with tiny shrimp. Very cool looking, so check them out. Take your time coming back down. Much easier to slip.

Even with taking a ton of pictures, I was able to hike the whole trail and back within a little over an hour.

There are 7 other hiking trails in the park. I plan to do these next time, since I didn’t have enough time during my previous visits. They have different difficulty levels from being a straight paved trail to rock scrambling.

Rock Climbing is a big thing here as well. I have not personally done this, but it’s supposed to be one of the best places in the state to rock climb.

Stargazing is supposed to be phenomenal here. Another thing on my list to do here. Enchanted Rock has been named an International Dark Sky Park. Which basically means you can see a lot of really cool stuff here at nighttime. It’s one of the best public places to stargaze in Central Texas.

Camping is another favorite activity here. The camping fee is $14 – $18 per night per campsite. At one point it was voted as the best campsite in Texas!

Tips:

If you are going on a weekend or during a school holiday, it’s highly recommended to purchase a day pass online ahead of time. The parking lot is very small there. Once they reach capacity they will no longer let anyone into the park.

Check the Enchanted Rock Facebook page before you go. They are great about updating the status of the trails due to rain or park capacity.

If you can time it right, a sunrise or sunset here would be gorgeous!! Trails are open 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 after sunset.

If going in the cooler months, the breeze at the top of the summit can be chilly! Plan accordingly.

Wear hiking shoes or sturdy athletic shoes with a good grip!

Bring plenty of water especially if the weather is warmer.

Enchanted Rock is a perfect quick day trip hike destination. And also a perfect weekend getaway to relax and explore the entire park. Either way Enchanted Park should be on your Texas bucket list!