Enchanted Rock | Fredericksburg Texas Hill Country Hiking

20 minutes North of Fredericksburg, Texas, you’ll find the 425 foot tall pink granite batholith known as Enchanted Rock. People drive from neighboring metropolitan cities like Houston, Austin, and Dallas in hopes to climb this over 30 degree slope up.

The Enchanted Rock Summit Trail is only 1.3 miles up and back and you don’t really understand how steep it is until you’re already invested in your climb and find yourself suddenly out of breath.Worried about falling off? You might think about it once or twice along the climb, but in reality, only two people have ever died while in the park. And, since Enchanted Rock is made of granite, it produces a good amount of friction in order to help you stay put.If going straight up isn’t your thing, you can also walk over 11 miles of hiking trails around the base of the Texas icon.This over 1600 acre park provides a great display of the wide array of Texas landscapes – from rocky terrain and cacti to beautifully tall trees and grassy areas. Camping is available in the park as well as day passes for $8 per person. But this popular park is a busy one, so make sure to reserve your pass well in advance of your trip so you don’t get rejected when you arrive. You’ll also want to make sure to check weather reports before you leave home too. Because of it’s steep slope, the park closes all trails when there’s bad weather – the last thing you’d want to do is be caught on a big slippery wet rock and try to get down safely.I’ve heard of Enchanted Rock for years and I’m so glad I finally got a chance to hike around it and up it. Overall, the whole thing took about 3 hours to walk around, up, and down. But that view from the top – that’s what makes it all worth it. I highly recommend you go hike Enchanted Rock soon!

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Two Step on Down to Bankersmith, Texas

Texas Hill Country towns are known for a lot of things, but mostly they’re known as the perfect places for weekend getaway destinations.There’s Fredericksburg, Gruene, Wimberly, New Braunfels, and Canyon Lake to name a few, but I bet you’ve never heard of Bankersmith, Texas. Bankersmith sits halfway between Fredericksburg and Comfort, and if you’re looking for a rustic getaway with everything at your fingertips, well then this is it.

This town boasts a population of zero, which makes sense considering the whole town is only a few acres in size. Founded in 1912, no one has actually lived in this Gillespie County town since the 1960s. This once railroad town is now home to a dance hall, campsites, working farm, restaurant, and even has a couple Air BnBs.My friend Alley and I got to check this cool spot out this past week and we had an absolute blast!Bankersmith is minutes from downtown Fredericksburg, Texas. It’s a one stop spot for grabbing a bite to eat, taking a hay ride, petting farm animals, watching a match at the Fredericksburg Polo Club, and maybe even enjoying a game of cornhole or two.So leave your heels at home and put on your boots…let’s head to Bankersmith, Texas y’all!

Saloon

This rustic restaurant is perfect for those few precious weeks of perfect weather we get every year. You can grab a drink and order your food at the bar and then meet your group at a picnic table. The overhead twinkle lights and goats braying from their retired tour bus abode make for a fun afternoon of spending time with friends.One thing I really enjoyed about this location is that it’s definitely a local favorite. In fact, at any point during the day, you can find at least one (but probably more) musicians playing on the back porch. Guitars, singers, harmonicas – it’s all welcome here!

Dance Hall

On one side of the property, you’ll find the dance hall. This corrugated metal building holds up to 300 people and is the perfect place to dance the night away. They also hold events each month, so be sure to go check out one of their most popular events – the Hot Air Balloon Festival.

Working Farm

On most weekends, you can schedule to take a hayride down the road to the farm! While there, you’ll see the usual goats and donkeys, but also a few things you didn’t expect – like geese, camels, zebras, and buffalo! The longhorn cattle are close enough to touch them, but I wouldn’t recommend it because those horns have a mind of their own! The tractor-pulled hayride is about an hour and a half in length and you get to feed the animals right out of your hands as well.Back at the property, you can also check out the chickens, goats, pot belly pig, turkey, and guinea. The farm tour is great for all ages.

Lodging

Want to stay close to the action? Bankersmith has four 1 bedroom rooms and two 2 bedrooms suites available. In keeping with the rustic theme, they’re complete with wood plank walls, a galvanized metal shower, kitchen area, and comfy living room couches. The only downside? There’s a famous rooster outside that has no concept of time and likes to crow whenever he feels like it – not just at dawn.

Upcoming Events

This fun Texas small town has a ton of events coming up in the next few months, so take advantage of the nicer weather and go check out Oktoberfest, the Taco Festival, Fall farm bash, the Grape Stomp, the Hot Air Balloon Festival, Christmas Market, and so much more! If you’d like to see more Texas travel tips, be sure to SUBSCRIBE to my Youtube Channel!