Enchant the Family at Enchanted Rock

It has been more than four years since our most recent move to Austin and yet, until a couple weeks ago, we had failed to introduce our children to the Hill Country’s most famous landmark. Fortunately, blue skies, the travel itch, and an unscheduled Saturday aligned for the perfect outing to Enchanted Rock.

Enchanted Rock, the crown jewel of the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, rises in its granite glory 425 feet above ground. If you go, prepare for about a two-hour westerly drive from Central Austin that gets more rewarding by the mile. In the springtime, a profusion of wildflowers carpets the roadside nearly the whole way, so that each bend in the road offers vistas more beautiful than the last. Natural backdrops for family photographs abound, so be prepared to pull off the road and play in the scenery for a while.

Our experience at Enchanted Rock taught us three important lessons. The first is to arrive at the park early. Especially on a weekend: Get there early. Often, the parking lot fills by noon or even 11 a.m., in which case you’re on your own for a few hours (when we exited at three o’clock, the line of cars awaiting entry was truly monstrous). You can take only so many roadside photos, after all, so eliminate the hassle and — I repeat — get there early.

The second lesson is to bring ample food, drink, and sunscreen. After paying admission ($6 per person older than 12) you may choose to tailgate or nab a shaded picnic table rather than tote food along the trail. Inside the park, food-for-purchase options are few. Water, of course is essential for hiking breaks. And the lower trail leads you in and out of bright sunlight, so you’ll need your SPF. You’ll need it even more for the top half of the hike, when the trees drop away and you’re huffing up a completely exposed dome of granite, pausing to turn around and admire an incredible view.

Speaking of huffing, the child in our family who used to be the biggest whiner with the most delicate legs scrambled right to the summit while we trailed her, my husband toting her replacement whiner on his shoulders. Our two oldest went with Dad to explore the caves, but returned with a resolution to bring a flashlight next time.

We spent almost an hour sitting on the dome, watching clouds and turkey vultures, noting the scarcity of human civilization, and passing the binoculars back and forth. Perched up there with the Hill Country spread out beneath, I could understand why, legend aside, this place would be known as Enchanted Rock. Life seems quite simple from that elevation.

So I mentioned a third lesson. Here it is: Young hikers may at times require extra motivation, and nothing says “Beat you to the top!” like the prospect of an ice cream cone. Fortunately, the Fredericksburg Ice Cream Parlor (and the Rather Sweet bakery), only twenty minutes away in town, is waiting to oblige. Between the drive, the Rock, and the sweet finish, it all makes for quite an enchanting day.

But get there early.