Enchanted Rock State Park in Texas - Fun - Hiking - Climbing...
81Enchanted Rock State Park
There exists a State Park near Fredericksburg, Texas that provides a fun place to spend a day hiking, climbing, picnicking, etc., and the name of it is Enchanted Rock. It is one of the numerous Texas sites worth exploring.
One time back in March of 1991 my mother, niece and I were visiting my brother and sister-in-law who happened to live in the Hill Country of Texas.....Kerrville, to be specific. My brother had taken the day off to drive us around and show us things that he thought might be of interest to us. He was very familiar with that area of the country and we got to enjoy Texas sites that we probably would never have discovered on our own.
This hub will address the Enchanted Rock State Park which became a National Natural Landmark in 1970. Enchanted Rock was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 which was the date of its being opened to the public as a State Park.
Enchanted Rock State Park in Texas
The actual location is north of Fredericksburg on 16710 Ranch Rd 965. One needs to get there early in the day if one wishes to be able to explore and enjoy the park because once the parking lot reaches maximum capacity, the park is closed to any further visitors until someone leaves making room for an additional car. Sometimes this happens as soon as mid to late morning. There are no guarantees as to the timing of it becoming filled so it is first come first served basis of being able to enter the park.
We got an early start and were driven there first so as to assure a look. Serious rock climbing was not on our agenda that day. We did do some walking but did not take any of the trails to get to the top of the pink granite dome.
The small amount of climbing that we did accomplish, considering that we were not prepared in advance, made it abundantly clear that this would be a wonderful outing and place in which to spend more time.
Enchanted Rock State Park
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Enchanted Rock State Park
To learn more about batholiths...
- batholith: Definition from Answers.com
batholith ( ) n. A large mass of igneous rock that has melted and intruded surrounding strata at great depths
Enchanted Rock is labeled a batholith.
What is a batholith?
A batholith is described as being an underground rock formation that is uncovered by forces of erosion. Originally volcanic in origin there are many examples in North America.
Enchanted Rock is certainly the largest batholith in the State of Texas and this part of the United States for that matter.
One billion years old are the granite rocks composing Enchanted Rock. Indians used to reside in this area in the latter centuries and the Tonkawa Indians are credited with naming the outcropping of this notable rock formation.
The elevation is at 1825 feet and Enchanted Rock rises 425 feet high above the surrounding scenery and covers about 640 acres of land out of the 1643.5 acres of the park.
Enchanted Rock State Park
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Everything you would want to know about this park
- TPWD: Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Enchanted Rock is a place in which to do the following activities:
Backpacking
Camping ...There are 46 sites for tent camping only.
Hiking... There are 7 miles of hiking trails in total, some of them easier and others more challenging.
Picnicking
Star gazing
Bird watching
Rock climbing... There are 45 established rock climbing routes. One must check into park headquarters before engaging in any rock climbing activities. There is a 1,000 foot Enchanted Rock Fissure that is a challenging climb for enthusiasts.
Caving ...One can go through one of the largest known granite caves if one is adventurous enough. One is guided through these sometimes tight spaces with the only illumination being from hand-held flashlights and headlights worn on one's head. One is self-directed through the cave by following arrows painted on the sides of the cave walls.
About 2 minutes at the front of of this video of great exterior shots of Enchanted Rock prior to the caving video
Hiking
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Backpacking
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Enchanted Rock State Park
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This should have given you at least an introductory look at Enchanted Rock State Park in Texas and if you are ever in the mood to go exploring and are interested in hiking, climbing or having other types of fun, you now know where to head if you are ever in this part of the country.
Would visiting Enchanted Rock be of interest to you?
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Located in the smallest state park in Texas this lighthouse has stood for over 1 1/2 centuries. Photos & videos. - Fort Davis Frontier Military Post in West Texas ~ National Historic Site Photos
- Pictures of Martha's Bloomers in Navasota, Texas ~ Garden and More
- Photos of bluebonnets and other Texas wildflowers in the Spring
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- Calvert, Texas - History and Pleasure - Pictures and Chocolate
- Railroad Train Museum in Galveston, Texas - Memories and Photos
- Ship Channel Tour as a Tourist Attraction in Houston, Texas
- Discovery Green Park in Houston, Texas - Pictures, Sculpture and Impressions
- Visit the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas ~ Fun Tourist Destination!
- Sightseeing Trips to Fredericksburg, Texas ~ Nimitz Museum
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas - Scenic & Geological Significance
- The wild and wacky Art Car Museum in Houston, Texas
Location of Enchanted Rock State Park in Texas
Enchanted Rock State Park - Official site - Enchanted Rock
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CommentsLoading...
Peggy excellent representation of Enchanted Rock - it really stands out and can get some beautiful hues when the sun hits it right - always worth a hike.
Hi leahlefler,
Enchanted Rock State Park would be a fun place to spend a day if one had the time. There is so much to do and see in Texas if you ever come back this direction. You must be enjoying the Fall leaves up your way now. I miss that part about living up north. Thanks for your comment.
Hi JamaGenee,
Enchanted Rock is definitely "one lovely hunk of granite." Nice to hear that you enjoyed learning about this unique spot in Texas. Thanks for your comment.
That is really beautiful! I've never really been to Texas (just driven through it on our move to the Great Lakes region), but this makes me want to visit. Those are BIG rocks!
That is one lovely hunk of granite. Great pix, Peggy! How odd that the number of visitors to the park is controlled by the capacity of the parking lot I've never heard of that practice anywhere else. But then your travel hubs are always enlightening! ;D
Hello shea duane,
Enchanted Rock State Park would keep you happily engaged with a camera and sketchbook. Just be sure and wear some good hiking shoes! :)) Glad you liked these photos.
the pictures are beautiful... wow. great idea for a hub. i'd love to go there with a camera and a sketchbook!
Hi Austinguy,
Lucky 8th graders! being able to take field trips to places like Enchanted Rock State Park. Wish I had been able to do such things when I was in 8th grade! Strict rules must undoubtedly be followed to assure the where-abouts and safety of the students when hiking and climbing in that gorgeous and fun state park. Thanks for that additional bit of information.
Enchanted Rock is an awesome place to visit and is a popular destination for 8th grade field trips.
Hello Brigitte,
Wishing you lots of fun on your visit to Enchanted Rock State Park in Texas. Do you plan on doing much climbing? If you do, carry lots of water with you and enjoy!!! After your visit, let me know what you thought of it if you get the chance. Thanks!
Love the article. We plan on visiting the Enchanted Rock first part of May.
Greetings Jenny-Anne,
So happy to hear that you enjoyed this "armchair" version of hiking and climbing in Enchanted Rock State Park in Texas. It must have been so much fun to have climbed Ayers Rock! We are also not traveling as much as in the past and enjoy reading and hearing about other people's experiences. Thanks for commenting. Going over to your hubs now and take a look.
Hi Peggy W, in my imagination,I'm a seasoned hillwalker so I liked this hub on Enchanted Rock. I climbed Ayers Rock in Australia about 10 years ago - but I can't afford to go too far afield just at the moment. It's nice to get a taste of other places by reading hubs like this. All the best!
Hello shamelabboush,
Thanks for commenting as you regularly do. As far as a tourist guide...guess people will just have to tune in to hubpages. LOL
Have many more hubs about places visited yet to write.
Greetings Irvans,
Nice to see a new face here. A geophysicist friend of mine just responded to my regular email that his family have often climbed on Enchanted Rock enjoying the hiking and fun times spent there.
He also said that supposedly Enchanted Rock is the 2nd largest batholith in the world, Stone Mountain in Georgia being the largest.
Ayers Rock in Australia is larger but it is a monolith.
Just some interesting statistics. All I know is that this Texas State Park is definitely an enchanting place.
Thanks for the comment. Hope you get to visit there sometime. Do you live anywhere close?
Oh wow, what a giant rock out there? SO, another trip of you Peggy :) Lucky you... Why don't you write a book about all that like a tourist attraction guide?
I am interested in reading this article, I am also from Texas, thank Peggy!
Hello Wealthmadehealthy,
Nice to meet another person who has been there and can verify that Enchanted Rock is a fun place to hike and explore. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Oh the memories! I have been here and it is a really fun place to go if you like to hike and climb...never went to the top, but did a lot of hiking there! Great hub!!!
Hi jill of alltrades,
Even if you never make it to Enchanted Rock State Park in person, at least you have had a look at it via this hub. I also like reading about other people's adventures knowing that it is not possible to see and do it all. But we get a taste...right? Thanks for your comment.
Wow! This looks so...enchanting! I think the name fits it perfectly! I wish I could visit, but I don't know if I will ever be able to since I live in another part of the world. Anyway, who knows?
Thank you for sharing.
Hi Ethel,
Enchanted Rock is a bit on the wild side...just as nature created it. Not much done by man in the area to change it. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Hello loveroflife,
You are most welcome. Glad you liked this hub about Enchanted Rock State Park in Texas. Someday it would be fun to go back and do more hiking. Thanks for the comment.
Hello Pete,
I agree with you that enjoying things in the great outdoors is always fun. Our many state parks have so much variety and we certainly liked being introduced to Enchanted Rock. Hope you get to see it for yourself someday and get to do some hiking and exploring. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Looks wild and inspiring Peggy
Thanks for showing us another unique Texas natural treasure.
More people ought to adventure outdoors on vacation and feel the world around them. This looks like a great place to stop the next time we're in Texas.
Peggy W Hub Author 7 months ago
Hi Billy,
I take it from your comment that you have been to Enchanted Rock State Park? Not surprising as it is not all that far away from the Houston area. I'll bet that your family loves hiking there!