Texas’ Heavenly Hill Country

Wide open spaces and plenty of attractions make this region of the Lone Star State a great winter escape.

by

Words by Jennifer Leigh Hill 

Most snowbirds I know flock to the same destination every year. California and Arizona seem to be the most popular among RVers that live in Western Canada and Florida seems to be the quintessential choice for those that live in the east.  I like to try a new destination every year while discovering a few side-trips along the way, even if it takes me off the ‘beaten path.’ However, my cardinal rule is to plot a circular route to prevent backtracking.

For winter 2019, my goal was to go southeastward from my home base in Victoria to the U.S. Gulf Coastal areas to visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras. After some research, I decided to stop in Texas Hill Country, which was named the top destination by the New York Times for ‘U.S. tourist summer travel.’

Going there in winter probably wasn’t the wisest choice, but there was still plenty to see and do, even though I was unable to experience the fields of bluebonnets, the state flower, which blooms majestically in April making the area breathtakingly beautiful.

Hill Country is not a demarcated area but rather a vernacular term applied to a geographic region that encompasses all or part of 25 counties. Located in the geographical centre of Texas, it’s considered to be the border between the American Southeast and Southwest. The total area of Texas encompasses  6965,662 sq. km (268,580 sq mi) and Hill Country is approximately 80,290 sq km (31,000 sq mi), making it the fourth largest of the seven regions of the state.

Just west of Austin and north of San Antonio, Hill Country’s perimeter is roughly bounded by Texas Hwy 29 to the north, Interstate 35 to the east, US 90 to the south, and US 83 to the west. It’s also known for its ‘karst topography’, a term first used to describe a region in Slovenia.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, karst terrain is ‘characterized by barren, rocky ground, caves, sinkholes, underground rivers and the absence of surface streams and lakes. It results from the excavating effects of underground water on massive soluble limestone.’ Most of the ‘hills’  in the south and east areas range from 120 to 150 m (400 to 500 ft) in height. Some are higher, more than 760 m (2,500 ft) in the northern counties. The most famous ‘hill’ is Enchanted Rock, a huge pink granite dome rising 129.5 m (425 ft) above Big Sandy Creek, near Fredericksburg, which is visited by thousands of tourists every year.

Hill Country is lusher than other parts of Texas, which is characterized by pancake-flat desert valleys and home to desert scrub and tumbleweeds, punctuated with boarded-up buildings and abandoned towns. There’s also a number of rivers in the area including several tributaries of the Colorado River (e.g., Llano and Pedernales), as well as others that originate up in the hills (e.g., Guadalupe and San Antonio). Hill Country has an annual average rainfall of 381 to 863 mm (15-35 in), which also adds to the moisture that comes from the natural springs and underground lakes. To me, the area is somewhat evocative of southern France and Tuscany.

So what makes Texas Hill Country so special? The following list was ‘gleaned’ from a number of local websites and from my memories that include small towns that abound throughout the winding, rolling hills; country-western music and historic, wood-floor, ‘boot-scootin’ dance halls; real rodeos with real horses; rawhide tough cowboys and real dude ranches; a variety of places to stay including quaint B and B's, guesthouses, vacation rental homes and a good variety of private and public RV parks.

The region is also known for its visual and performing arts locales that have a plethora of events including art shows, festivals, jamborees and concerts, in addition to numerous artifact-filled museums perfect for a rainy day visit. There’s also great shopping, especially in the many antique stores and outdoor activities like hunting, fly fishing, hiking, biking, swimming, boating, and kayaking. Rock hunting for amethysts, garnets, quartz and even gold is popular as well.

Finally, for foodies, this area of the Lone Star State has a creative culinary scene and is famous for its pit barbecues, wineries, micro-breweries, as well as the juicy Stonewall peaches and delicious Medina apples that grow locally.

The two reasons for my decision to visit the area were because of its history and cuisine, which are closely intertwined. In the 1840s, a company known as The Texas and German Emigration Co. (or the Adelsverein) snapped up roughly 1,780 hectares (4,400 ac) of farming/ranch land and advertised for settlers to purchase the properties.

Given there was a lot of social unrest in Germany at the time, some 5,257 interested parties took the company up on its offer between 1845 and 1846. Communities including Fredericksburg, Comfort, Boerne, New Braunfels (which includes Gruene) and Mason were established at this time and by the early 1850s, other Europeans were arriving, which gave the area a truly European feel. Many were skilled stonemasons and considering the area they settled in is sitting on an extensive limestone shelf, the buildings that were built are very reminiscent of those found in their home countries in Europe. All of these towns have excellent architecture.

Not only did the Europeans bring their skills as builders they brought popular foods including the Würstchen (sausage). As a result, they are often credited with establishing Texas as the ‘BBQ headquarters’ of the U.S . Germans are also some of the best bakers in the world. It’s easy to go from town to town checking out Brötchen (bread rolls), Streuselkuchen (streusel cake), and Käsekuchen (German cheesecake) and not be disappointed.

From its scenic rolling landscape to the unique culture, cuisine, and outdoor activities, Texas Hill Country is a must-visit for snowbirds - whether it’s for a few days or a winter-long home base to explore everything the region has to offer until the spring.

Texas Hill Country at a Glance

There is so much to see and do. Here are some suggestions to plan your visit to this region of the Lone Star State.

Historic Buildings

Museums

‘Authentic’ Places to Eat

Some of the Best Places for Live Music

Incredible Sights to See

Great Places to Park Your RV

Inviting Wineries and Brewpubs

Exciting ‘Water’ Places

Best Roads for ‘Taking in the View’

Farm Road 1323, north of Johnson City and Farm Road 335, west of San Antonio www.txhillcountrytrail.com