The Garza's Guide to Enchanted Rock

We love Enchanted Rock.  It should definitely go on your bucket list. If you haven't been, this is the Garza's guide to experience the beautiful granite dome. 

Plan to camp for two days. You can absolutely do this all in one day, but why? Take your time. Relax. Enjoy being off of social media and out of cell range for a few days.  Be surrounded by nature and enjoy the silence.  
Get there on a Friday as early as you can check in (2PM), set up your tent, get situated, put on your hiking shoes and get ready to go up the rock.  Take the summit trail to the top of the rock.  Nathan and I are in pretty good shape and we still get slightly winded walking to the top.  Just take your time. 

When you feel winded, stop, turn around and look out behind you at the view. The rock offers so many different spots and angles to just sit and take in the view. Once you're at the top and you've had enough of the landscape, explore the rock.  There are a few different rocks to climb through, but watch out for snakes and spiders (and any other rock wildlife). If you can crawl through the rocks, do it.  It's fun. 

 

VERNAL PONDS ON TOP OF THE ROCK

Travel around the top of the rock to see Little Rock (Echo Canyon is between the two rocks).  There is some cool rock formations and picture opportunities on that side. Exploring Enchanted Rock should take you a little over an hour to two hours as long as you're not rushing through and missing things. Take it all in.  

PICTURES ON TOP OF ENCHANTED ROCK

After you're finished with the rock, hike the loop trail over to Frog Pond. As long as it's not dry this is a beautiful little area to sit and relax.  You may even see some deer. 

FROG POND

Once you're done, hike on back to camp and make yourself some dinner.  If there isn't a burn ban, grill out your chili dogs, make your s'mores and just relax. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow hiking. 
Depending on when you go, sleep without your rain fly and check out the stars as you fall asleep. The camp grounds offer amazing stargazing at night. 

STARGAZING

Saturday morning, you will wake up to quite a few day trip folks hiking to the top of the rock. Lucky you, you've already experienced it. Today is hike day.   Take in lots of water. We typically wake up, get ourselves ready and drink two bottles of water.  We also bring camel packs and extra bottle water just in case.  Put on your sunscreen and bug spray because there is hardly any shade and lots of crawlies along the way. 

The loop trail (4 miles) is absolutely beautiful.  Every time we have been the section of Loop Trail that goes in between Buzzards Roost and Freshman Mountain has been closed.  No problem, you get to go back by Frog Pond again. Turkey Pass is by far our favorite hiking trail. 

Climb as high as you can comfortably on Freshman Rock.  The views are outstanding, but there are some steep areas so be careful.

Freshman Rock.  You CAN get to the top. Do it.

You can take the exterior Loop Trail or Base Trail to Echo Canyon and you will make it to Moss Lake and there will be a natural tree canopy area to rest under.  Hydrate. I suggest taking both trails however you please. 

MOSS LAKE

Echo Canyon between Little Rock and Enchanted rock has some really beautiful spots as well. Part of the trail features navigating broken rocks, so mind your ankles.  

ECHO CANYON ROCKS TO CLIMB THROUGH

Where Echo Canyon and Base Trail meet, explore that area.  There are more beautiful rock formations and picture opportunities. 

Base Trail and Echo Canyon Rocks. Our Favorite Spot along the trail

Going through Echo Canyon, we suggest also going to the summit of Little Rock.  The views are also breath taking and there are some interesting things to find up there.  It's as steep in some places are Enchanted Rock so take your time as well.  

We see a lot of heart shaped cacti when we hike. 

After you're done hiking around the mountain you will be hungry for lunch.   We suggest taking a trip back into Llano and eating pizza at Stonewalls.  There are some neat bars and other places to shop around Main street.  With a full belly, drive on back to camp and just relax.  Sit out side of camp and read a book, lounge in your hammock, let the kids go crazy on the play ground, nap. Do whatever.  Just relax.  The disconnect and peaceful surroundings of Enchanted Rock are just a few of the reasons why we love this place.  

We are getting married!!!

Holy Crap!!! What an amazing trip! I have never been camping before so we decided on going to Enchanted Rock. Wow! Was it amazing!  We arrived on Friday and I was expecting it to be jam packed. There was only us, the park ranger and 2 other group. I couldn't believe it.  Since it was so empty, we thought it would be the best time to hike to the summit. It was breathtaking. I can't stress that enough. Physically and spiritually, LOL!  The elevation kind of takes you breath away, but over all it's an easy hike to the top.  The view is unbelievable.  It was partly cloudy with rain clouds in the distance so the temperature was perfect.  When we got to the top we stood there for a moment taking it all in.  I looked back at Nathan and he was down on one knee.  At first I thought he was having trouble breathing so I was extremely concerned.  He said he was okay, and then proceeded to say, "you know how you told me I was your once in a lifetime boyfriend?" and I said "yes...." raising an eyebrow.  It hit me - HE IS PROPOSING.  He asked me to be his once in a lifetime wife.  OH MY GOD. The trip from there was completely unforgettable.  Cool note about the ring he proposed with.  From the picture you can see that it's a large black band.  That is a silicone fitness ring - I knew about them and knew the purpose, but Nathan was thoughtful enough to choose that ring since we would be hiking. He said he wouldn't want me to damage or lose a diamond ring.
We ended up hiking around enchanted rock, getting camp set up and seeing as much as we could before bed.  When we woke up Saturday morning the people were flooding in.  It made me think Nathan must've had something to do with the park being empty on Friday - or it could've been pure luck and perfect timing.  Saturday we hiked ALL OVER THAT MF!!! To the point where my hands were getting swollen because I didn't drink enough water. There was a burn ban, so we weren't able to grill out. We ended up having to drive back in town to eat. We stopped at a pizza place, which was really good and a pasta place, which was meh. 

If you haven't ever been, I suggest going. It's worth the trip if you're into hiking, discovery and scenery. 

The  actual engagement ring. So pretty, OooOoHhH ,  AaaaaAAAhhhh :)