Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Fredericksburg

What a spectacular place to visit. This is a great place to visit with the entire family. You can take in the loop, which is 3+ mile hike. The loop's trail is fairly easy. Or, if you want something more challenging, you can hike up the Rock. To drive in the park, you must make reservations; otherwise, you risk not being allowed to park or camp. Wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water, especially on those warm days.

Plenty to see and do here on multiple hiking trails. The Summit Trail to the top is a leg-burner at times but well worth the half-mile effort. Take your time to enjoy the views and the rock formation itself and you'll be able to make it. We also did the Loop Trail, which is about 4.6 miles around the outside of the Granite Dome and it offers various views of the dome from different angles, which was neat to see. Several other trails offer different experiences, too, but we'll have to check those out another day. This is a park we'll go back to. Note that you need reservations for timed entry and weekends are way busier than weekdays. Also, there is rustic camping available both near the parking lot and off of the hiking trails. Bring plenty of water because there is little shade anywhere. There are vault toilets along the Loop Trail. Also, watch for snakes, we had a rattler on the Loop Trail when we went. Plenty of parking but RVs would have a tough time maneuvering to anything but the half-dozen spots in the RV lot. Also note the closest gas is about 18 miles away in Fredericksburg, and there is little to no cell service in much of the park (for Verizon and T-Mobile).