BackRoads: Fredericksburg Area

Fredericksburg, Willow City Loop, Enchanted Rock and Luckenbach.

In this section we give you some general directions and let you pick and choose. From Kerrville take Hwy 16 Northwest about 25 miles to Fredericksburg. These recommendations all use Fredericksburg as the starting point.

Fredericksburg . Founded by German immigrants the character of the town is still heavily influenced by its roots. If you like German food this is the place to enjoy some of the best, including fresh baked breads and pastries. German is frequently spoken and many of the old traditions, such as Easter Fires, Kinderfest and Oktoberfest , are still kept.

Preservation of their historic past is an important goal, more than 300 homes and buildings in the area have been transformed into bed & breakfasts and guesthouses. There are plenty of rooms in the area so it is easy to find somewhere charming instead of staying in the plastic rooms of the motel chains.

Enjoy the charm of the main street with its wide selection of shops – from souvenirs to soup mix from antiques to artwork – there is something here for everyone. We have always found the residents to very friendly, helpful and glad we chose to visit. Fredericksburg was the birthplace of Admiral Nimitz, Commander of the Pacific Fleet during WWII and houses an extensive museum dedicated to the War in the Pacific.

Willow City Loop

From Fredericksburg take Hwy 16 to Willow City (15 miles), at Willow City the “Loop” is easy to find.

Hill Country riding is not complete until you’ve done the Willow City Loop. Although the actual loop is only about 21 miles, it is some of the best riding and best scenery you will find anywhere in Texas. Be sure to allow time to stop by “Harry’s On The Loop” for ice, beer, BBQ and more”. Owners Harry and Rosemary will make you feel right at home.

Enchanted Rock: Take Hwy 965 north from Fredericksburg for about 20 miles.

One of the largest granite monoliths in the world, Enchanted Rock is right up there with Stone Mountain, Georgia and Ayers Rock in Australia. This dome of smooth granite rises abruptly from the land to the heighth of a 40-story building. The hike to the top is easy, although the park service sometimes limits the number of hikers per day. From the top you will enjoy the same view that the Indians saw when they used this as a lookout and for ceremonial purposes.

History: Tonkawa Indians believed ghost fires flickered at the top, and they heard weird creaking and groaning, which geologists now say resulted from the rock’s heating by day and contracting in the cool night. A conquistador captured by the Tonkawa described how he escaped by losing himself in the rock area, giving rise to an Indian legend of a “pale man swallowed by a rock and reborn as one of their own.”

Old Tunnel Road: Go southeast from Fredericksburg on 290, a couple of miles out you will see a sign for Old Tunnel WMA. Turn right. This wildlife management area includes an old railroad tunnel that is now home to over 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats. Every evening around dusk, August is best; they emerge from the tunnel in a massive, dense, fluttering cloud. Viewing from the upper deck of the observation stand is free. Come early and get a good seat – this show draws a crowd.

Luckenbach: Take 290 Southwest from Fredericksburg, about 7 miles out you will see a sign for Luckenbach.

“Let’s Go To Luckenbach Texas . . . “ Founded in 1850...

We hope that you enjoyed reading this excerpt from "Fredericksburg Area". If you would like to read the entire article and more, you can order a back issue of May / June 2004 where this article was originally published.

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