Sunday, June 26, 2016

Enchanted Rock




Enchanted Rock, near Fredericksburg, TX, offers breathtaking views of the hill country.  There's only one way to experience those views and it involves a lot of sweat equity! But I promise that is well worth climbing to the top of this granite dome.



We go to Fredericksburg several times a year but this Spring Break was our first trip to Enchanted Rock. I've always heard the folklore and legends associated with Enchanted Rock. The name alone is attibuted to the supposed spiritual and magical powers of the rock.  They say it's haunted by the ghosts of Comanche Indians who lived & fought on Enchanted Rock. Supposedly at night you can still see the light from their campfires flickering on the rock. Another legend tells how an Indian princess threw herself off the rock and her ghost now haunts the area. You can read more about these lengends at the Texas State Historical Society's website Enchanted Rock Legends.

So when some friends invited us to spend a day climbing Enchanted Rock with them, we eagerly said yes.  We loaded up dad's backpack with water bottles and sunscreen and began the hike from the parking lot to the bottom of the trail.


The summit is 1825 ft above sea level and there's only one way to get there ... straight up the rock face!


The kids were kind enough to let us old folks take a couple of breaks along the way to catch our breath! This was about halfway up.



Some of us who are more agile and athletic enjoyed exploring the surrounding area while the rest of us (ME)  rested.





http://kxan.com/2016/03/21/authorities-ask-for-help-finding-enchanted-rock-graffiti-suspects/