One of the Best Outdoor Trips on a Spring Break in Texas Hill Country

Looking for fun things to do during Spring Break in the Texas Hill Country?

I got you covered here. Our family went to the Texas Hill Country for spring break more than once.

In this article, I will share the experiences from a year filled with hikes, historical tours, water activities, stargazing, and camping in a tent.

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Most of the time, we based our vacation on the Texas Hill Country in Fredericksburg, and so was this camping and hiking trip.

We wanted to stay in one of the state parks near Fredericksburg, but they were all fully booked.

Fortunately, we know of a place that always has spaces for last-minute tent campers. It’s only 10 minutes away from downtown Fredericksburg, has hot showers, and costs $10 nightly. A place called Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.

This Spring Break in Texas Hill Country itinerary began from our house in the south of Fort Worth. If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you are in luck. If not, you can always follow this itinerary once you are in Fredericksburg.

Since this is a camping and hiking trip and you will be visiting several state parks, you must reserve your day passes or campsite in advance.

Also, since we decided to make the trip a week before Spring Break, all campsites in Texas State Parks near Fredericksburg were fully booked.

Apparently, camping and hiking during Spring Break in the Texas Hill Country is a favorite thing to do.

A Fun Spring Break in Texas Hill Country

Assuming you have camping gear and are ready to go. If you don’t, and this will be your first camping trip, I suggest you rent camping gear from places like REI. Don’t spend your money right away to buy all kinds of gear. Maybe camping is not your thing.

If you don’t feel like camping, you can always stay in the hotel. Fredericksburg offers a variety of hotels to choose from. Find them here.

Next, let the fun spring break in Texas Hill Country begin.

DAY 1 – Home to Fredericksburg for Spring Break in Texas Hill Country

In my opinion, there’s no better way to get to Fredericksburg than the back road. You will drive through small Texas towns and stop at so many interesting places along the way.

You will drive on US-67 S to US-281 N before turning to TX-16 S/N State Hwy 16 to Fredericksburg. Sometimes, you’ll see bluebonnets when driving from Cleburne to Glen Rose at this time.

As always, our family’s first stop on the way to Fredericksburg is Wiseman House Chocolate in Hico. It is right at the corner of the traffic light after you pass historic downtown Hico on the left. They offer a variety of homemade chocolates and give samples for customers to taste. Mmm, delicious. My favorite is Almond Toffee Crunch. You will love this stop.

Then we cross the street to Koffee Kup Family Restaurant, which was rated #3 in Texas Country Reporter for the best pies in Texas. Our son loves their giant donut. It tasted like it was from my mother’s kitchen.

If you love popcorn, stop at Hico Popcorn Works in the downtown area. Their caramel jalapeno popcorn is yummy!

During the trip, we drove to the giant spur art about a ¼ mile north of Koffee Kup, which was a custom-made gateway for a ranch.

Then continue driving past Hamilton, Goldthwaite, San Saba, and Llano. Make a quick stop at interesting places between Fort Worth and Fredericksburg in these small towns.

When we got to downtown Llano, I saw a Rural Road 152 sign and asked my husband to turn in that direction. It was on my to-do list after I searched the internet. It is said to be one of the scenic drives that will “take your breath away” between Llano and Fredericksburg during springtime.

Well, it was not! I think our spring break trip was too early for bluebonnets and the wildflowers. The road took us to Mason, and then we turned around toward the south of Fredericksburg.

I wrote a special post on things to do in Llano that you may want to check. You can spend some time in Llano on the way home, or save it for another trip.

After pitching your tent or checking in at the hotel, explore downtown and do a little shopping or window shopping. However, note that most stores in Fredericksburg are closed at 5 pm.

Or, have a light supper at the campsite and relax.

When we were there, the sunset was beautiful. When night fell, we could see the moon, Jupiter, the Orion Belt, the Big Dipper, the North Star, Sirius, and thousands of stars very clearly above. You may want to bring your telescope with you.

DAY 2 – Hiking at Colorado Bend State Park

Today, you will visit Colorado Bend State Park in Bend, near San Saba. From Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, it takes around 1.5 hours to drive. It’s going back to where you drove yesterday.

You will hike to Gorman Falls, one of the most popular spots in Colorado Bend. One of the most popular waterfalls in Texas.

The hike is a 3-mile round trip over rough and rocky terrain. Be sure to wear your hiking shoes or sturdy walking shoes. I saw visitors in their flip-flops, and it’s not recommended at all. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water.

Then go to Spicewood Springs for swimming. If the water is still cold on your visit, rent a kayak. Or, you can always add another trail to explore.

When we visited Colorado Bend, we started our day by hiking the Cedar Chopper Loop. The plan was to have a picnic lunch at Dogleg Canyon, turn around, and continue driving to the Gorman Falls trailhead.

After lunch at the Dogleg Canyon, we wanted to hike a bit more, then a bit more, and we ended up at the river. When we looked back to where we came from, we chose to hike the flat River Trail rather than climb to where we started.

We checked the map and it showed that the River Trail would take us to Gorman Falls. It was a long and tiresome hike, and my husband didn’t make it to Gorman Falls because he had to pick up the car.

Don’t follow our mistake hiking to Gorman Falls, although it’s another experience in itself.

Back to downtown Fredericksburg, stop at Clear River Ice Cream. You deserve a sweet treat after a hike at Colorado Bend.

Then drive to Pioneer Museum and Vereins Kirche.

If you are too tired to cook supper, try German food in one of the restaurants in town. I like Spicy Texas Schnitzel at The Auslander. Your dog can sit with you at their Biergarten in the back.

DAY 3 – Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site and Pedernales Falls State Park

On the third day of your Spring Break in Texas Hill Country, it’s more of a history tour.

Your first stop is Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site. It is located in Stonewall on US-290 E, about a 30-minute drive from the campground.

In this park, you will learn a lot about our 36^th president: his birth, childhood, political career, retirement, and death. You will also discover what life was like in the early 1900s.

The first stop will be the Visitor Center. You will see President Johnson’s memorabilia from his time in the office and learn about the land and the people that helped shape his worldview. There’s also a short film on LBJ and the park.

You can shop for souvenirs, books, and other items at the park store. And don’t forget to obtain your driving pass to LBJ Ranch, which is your next stop.

LBJ Ranch is located across the Pedernales River and is part of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. You will take a self-guided tour and will visit LBJ’s old school, family cemetery, and reconstructed birthplace.

Then you will stop at the ranger station. You will see more of the history of the president as well as his private jet and car collection, including his white Lincoln convertible and Amphicar.

The Texas White House, where he did his political activity during his presidency, is located just next door. We didn’t do the house tour because the waiting line was long and we still had to go to 2 other places.

And now, the White House is closed for tours because of construction issues.

If you travel with children, they can do the Junior Ranger Program at LBJ National Historical Park.

Next, you will visit the Sauer-Beckmann farm. This is a living history farm, located near the Visitor Center.

Rangers and volunteers wore period clothing and performed farm and household chores as they did in the 1900s.

It’s a good place to teach children about farm living at the beginning of the 20^th century in Fredericksburg.

On the way to Pedernales, stop at LBJ’s boyhood home and the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park Visitor Center in Johnson City.

Then have lunch in the city. I like street tacos at East Main Grill in the Old Lumber Yard Complex. If you want something fast, there are Subway and Dairy Queen. Dairy Queen is located at the intersection of Pedernales Falls State Park.

Pedernales Falls State Park is the last destination for today. Drive straight to the Pedernales Falls Trailhead at the end of the park. You can’t swim there, but you will be mesmerized by the falls and the potholes.

You can also do some hikes and drive to the swimming area (check the park and trail maps). Don’t forget to pack your swimsuits. You never know whether the water is warm enough for swimming. We didn’t bring ours, and it was in the 80s!

Back at the campsite, enjoy the night sky until it’s time to sleep.

DAY 4 – Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Inks Lake State Park, and home

Last day of your spring break in the Texas Hill Country. You will go to Enchanted Rock and hike the famous Summit Trail.

You are required to reserve day passes, as this is a favorite park in the Texas Hill Country.

Get the earliest passes, because it gets hot fast at the summit. Also, it’s easier to find a parking space near the trailhead.

But first, buy some pastry from the Old German Bakery & Restaurant. The address is 225 W Main St. It’s on your way to Enchanted Rock.

Many people hike the Summit Trail to the top (1,823 ft.). The distance to the summit is .8 mi with a challenging difficulty. It would take around 45 minutes to reach the top, but you will make frequent stops.

The views and the rock formation are just amazing. One thing to remember, hiking this trail is like climbing the stairs of a 30- or 40-story building. But it’s worth it!

When you arrive at the summit, take your time. There are at least 4 things to do at the top:

1. looking for vernal pools,

2. seeing part of Fredericksburg,

3. exploring the rock formations all over the top,

4. And of course, climbing the rocks with your risks.

Then go down from a different side, which will take you to the Echo Canyon Trail. The difficulty of the Echo Canyon Trail is moderate-challenging.

If you still have the energy, keep going on the Echo Canyon Trail, then turn onto Base Trail. From Base Trail, either you turn to Turkey Pass Trail or keep going and turn to Loop Trail.

Both trails will take you back to where you start (the parking lot).

It’s time to go home, and you will drive through Llano again.

By this day, bluebonnets are probably blooming along the road. That’s what happened to us. The roadside between the park (RR 965) and highway 16 to Llano looked pretty with bluebonnets blooming on both sides of the road. But the road is full with no stop signs.

In Llano, you may want to have lunch at Cooper’s BBQ, as we did. It was delicious! Excellent barbeques! It’s not cheap, though. You have to prepare $$ for each one in your group.

From Llano, take a different way home. Go through Burnet, the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas. Hopefully, the Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes are blanketing the roadsides by this time.

In Burnet, you will visit one more state park and make a short hike. Drive to Inks Lake State Park and hike to the Devil’s Waterhole area. A cool spot that you may want to play in the water one more time before ending your camping and hiking adventure during spring break in the Texas Hill Country.

Don’t forget to check your watch! You still have another 3 hours to drive until you get home.

So, what do you think? Have you ever visited one, two, or all of the places I mentioned above?

If you haven’t been, you will enjoy your camping and hiking trip during spring break in the Texas Hill Country as we did. The Texas Hill Country is just a beautiful destination in Texas.