Enchanted Rock Hiking Tips
Everything You Need to Know to Get Up the Mountain and Back
It’s my goal to traverse all the major hiking highlights surrounding San Antonio. I am slowly but surely working my way through all of the city parks, but this past weekend it was time to tackle the local behemoth: Enchanted Rock. In today’s blog post, I will give you this photographer’s perspective of what it was like to go up the mountain. From when to go, how to reserve your time slot, and where to find the best photo locations, these are my best Enchanted Rock hiking tips.
My Trip to Enchanted Rock: An Overview
Let’s start off with a summary of my trip. I visited Enchanted Rock on Saturday, June 22nd. The time slot on my reservation was from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., and we arrived at the park a little bit before 8:30 a.m. In the car with me were two of my best hiking buddies, Ana and Bobbi. I would rank our hiking expertise and general fitness to be average or above average. Finally, we spent three hours hiking at Enchanted Rock, and left the park by 11:30 a.m. From here we headed to Fredericksburg to tour the town.
The Reservation System at Enchanted Rock
The first thing you need to know about Enchanted Rock is that there is a reservation system to get in. This system was instituted during the Covid years, and it has been in place ever since. While some people may complain that you have to jump through hoops just to enter the park, I personally am in favor as it keeps the crowds in check.
The reservation system is easy enough to navigate. You simply go to the website and look on the calendar for the day you want to visit. From here you select a two-hour time slot for entrance. I made my reservation on the Wednesday prior to my weekend trip (June 19th). Note that by Wednesday the 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. slot was fully booked. This first slot of the day is by far the most popular. I can understand why: getting up that early has its advantages in that you get to see a stunning sunrise plus avoid the crowds.
Your reservation is booked according to the number of vehicles you will be bringing into the park. The park checks your reservation by your car’s license plate. Therefore, make sure you have your vehicle information ready when you make your reservation. And though you reserve by car, you pay per person. It costs $8 per person to enter Enchanted Rock State Park. Yes, you can make and pay for a reservation at the visitor’s center, but if you have any plans to visit on the weekend, then you need to make your reservation well in advance.
By the way, it is easy to amend your reservation. I had originally booked one car and two people, but had to call to add another person. I talked to a very pleasant park ranger who quickly made my reservation change.
You will receive an email confirmation of your reservation and if asked in person, simply show your reservation number. Our reservation was never checked by a park ranger; however, I did leave a copy of my reservation on the dashboard of my car while we hiked. I also had my reservation on my phone. In researching Enchanted Rock State Park before the trip, it appears that some visitors were asked for their reservation details while on the trail, so keep your reservation handy.
One Tip for Enchanted Rock: Get There Early
Early morning is definitely the way to go for hiking Enchanted Rock. There is zero shade on top of the mountain, and if you want any decent photos, then you are going to need the ‘golden hour’ just after sunrise to get your best images.
The sun quickly becomes harsh – too harsh for photos – at around 9:30 a.m. Besides making your photos ugly, I can’t imagine scampering up the side of the mountain in the intense Texas heat. During our trip to Enchanted Rock it was only a high of 89°. It was honestly a perfect day for hiking in the summer. But even then, we really began to feel the heat by the time we left the park.
Enchanted Rock Hiking Tips: How To Avoid the Crowds
Even if you are a fan of baking in the sun, trust me that you still want to get there early so that you can avoid the crowds. As these photos can attest, the masses were already there at 8:30 a.m. Furthermore, when we left the park those crowds had doubled. If you take nothing else away from this article, then follow this rule: get to Enchanted Rock early.
The good news is that the crowds thin out considerably on the other hiking paths. You will have to endure the hordes on the trek up to the summit. But once you choose another path, you pretty much have the mountain all to yourself.
Enchanted Rock Hiking Tips: The View From the Top
My recommendation is that you tackle the summit hiking trail first. While I would not call the hike up the face of Enchanted Rock that strenuous of a climb, I think it is still best to hike the most challenging trail when you have the most energy. The path up is supposed to be as challenging as climbing 30 to 40 flights of stairs. During our trip, I witnessed grandmothers and children running up the mountain. If they can do it, so can you.
Once you’re at the top, take some time to enjoy the view. It really is a spectacular sight. The other mountains in the distance kind of look like the Mittens Buttes of Monument Valley, except with trees.
There’s not much to see at the top except to witness the breathtaking view. Supposedly there is a medallion marking the top of the mountain, but I couldn’t find anything. Also, there are caves to explore just past the crest. I found this video on YouTube showing a father and his children exploring the caves. Personally, it made me a little claustrophobic watching the video, but it does look like the kids had fun exploring.
Enchanted Rock Hiking Tips: The Path to Follow
Once you’ve had your moment of Zen on top of Enchanted Rock, it’s time to explore the surrounding hiking trails. Our group wanted to head to Moss Lake, so we went back down the mountain and around the Connecting Trail, and then on to the Loop Trail to get back to the parking lot. The Connecting Trail led directly to the lake and went through some of the bouldering area areas where hikers were crawling up the face of the mountain.
These trails weren’t difficult, but there was a portion of the Connecting Trail where you had to crawl down over rocks. I was wearing tennis shoes and did just fine. However, it was a little bit challenging with my camera equipment since the added weight through off my balance. Again, I’m trying to picture making this trip with a bride, groom and even more camera equipment around my neck. It’s doable, but know that you will be walking slow.
Are There Animals on the Trails of Enchanted Rock?
The biggest living thing we encountered while hiking was a lizard. There weren’t any deer, though we saw plenty along the road on the drive from San Antonio. The lizards we saw were the common ombre variety I have seen around the city.
Really, the only wildlife we saw of note were some crazy hikers. We found this guy who seemed to be hiking the trails with a mattress strapped to his back. He didn’t have a backpack or any other equipment; just the mattress. He said that this was to cushion his fall from going up the mountain, but I remain dubious.
Best Photo Shoot Locations at Enchanted Rock
Your best shot of the day will, of course, be the view from the top of Enchanted Rock. But don’t let this be your only shot. I was amazed at the fascinating rock formations found all through the park and the variety of terrain along the trails. Indeed, a trip to Enchanted Rock will be peppered with great photo shoot locations from beginning to end.
For photos at the top of the mountain, there is absolutely no shade. Hence, you have to schedule any shoots here at the break of dawn when you can take full advantage of golden hour. But that said, you do have a few little niches here and there beside some of the big rocks along the rim of Enchanted Rock. Bear in mind that the same spot may look atrocious with harsh overhead light at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.
Moss Lake, and the ravine along the Connecting Trail were by far the most scenic spots we encountered during our hike. You have lots of trees for shade in this area and there are epic, alien-like rock formations that beg to be photographed.
Enchanted Rock Hiking Tips: Logistics
We spent a total of three hours at Enchanted Rock. This trip focused on the summit, Connecting Trail, Moss Lake, and Scenic View Trail. We did not visit the east end of the park so I’ll have to save Buzzard’s Roost Trail for another trip.
Parking can be a bit of a problem. When we arrived a smidge before 8:30 a.m., parking spots were already growing slim. I can’t imagine how much of a zoo the parking lot must be if you try to visit later in the day. Again, the early bird gets the closest parking spot. And for anyone driving an electric vehicle, you will be happy to know that the Hoffman Haus hotel in Fredericksburg has four EV chargers available through the Blink network. There are no EV chargers at the park.
As with any outdoor adventure in Texas, make sure you bring a sufficient amount of water with you. There is a vending machine at the visitor center that sells water. So, if you are desperate, then you have this as an option. But there are no snacks for sale.
I would also advise any visitors to use the restroom at the visitor center before you go into the park. There was a long line of people waiting to use the restrooms just inside the entrance, so get it out of the way before you go to the main parking area. Note that there are limited potties on the trails.
Fredericksburg is the New Brooklyn
My friends and I enjoy a good road trip. We like doing something physical in the great outdoors for one part of a trip, and then a little shopping in a small city for the other half of the day. A trip to Enchanted Rock followed by a spin through Fredericksburg seemed to be just the ticket.
And while we thoroughly enjoyed hiking Enchanted Rock, our visit to Fredericksburg was meh. Perhaps it was a result of high expectations on my part. I had always heard that Fredericksburg was a cute little town, chock-a-block with precious little stores and restaurants. It was the fun tiny town that everyone has to visit on a day trip.
Well, apparently that word has indeed gotten out. Yes, we were there on a Saturday, but even so it seemed insanely crowded. As opposed to the chill, low-key vibe that was Boerne, the crowds in Fredericksburg brought me back to my days of living in New York City. Indeed, the accents I heard around me sparked memories of my former New York life.
You have been warned that Fredericksburg is apparently the new Las Vegas for bachelorette parties. This means gangs of women descend upon the town in hideous pink Hummers going from shop to shop and wine store to wine store. Let’s just say that this is definitely not my scene.
Speaking of shops, there seems to be only two types in Fredericksburg: wine stores and jewelry shops. The clothing shops were catering to the suburb Karens, and there really didn’t seem to be a lot of local artisan shops. Headquarters Hats is by far the most interesting Western wear shop I have ever been in, but they don’t allow any photos.
The bright spot on our trip was OroBianco Italian Creamery. We stopped in twice and I can vouch that their lemon sorbet is fantastic. This made up for the subpar ‘German’ lunch we had at the Fredericksburg Brewing Company.
Though I was overall disappointed with my trip to Fredericksburg, perhaps I should give it another whirl during the week when the crowds should be less of a factor. This is just my take, but in short, Enchanted Rock was the true highlight of the day.
Enchanted Rock Hiking Tips: Final Takeaways
I had a great time hiking through Enchanted Rock State Park. Making a reservation was easy, and the hiking trails offered just enough of a challenge and plenty of beauty. I will definitely be back, this time even earlier. Avoiding the heat and crowds is my number one tip for visiting Enchanted Rock. For an even better trip, visit during the week for a more pleasant trip to Fredericksburg afterwards.
Enjoy the images, and I’ll have more photo adventures for you next week. I’m putting plans together for a tubing trip as well as another caving escapade to Natural Bridge Caverns. If you have suggestions for other cool places to explore around San Antonio, then by all means send them my way. This Texas traveler is always looking for adventure.
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If you found this article on ‘Visiting Boerne, Texas’ interesting, then check out some of my other recent posts:
Any recommendations for my next Texas road trip? Drop me a line and let me know where I should head next.
To view more images from my travel and photojournalism portfolio, please visit my website – Kelly-Williams.com
