Enchanted Rock & Little Rock Loop

Crabapple, TX
4.9
23 Reviews
Enchanted Rock & Little Rock Loop
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Details

Distance
2.85 miles
Elevation Gain
689 ft
Route Type
Loop

Features

Dog Friendly
Scenic
Picnic Area
Family Friendly
Groups
Bathrooms
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About this place

Added by Nick Tort

This 2.9-mile hike with minimal elevation gain gives you gorgeous 360° views of the Texas Hill Country. The summit has a lot of surface area, giving you the opportunity for a little privacy. This hike is great for all ages and is family and pet friendly (except for the summit).

Once inside the park, you can't miss either parking lots that are surrounded by picnic tables and well marked signs pointing towards the trails. There are also some public restrooms and a truck with some snacks. Once geared up, head straight towards the Summit Trail and begin your adventure!

The trail is incredibly easy to follow - there are signs at every turn along the way. You are making your way through small boulder fields and lush desert vegetation. Once you get onto the granite boulder itself, you will see pockets of lichen and lonesome tree patches seemingly growing straight out of the rock. The trail leads to the base of the boulder and it's left up to your imagination to pick your own path to the top.

The summit is huge so there are plenty of spaces to carve out some privacy as well as mini boulder fields that offer a break to the wide open expanse you will find yourself in. In any direction you look, you will be seeing miles of the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Take out your camera, snap some photos, grab a snack and soak it all up.

On the descent, I recommend heading down the west face where Enchanted Rock meets Little Rock. Here you can see the power of the earth in action - big & small fractured pieces of granite are seemingly frozen in place as they have broken away from the top layer and have began sliding down the face. Enchanted Rock is an "exfoliation dome," meaning it has layers like an onion, and as the outer layers are pushed up by the base layers, they crack and fall away.

Head up onto Little Rock to look back at Enchanted to truly appreciate the unique beauty of it. Also keep an eye out for climbers making climbing their way up!

You can easily spend the better part of a day just exploring the summit and surrounding areas! If you have the opportunity to stay for sunset, well, now you may have struck granite gold!

Note: Dogs ARE allowed on the loop trail, but NOT allowed on the summit.

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Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and be sure to follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly.
Community
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Ang C
5/1/2026
Well Maintained
Amazing Views
Great Conditions
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Tate Jensen
3/16/2025
Wasn’t too crowded. There is a burn ban in place and water restrictions. Bring plenty of water and enjoy the views of hill country!
Good Views
Decently Marked
Good Conditions
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Patricia Berry
Club
11/3/2024
Well Maintained
Not Crowded
Well Marked
Great Conditions
Amazing Views
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Kendalyn Vardaman
6/19/2023
Great hike!! Rocky terrain
When we went it broke into a hail storm out of no where. The rock was very slick after that. Be sure no rain ...
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Rodrigo Zapata
4/3/2022
Amazing
It was very challenging for someone that does not do hiking very often but it was amazing, the view of the Texas Hill Country. ...
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Cpt Human
12/12/2021
Absolutely gorgeous
It's absolutely gorgeous and good for all ages. Plenty of parking and cool crystals everywhere
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Pete Ortiz
1/21/2018
Winded
Pretty close day trip, I realized I was not in as good of shape as I thought, it’s a long steep climb to the top.
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Kyra Zerwick
8/31/2017
No dogs allowed on Summit!
Went out to hike up the summit trail, but was told that dogs aren't allowed on the summit because they tend to fall and ...
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Francisco Moctezuma Villa
1/21/2017
Great Family Spot
We visited Enchanted Rock in November 2016, weather was great, we were able to climb up to the summit with our 2.5 years old ...
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Jon Mattrisch
10/20/2016
Incredible, to say the least
I had no idea what to expect when my sister-in-law told me to visit this place. She had said how they used to take ...
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Will Hughes
9/23/2016
Good Times All Around
Enchanted Rock is an awesome place to spend time with friends in the great outdoors. The avid hiker, camper, or photographer can all get ...
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Tanya Helbig
8/14/2016
Well Worth The Drive
Enchanted rock is such a breathtaking and rejuvenating place to go to with family or friends! I had so much fun exploring the whole ...
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Courtney Crowley
6/17/2016
Rock fun
Great place to go! Have hiked it multiple times! Go when it's cool and not right after a rain. Dog friendly!
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Sarah Johnson
5/17/2016
Absolutely Beautiful.
Enchanted Rock is absolutely beautiful. I'd recommend bringing a hydration pack as its a pretty steep hike. Awesome view at the top though!
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Kyle Obermann
3/9/2016
One of my favorite places in Texas.
Incredible geological structure. There are campsites at the base with water access and primitive camping around other parts. There are also many trails going ...
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Chema Domenech
3/9/2016
So Unique
This is one of the most amazing spots in Central Texas. It rises out of nowhere and it is really incredible. One of the ...
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Hannah Drake
2/26/2016
Fun Day Trip!
Haven't camped before, but a nice day trip from Austin for lunch on top of the rock!
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Andrew Slaton
2/22/2016
Such a cool place
Great camping and tons of trails to hike! This is a true hill country gem.
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Caleb K.
1/19/2016
Solid As A Rock
Coming through the park gates, you see the majestic mountain beauty rise up. Both formations look daunting - the smooth, level ascent up a ...
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Korey Taylor
9/29/2015
Enchanted Rock is awesome! Though it can be a very popular destination on the weekends and the trails can be overloaded with people. I ...
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Sarah Vaughn
9/24/2015
Love Enchanted Rock! Once you hit the summit trail be sure to wander down the Echo Canyon Trail on your way back down. There ...
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Slade Ham
6/4/2015
Bring PLENTY of water if you visit May-August. Texas is disgustingly hot and humid.
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Reagan Elaina
4/30/2015
Worth the visit, bring friends & post a photo about your "enchanted" day :)
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