Walnut Springs Area — Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, near Fredericksburg, Texas, is a fantastic spot for those who love tent camping and breathtaking views. This area is all about the great outdoors, with no frills like showers or trash services, so come prepared to embrace nature fully.

The campground is known for its stunning hiking trails, including the steep ascent up Enchanted Rock itself. Many visitors rave about the views from the top, with one camper noting, “You’ll realize how out of shape you are, but once at the top you forget everything.” Just remember, it can get hot, especially in the summer, so pack plenty of water and sunscreen.

While the weekends can get busy with day hikers, the experience is still rewarding. Campers have enjoyed peaceful moments under the stars, with one reviewer mentioning, “I have never seen so many stars!” The area is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the adventure. 

If you're looking for a place to hike, climb, and soak in some incredible scenery, this location is worth checking out. Just be ready for a bit of a trek to your campsite, and don’t forget to take in the stunning sunsets and sunrises that this beautiful area has to offer.

Moss Lake (eight sites) and Walnut Springs (12 sites) are a 1 to 3 mile hike over rugged terrain. We charge an excess vehicle fee of $6 per car, per night, for each vehicle over two per campsite. No ash-producing fires are permitted in this area. You may use containerized fuel stoves that can be turned off for cooking. Minors (under 17) who are not camping with a sponsored group must provide a written consent form to stay overnight. No hammocks allowed in primitive camping areas.

Magical, Mystical, Enchanted
Climb the ancient dome for amazing Hill Country views.

The massive pink granite dome rising above Central Texas has drawn people for thousands of years. But there’s more at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area than just the dome. The scenery, rock formations and legends are magical, too!

Things to Do
You can hike, backpack, camp, rock climb, picnic, bird, study nature, geocache and stargaze.  (You cannot swim here or ride bikes on the trails.)

Hiking
Explore nearly 11 miles of hiking trails. Take a virtual tour with our Interactive Trails Map.

All trails close 30 minutes after sunset, except the Loop Trail. 
The Summit Trail may close in wet weather.
Check our trail status here or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbers must check in at park headquarters. You can pick up route maps there and read the climbing rules. Read through our Climbing Information before you come.

Pets
To protect this Natural Area, pets are only allowed in the designated day-use picnic areas, the campgrounds, and on the Loop Trail (pets are not allowed on any other trail). Don't leave pets unattended, including in vehicles and at campsites, and keep them on a leash no longer than six feet at all times.

Shopping
Our park store carries some gift items. You can buy wood for campfires at the park. Please bring your own drinking water, as it is in short supply due to the ongoing drought.

Get involved
Enchanted Rock needs your help! We will match your abilities to our many needs. You might guide a group to the summit, lead a tour of the loop trail, provide information to park visitors, or help maintain park facilities. Visit our Volunteer page to learn more.

Join or donate to the Friends of Enchanted Rock.

Outfitters and guide services
The following guides lead rock climbing tours at Enchanted Rock:

Austin Ascents, austinascents@gmail.com 
Outpost Wilderness Adventure, info@owa.com 
Rock-About Climbing Adventures, Adam@Rock-About.com 
Texas Climbing Adventures, info@texasclimbingadventures.com 
Ranger Programs
Enjoy a star party or a nature hike led by a park ranger, or contact the park for special tours for your group.

Check our Events page for upcoming programs.
Become a Junior Ranger! Pick up a Junior Ranger Activity Guide and borrow an explorer pack.
Email us to schedule a school or youth group tour. 
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Area Attractions
Visit Fredericksburg for a taste of German culture in the Texas Hill Country. There you can shop, dine, visit museums and find outdoor activities. Stop by Llano, known as the “Deer Capital of Texas,” for museums, music and more.

President Lyndon B. Johnson was born near Johnson City. Learn about this colorful Texan at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. Tour the Texas White House and Johnson’s boyhood home. The Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site and the Sauer-Beckmann living history farm are nearby.

Drive the Peach Loop, one of TPWD’s Great Texas Wildlife Trails. It will lead you to some of the best wildlife observation points in this area.

Walnut Springs Area — Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Looking for the best campgrounds near Willow City, TX? Willow City is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Find the best campgrounds near Willow City, TX. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.

Willow City

The Best Camping Near Willow City, Texas

Enchanted Rock is a huge dome of granite the rises up from the mostly flat area of Texas. It makes for a great afternoon hike or overnight camping trip, has excellent facilities, and is large enough for you to have a taste of nature. 

There are two campgrounds, one is a hike in campground with a 1-3 mile hike, and the other you can drive up to. While there are usually some people up late talking, it's a pretty quiet campground. There is zero traffic noise, and if the moon is up you can go up on the rock and have a magical night. 

Beware the summer nights in Texas. I went camping here in July and it was really too much. It doesn't seem to cool down at all at night. I think the granite holds the heat. Come in spring or fall for the best time. Reserve your site online well in advance.

A Truly Magical Place

Enchanted Rock is one of the coolest parks in the Austin area. The giant rock outcropping is a blast to hike, and you can't beat the view. The stars there are amazing as well. The lack of artificial lights makes for an incredible star show every night. 
The park isn't huge however, and I think one or two is probably the best length of time to spend there. For a weekend trip though, Enchanted Rock is great. 

Great for a day hike or a one night stay

This is one of my favorite state parks. I camped here over the weekend and got miles of hiking in. Making it to the summit of the rock is challenging, but worth it. Camping is great, although you are required to book two days for some reason even if you can only stay for one. If you're coming for just a day hike, get there early as it can fill up fast.

One of my favorite

Camped on a Thursday night so there weren't as many people at the park which was nice. Hiked to the peak for an amazing sunset then hiked back up to the peak at 11pm and I can't even describe how many stars you could see. It was very windy at the top but the view of all the stars was incredible and worth the second trip up that evening. Definitely recommend camping at enchanted rock during the week if possible and late night summit hike. Also just be careful cause we heard coyotes in the distance and always be aware for snakes. 

Stars on stars on stars

Went here for a day trip to hike to the top of the rock. We got there right as the park opened because it tends to get full. Call ahead before you go to make sure they haven't closed the park to outside visitors. It was a little drizzly when we arrived but luckily I had good shoes on to be able to go to the top. It started to clear up and it was a fantastic hike. I will definitely be back to camp and explore more of the park.

Awesome!

Beautiful place with unique rock features. Gets crowded on the weekends. Arrive early for entry. It's not just one dome, but three. You can go off trail easily to explore. Do not climb the domes at night. There's a primitive campground behind the main dome near the lake. Don't carry too much when going to it since it requires scrambling. I camped in the main campground for car camping. Make reservations for that one well in advance.

Unique rocks

Why haven't you been there?

This is a very popular park, so get there early if you want to get in. Do not attempt walking to the top of Enchanted Rock at night. It’s easy to get lost and you will probably fall and hurt yourself.

Beautiful and well-maintained

This place is simply amazing and tou have to hike to the sumit qhere you can take in the view of the entire park.

Natural Beauty

The walk-in sites are really close together and the campground is pretty small. I recommend bringing your hiking pack and hiking a mile to the primitive sites, if you're able. They are much more scenic and you have more privacy from screaming children.

The primitive are also really close to bathrooms and the hiking trails.

Walk-In Campsites are crowded, Primitive sites are much better!

Beautiful spot to hike and enjoy scenery.

Beautiful

Omg! The stars are beautiful here! Plan to go camping when there will be a new moon. The night sky will be light up with billions of twinkling lights! Also, a great time to see the milky way and to watch for satellites passing by.

Hiking up Enchanted Rock is quite fun! There are so many ways to hike up to the top, blaze your own trail! There are caves all though the Rock, just make sure you bring a flashlight cause once you are deep inside it will be pitch black!

Of corse it is located in Texas so expect it to be cray hot in the summer and wet and windy in the winter. (we only have "two" seasons ; P lol). Either way, Enchanted Rock is a great weekend trip for the family, group of friends or just a personal retreat from the city.

The Stars! 

The campsites are nicely spaced and there are enough trees and bushes for some privacy. I arrived after dark, but was still able to find a campsite. They are close to E Rock, so you can just wake up and walk to the crags.

Quick access to E rock

Hiked in late one night, trying to beat a large group of boyscouts to a good primitive campsite. We lucked out in Moss Lake campground. Set up camp at night and the next morning, we were treated to a a beautiful sunrise over a field of yellow daisies with Enchanted Rock in the distance. One of the most gorgeous campsites ever. I'm planning a return trip soon and hope the flowers are in bloom again! 

The park itself gets crowded &amp; that weekend the showers were out. There is a composting toilet near Moss Lake, so no shovel needed! The hike to the top of the rock is a bit strenuous but fun. Definitely recommend a visit &amp; stay in the primitive campgrounds to get away from the crowds!

easy, gorgeous hike-in

top rock

Great state park for a couple day visit. Good hiking trails. Disappointing that they closed the caves and do not allow dogs on the big rock anymore.

Camping trip

I have never seen so many stars! Most beautiful thing I have ever seen!

Best site is 22

A friend and I went here on New Year's Eve Day. We hiked only, did not camp but I cannot wait to camp there. It was a great surprise to me that I had not been there before. Such a beautiful place with so much to see.

One of the Best Outdoor Experiences I've had

It is actually a quicker hike than it looks. At first it looks intimidating for beginners, but before you know it, you are already halfway there. Also, if you really want to camp here, you have to reserve like a year in advance.

Just Climb It

My son and I tent camped at Enchanted Rock and we had a blast.  We hiked continuously through the weekend.  The high dome was hard but the perimeter trails and smaller dome were so fun.  Rock climbing, caves and other fun activities.  Texas classic.

Unbelievable Beauty and Views

My fiancée and I had been scouring the enchanted rock website in hopes of finally getting a spot for camping. Just last week there was availability for just one night on a Tuesday. Honey and I grabbed our gear and headed out that very morning. Drove 3.5hrs from Dickinson, TX with more than enough time to hike out to our camp site, set up and catch an unbelievable sunset from one of the scenic lookouts. 

To top it all off there was a small meteor shower which just so happened to be on that very night. The sky was clear, air was crisp and our sleeping bags laid out over the biggest rock we could find to fit both of us to cuddle up under the stars!

It did get down to 30-40 right before the sun came up and we definitely weren’t prepared because we planned on hiking the rest of the park with our gear on our backs. We both only had compression heat shirts and very thin long sleeves 😅Luckily it was the two of us and our body heat was just enough to get us through. 

We had planned on waking up before the sun rose so we could get to the top of enchanted rock to catch the sunrise... but it was too cold for that lol

Even though we missed the sunrise we still managed to scoot all over the trails and take in a lot of sights. The trail from our campground was canyon rock trail and we couldn’t have picked a better one! There’s a small lake we just had to stop and sit for a while.. for how vast and dry it is out there, seeing a little oasis was a sight!

Further up the trail it’s easy to get lost if you don’t keep your eyes peeled for arrowheads but once you reach the halfway point it gets really fun! The trail cuts through huge boulders and climbing them was probably my favorite part of the whole trip.. aside from the view at the top of enchanted rock overlooking the whole park with my favorite person in the world 💕

10/10 would recommend getting your butts to this park! I know we’ll be seeing it again very soon- if we’re lucky enough to get another camping spot 🤣

We made it! 

You'll realize how out of shape you are, but once at the top you forget everything

Breathtaking

Expect a weekend camping trip here in the spring to be crowded. We also got the unlucky spot next to the restroom. Overall, off season I’m sure it’s a much nicer experience! We love enchanted rock and camping was easy to set up. 

A bit crowded

Tent camping is all they offer here I believe. I went on solo weekend camp out and really enjoyed it. The grounds are nice. You are not allowed to hang anything from trees which is a bummer. You can hang things from the awnings but not every site has one. Keep that in mind is you plan on sleeping in a hammock. It was June so the mid-upper 90s are the norm. I woke up and hiked up Enchanted Rock for sunrise to avoid the heat and crowd. I was the only one up there! The rock itself is steep so good shoes are a must. The loop around is mostly flat and a nice mid morning/evening hike (summer). Most of the trails are in the sun so wear sunscreen and bring water! The weekends get very busy with day hikers so come early. 

Photos of Walnut Springs Area — Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Real photos from real campers