Enchanted Rock And A Wildflower Hike

Like a lot of you out there, I enjoy the novelty and excitement of exploring new places, but there is something to be said for returning year after year to a familiar spot. The decades of memories gathered and observing the way things slowly change over time and yet still feel familiar, is something I really value. One of those places for me is Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in the Texas Hill Country. It's a huge expanse of exposed pink granite that humans have been exploring for over 12,000 years. With multiple caves to explore and incredible rock formations that sometimes make you feel like you're on the moon, the entire park can feel quite magical.

April weather in Texas can really be hit or miss. One day can be hot and muggy and the next day can be cool and dry. So when the weather gods grant you one more cold morning before the intense summer heat comes to stay, you don't pass it up! And that's exactly what I did last week when the weather forecast showed morning temps in the 50's with a high in the 60's. I grabbed my day pack and a camera and was out the door just after sunrise. Another thing to love about April in Texas...the wildflowers. We had some good rain last fall and this spring and people all over the hill country have been talking about the bumper crop of wildflowers. In all of my visits to Enchanted Rock over the years, this trip might have been the most beautiful I've ever seen it. The green of the grass was the greenest green you could imagine, the creeks were full of running water, the cactus were all budded up ready to bloom and every flower was glowing in varying shades of yellow, red and purple. You mix all of that with the sparkling pink granite on a moody over cast day and the sun peeking through every now and then, and you completely understand all the myths and magical legends that have had humans returning to this site for generations.

I love sitting on top of the huge pink dome at the top of the summit trail, looking out over the hill country and remembering all the times I've done that exact thing. Mesmerized by the horizon and the birds riding the wind patterns, the view really hasn't changed all that much. With the overflow of people moving to Texas it's getting harder and harder to find anything that looks the way it did in my childhood. Maybe that's why this is one of my favorite spots. Not yet changed by progress and industry, this familiar landscape has seen every version of the person I've been, so in a way, it's allowed me to mark time...my time here on this earth. I remember where I sat to watch the sunset on my 27th birthday and the caves I climbed around in with my brother just before I moved over seas. And then there was the hysterical adventure I had with my best friend who I talked into climbing the summit trail one time...she's not outdoorsy, lol. It's seen the best and the worst of me. Every time I visit this enchanted landscape I feel welcomed and seen and renewed and ready to moved forward exploring and embracing All The Outdoor Things I love!