Hill Country Travel Blog

2021November
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GUADALUPE RIVER STATE PARK: RIVER THROUGH TIME

The Guadalupe River (locally pronounced “Gwa-da-loop,” as opposed to the traditional Spanish “Hwa-da-loo-pay”) is one of the major rivers that tracks its way through the Texas Hill Country, and throughout recorded time it has attracted wildlife, human settlement, commerce, and recreation alike. Just north of San Antonio, and perched on the eastern edge of the Hill Country, is the Guadalupe River State Park (occasionally referred to as “Guadalupe State Park”), which is one of the major focus points of recreation on this beautiful river.

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2021October
blog

DEVIL'S SINKHOLE STATE NATURAL AREA: A HOLE LOTTA BATS!

Out on the western edge of the Texas Hill Country, just north of the little town of Rocksprings, you'll find the Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area (occasionally referred to as “Devil's Sinkhole State Park,” or just “Devil's Sinkhole Park”). Despite its ominous name—and peeking down into it from above, you might get a little vertigo—the Devil's Sinkhole is actually a fascinating natural formation to check out.

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2021September
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BLANCO STATE PARK: THE HILL COUNTRY'S WHITE WATER

Just a half hour's drive southeast of Fredericksburg, or less than an hour's drive east of Kerrville, you'll find the Texas Hill Country recreational wonder known as Blanco State Park (though you may hear it referred to locally as simply “Blanco Park”). The park takes its name for the river that runs through it, which in turn was named the Spanish word for “white” for the distinctive limestone banks that line the river. For over 80 years, the park has provided adventure and relaxation on and around its waters to its visitors.

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2021May
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VANDERPOOL, TEXAS: A TWIST OF THE HILL COUNTRY

To the average traveler, smaller towns like Vanderpool are a blink-and-you-miss-it experience. They’re places to merely pass through on the way from Point A to Point B. Those more major points, to the average traveler, are more exciting and interesting, simply because they’re larger and, supposedly, have more to offer. In their minds, places like Vanderpool are just another wide spot in the road. Flyover territory. Nothing much. Here at Backroads Reservations, we celebrate small Hill Country towns like Vanderpool, and we think it's a shame so many travelers tend to overlook them. Like hundreds of small towns and villages across

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2021April
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UVALDE, TEXAS: HILL COUNTRY CROSSROADS

Dividing lines of both natural and man-made design seem to converge in Uvalde, Texas, the county seat of the county of the same name, located on the southwestern edge of the Texas Hill Country. US Highway 83 runs north to the Canadian border, and south to Mexico, and US Highway 90 traces an east-to-west route from Florida to the Rio Grande. Both roads intersect in Uvalde, literally at a crossroads that links it to the rest of the country. Naturally speaking, you’ve got the lush Hill Country to the northeast, and semi-arid desert land to the west of town. This creates a community of diversity on many levels.

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2021March
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TARPLEY, TEXAS: A TINY HILL COUNTRY JEWEL

The majority of visitors to central Texas tend to focus on the larger cities along the I-35 corridor, simply because there’s more to do in those major population centers. There are hundreds of venues to choose from, no matter what interests you; the pace is faster; something’s going on no matter the time of day or night. That's well and good for those who crave a packed and busy itinerary, but what about those of us who'd like a relaxed and recharging retreat or romantic getaway? What is there for the stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of people?

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2021February
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STONEWALL, TEXAS: PEACHES, WINE, AND LBJ

Named after a colorful general, and birthplace to a president of the United States…this small Hill Country town of 550 people has quite a lot of history standing behind it! On top of all that, Stonewall, Texas also occupies a central location on US Highway 290, also known as the Texas Wine Trail. And, as you’ll soon see, grapes aren’t the only fruit for which Stonewall is well known. Here’s a quick look at how Stonewall became the Hill Country gem it is today.

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2021January
blog

SEGUIN, TEXAS: REAL TEXAS

The robust and thriving Hill Country town of Seguin (pronounced seh-GEEN) is one of the larger towns in the region, with a current population of around 30,000. Located about 40 miles northeast of central San Antonio, Seguin is also considered a “border town” of the Hill Country, right on its eastern edge. It’s also one of the oldest towns in the Lone Star State, established shortly after the dust settled from the Texas Revolution. Seguin’s history bolsters the town’s claim of being “Real Texas,” and its citizens take great pride in its heritage and influential role in the building of the great state.

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