Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

A hiker works his way through a crevice at Enchanted Rock.

Wildflowers bloom with Enchanted Rock as a backdrop.

The pink granite dome of Enchanted Rock dwarfs climbers.

Enchanted Rock is a huge pink granite boulder that rises 425 feet and covers 640 acres. Geologists call it a batholith, meaning an underground rock formation that has been revealed by erosion. It is the second-largest batholith in the United States.

The Tonkawa Native American people believed that spirits inhabited the rock, making ghost fires appear on top and emitting strange groans. The noises are actually produced by the sun-heated rock contracting in the cool evening.

This unique natural area, covering 1,644 acres, was transferred to the state by the Texas Nature Conservancy in 1984. There are only tent sites, showers and a Texas State Park Store available.

Activities include hiking, stargazing and studying wildlife and the unusual geology. Four distinct plant ecosystems exist at the park, supporting reptiles, small mammals, white-tailed deer and numerous birds. A bird list is available.

The park is closed to nonhunters during periodic deer culling seasons.

Hiking-only trails total 9.5 miles. A four-mile trail winds through the park's granite formations, and a short, steep trail goes to the top of Enchanted Rock.

The rock is one of the state's best technical and rock climbing sites. Climbers must register with park staff.

There are 46 tent sites with water at the park's campground and 60 additional primitive sites, with composting toilets, for backpackers.

Attendance at the park has increased more than tenfold since its opening. To preserve the quality of the park experience, the gates are closed once capacity is reached.

A call ahead for the visitation outlook and for camping reservations is strongly recommended.