As its name suggests, Enchanted Rock mystifies and intrigues those who visit it. Even as far back as when Native Americans reigned in the Hill Country, legends have surrounded this granite batholith. These tales make ideal campfire stories, and these Enchanted Rock tales illustrate how the area has been viewed by others over time.
History
Enchanted Rock: Tales and Legends of This Mystical Mount
Spirits of the Doomed
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Several Enchanted Rock tales recount doomed people who passed away on the hill. Stories tell of either a band of Native American warriors who, though outnumbered, fought valiantly to the death from Enchanted Rock. Another variation of this is the Indian princess who throws herself off Enchanted Rock after seeing her people slaughtered. The ghosts of these people still wander the area, if you believe the legends. Those who visit the area at night claim to see strange lights and hear unnatural sounds from Enchanted Rock. Could these be from light reflecting off the rock and the stone contracting as it cools at night? Or are these phenomenon from something more mysterious?
The Priest Who Talked to Spirits
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Another of the Enchanted Rock tales come from the Spanish days of Texas. A priest allegedly went to Enchanted Rock at night and vanished from his party, but when he returned two days later, he had an unusual tale to tell. He claimed that while on Enchanted Rock, he slipped between rocks and fell into a crevasse that led to a spirit world. In the spirit-inhabited world where he fell, he interacted with the specters for two days until the rock ejected him back to the surface.
Made of Silver?
Photo: Facebook/Reata Ranch Realty
One of the more unusual legends surrounding Enchanted rock hints at the misinformation the Spanish had about Texas. They believed the area harbored silver deposits, and some thought Enchanted Rock itself was made of silver. Others even linked this geologic feature to the mythical El Dorado. The quest for riches drove the Spanish, Germans, and Anglos to the area. In fact, the Spanish attempted to mine silver nearby in the Riley Mountains at Las Almagras Mine, and while they didn’t find gold or silver, they did discover the geological wonders of Texas on the Llano Uplift including the Riley Mountains and Enchanted Rock.