Fall colors are often more synonymous with places like Vermont, and perhaps you don’t often think of the Texas Hill Country as the first stop for fall foliage viewing trips. But, it’s quite possible you’ll change your mind once you see the options here in this 14,000-square-mile heart of Texas atmosphere! The Hill Country actually has some epic autumn colors you can see, and they don’t require you to take two weeks off work and plan to cart the family hours away from home. Timing is, of course, everything where the changing of the leaves is concerned. Each of the areas listed below provides a vast amount of vibrancy over varying durations, and some provide details on their websites for you to plan to hit these Texas Hill Country fall time sweet spots.
Things to Do
3 Fantastic Fall Foliage Viewing Trips in the Texas Hill Country
1. Ranch Road 337 W
Photo: Facebook/Carlos Silva
Often named as one of the most scenic drives in the entire state, the trip on Ranch Rd 337 W from Camp Wood out to Leakey is an excellent one for fall foliage viewing. The trip climbs some elevations in the Hill Country upwards of 2,300 feet, also offering great roadside overlooks from which to get the full picture. From here you can see all of the greens, reds, yellows, and golds blending nicely into each other as parts of picturesque Garner State Park in the background strut their stuff for your camera. It’s really an amazing thing to behold!
2. Lost Maples State Natural Area
Photo: Facebook/Native Plant Society of Texas
Speaking of fall color, Lost Maples State Natural Area boasts Bigtooth Maples of grand beauty at any time of year, but in the fall, fantastic colors explode from their leaves that bring significant crowds to the area. Want to see what the fuss is all about? Visiting during the autumn leaf color change may best be planned for a weekday, but if you plan to take a chance, get there early on the weekend for prime parking. Other than that, bring your camera and soak it all in!
3. Ranch Road 1050
Photo: Facebook/Jeff Durst
Ranch Road 1050 just west of Utopia to US Hwy 83 is a roadway which winds back and forth as it makes its way through the Hill Country before ending close to Garner State Park. Crossing the Frio River along the way, onlookers can see stands of Sumacs which turn bright red as well as Cottonwoods that feature vibrant yellows. You’ll also find along this route some Sycamores, which in fall time will have foliage of mixed yellows and oranges, and Cypress that turn a beautiful glowing orange, and Chinaberries that feature pale yellows in comparison. It’s really quite breathtaking.
