A Quest for Beautiful Fall Color in the Texas Hill Country

But our travels soon took us to other magnificent spots. 

Photo: River Road, New Braunfels, courtesy of Eliza Bushn

One of those was River Road in New Braunfels, Texas. We were taking a shortcut between Guadalupe River State Park and that night’s dinner, using only the back country roads. Along the banks of the Guadalupe River and winding with the flow of crisp blue waters, we drove through a fall oasis of color. Once on River Road, mighty cypress trees hang branches and roots into shallow waters, and a pallet of autumn erupts. You’re beckoned on by the twists and turns of the river which traverse the road like a sweet hug. Your speed drops, your eyes are soothed, and time seems suspended. We stopped a few times along the way. The river is dotted with cabins, camps, and RV parks. There were even treehouses you could rent.

I had found it! The landscape of my youth, tucked into a little corner of central Texas at the edge of the Hill Country. Yes, I had heard about the color explosion at Lost Maples, and, surely, that also didn’t disappoint. But this was a delightful surprise. Close enough to visit, just west of New Braunfels, and I could be transported back to my central Pennsylvania roots annually. No longer did I yearn for fall. Truly, my great state does have it all! Just a hint: if you go, plan to visit between late October and mid-November so you’ll be sure not to miss the beauty of the cypress trees.