Texas Hill Country Loop

Texas Hill Country Loop Austin, TX to Austin, TX 1 Map Set (311.3 mi.)	GPX Data \| Overview Texas Hill Country Loop Overview Image \| Buy
1. Austin, TX to Austin, TX (311.3 mi.)	Detail Texas Hill Country Loop Section 1 Detail Image \|Map Updates and Corrections

Many sites to see.

Bluebonnets and other wildflowers in the spring, historic sites, music, friendly towns, rivers and state parks all can be experienced when you cycle this route. The 311.3-mile loop begins and ends in Austin, and includes cutoff routing in case your tour is only for a long weekend.

The route begins in downtown Austin where there are many options for detours off the route. Some that you will be close to include the state capitol, Barton Springs, a local swimming hole, and Lady Bird Lake. Leaving downtown Austin you’ll cross Lady Bird Lake and head past McKinney Falls State Park.

Riding south from McKinney Falls State Park to Gruene you will encounter a network of mostly narrow, rural 2-lane county and state roads.

While in Gruene, stop for a stroll through the quaint town that becomes a thriving tourist destination on weekends and throughout the summer. Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas with daily music venues, is a huge tourism draw and you’ll be riding right past it.

After Gruene you will follow the Guadalupe River up to Canyon Lake Dam. From May through September this stretch can become quite busy with "toobing" traffic (the Guadalupe River is a river tubing mecca).

When you reach the Canyon Lake Dam, the real Texas Hill Country begins. Get ready for a lot of ups and downs, scenic roads and less traffic. When you reach Ranch Rd. 32 you might consider taking 5-mile total out and back detour east and ride up to Devil’s Backbone, a rest area overlooking the Blanco River valley with an almost 180 degree view of the hill country.

You’ll pass through Blanco and the river inside Blanco State Park is a great place to take a dip after a long ride.

Now you are on your way what many in Texas consider cycling Nirvana as you head to Gillespie County and Fredericksburg. Along the way you will pass the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) State Park and Historic Site, which in the spring, from March through May, can be covered by blankets of wildflowers. Tours of the ranch are offered.

Fredericksburg is one of the most popular destinations in the hill country. On weekends there is usually something happening in Marketplatz, a plaza located in the center of the city. The 30.5-mile Luckenbach Loop Alternate can be done as a day ride. This destination is best known for the song Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings coined about the town and it is a great place to hang your helmet and enjoy a cold beverage under one of the huge oak trees.

Heading toward Llano, the roadsides is often covered with wildflowers in the spring. You will then pass two of the Highland Lakes, Lake Buchanan and Inks Lake, as you ride toward Burnet. There are a couple of parks to stop at along the lakes for a break.

The route from Burnet follows lightly traveled county and state roads to the suburbs of Austin. Many of the roads you will ride on upon reaching Austin will be on established bike routes through quiet residential neighborhoods.

If your time in Texas is limited and you need to shorten your trip, you can take the 71.1-mile Pedernales Cutoff between Fredericksburg and Austin. This cutoff makes the loop 213 miles, just about 100 miles shorter than the larger loop.

Photo by Rob Greenbon

This route has it all - from flat to rolling to hilly terrain.

Texas Hill Country Loop - Main Route
Section	Distance	Elevation	Total Climb	Avg. Climb/mile
Total	311.3 miles	Minimum: 410 ft. Maximum: 2,065 ft.	14,470 ft. clockwise bound 14,445 ft. counterclockwise bound	46 ft. per mi. clockwise bound 46 ft. per mi. counterclockwise bound

Texas Hill Country Loop Alternates
Name	Section	Distance	Total Climb	Avg. Climb/mi
Pedernales Cutoff	1	71.1 miles	4,360 ft. east bound 5,550 ft. west bound	61 ft. per mi. east bound 78 ft. per mi. west bound
Luckenbach Loop Alternate	1	30.5 miles	1,285 ft. clockwise bound 1,280 ft. counterclockwise bound	42 ft. per mi. clockwise bound 42 ft. per mi. counterclockwise bound

The Texas Hill Country Loop can be ridden all year around, but spring is best for viewing the wildflowers. Services are plentiful and evenly spaced throughout this route. You might have to carry extra water if you are riding in the heat to avoid dehydration. In Fredericksburg, if there is a large event occurring, you will need to make reservations in advance.

Some campgrounds will charge a cyclist traveling alone less if they have hiker/biker sites, but often they will charge the price of a regular tent site, and that can easily be $10-$20/night. If you're friendly and ask around, you can often get yourself invited to camp in a yard. Many small town city parks are free to camp in.

You may also wish to sign up with Warmshowers, a reciprocal hospitality site for bicycle travelers, for other overnight options.