Enchanted Rock

The dome is the exposed top of a much larger granite batholith that formed about a billion years ago and has been uncovered by erosion since - it rises about 130 metres above the surrounding country and covers around 260 hectares. It makes noise: the rock expands in the day and contracts as it cools, producing creaks and groans that the Tonkawa and other peoples associated with spirits, and which visitors still hear on still evenings. Vernal pools in depressions on the summit hold fairy shrimp that survive as eggs through dry periods. The summit walk is about a kilometre and steep, on bare rock with no shade. Day passes must be reserved and the park closes when full.

What you'll find

• A granite dome 130 metres high - the top of a billion-year-old batholith.
• Audible creaking as it cools - the source of the older stories.
• Vernal pools on the summit - holding fairy shrimp.
• A steep bare-rock climb - about a kilometre to the top.

When to go

October to April; summer heat on bare rock is dangerous. Half a day.

What to expect

Day passes must be reserved and the park closes when full, often by mid-morning at weekends. The rock surface reaches extreme temperatures in summer. There is no shade on the climb. Flash flooding closes the low water crossing on the access road.

Nearby

Fredericksburg is south; Llano is north.

Key facts