The Texas Hill Country

Texas is a diverse and fascinating state. North Texas has the plains. South Texas has the Gulf Coast. East Texas has the piney woods. West Texas has mountains and desert. And right in the middle is the Texas Hill Country. As well as all that country Texas has the fourth largest city in the USA (Houston), the seventh largest (San Antonio) and the ninth largest (Dallas) - each with its own very distinct character.

Because of its sheer size (second only to Alaska) Texas is not a state you can do a quick tour of. You can drive west from Houston for 750 miles and still be in Texas! By comparison the Texas Hill Country is quite compact and has a diversity all of its own.

At the eastern edge of the Hill Country lies the state capital - Austin, and at the southern edge lies San Antonio. Scattered throughout the Hill Country are numerous small towns - most of which date back to the early days of European settlement - with historic town centers and courthouses.

Numerous rivers flow through the Texas Hill Country. Many of them are spring fed and because they flow through no large towns or industrial areas they are clean and fresh. Many are studded with lakes.

Hill Country landscape is diverse. Some areas have good farming land with vineyards and orchards. Other areas are covered in thorny scrub, gnarled oaks and cactus or bare outcrops of rock. Much of the land is in private hands but Texas has numerous national / state / local parks and natural areas ranging in size from acres to many square miles which offer access to some of the most delightful and amazing countryside.