Llano Has Lots to Offer for Bikers, Paddlers and Climbers

Past the buzz of powerboats and personal watercraft on the Highland Lakes of Central Texas, the little town of Llano sits tucked away on the banks of the Llano River, surrounded by granite hills. The town of about 3,000 people serves as an unassuming launch pad for outdoor enthusiasts to an abundance of activities.

On a late September morning, my boyfriend and I packed the cab of my Ram 1500 from floor to ceiling with bikes and camping gear. We were in for a nonstop 48 hours of hiking, biking, swimming, camping and exploring in this corner of the Texas Hill Country. To kick it off, we rolled up to Llano’s courthouse square, where we noticed the vibrant variety of people and businesses around us at a pop-up flea market. Llano doesn’t have the restaurant and shopping scene found in its touristy neighbor to the south, Fredericksburg, but it had everything we needed to fuel and entertain us. Here in the self-proclaimed “Deer Capital of Texas,” hunting represents only a fraction of what makes this Hill Country gem one of Texas’ premier outdoor destinations.

After getting the lay of the land, we headed south for our first activity: hiking to the top of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area’s iconic dome. Later that day, we headed west for lunch at the Castell General Store before hopping on our bikes to experience some of the area’s famous gravel riding. To cool off, we jumped in the Llano River at downtown’s Badu Park. Then we went east to Inks Lake State Park, where we settled in for a night of camping. The next morning, we packed up bright and early for a blacklight tour at Longhorn Cavern State Park. Finally, we headed to Reveille Peak Ranch to make the most of the suspension on our mountain bikes before returning home.

At the end of this action-packed journey there were still more activities we didn’t have the time or energy to complete. Tony Guidroz, Llano’s director of community development and Main Street manager, says that’s a common sentiment after a weekend in Llano. “Besides being the official deer capital of the Texas Hill Country, there’s the beautiful Llano River, three city parks, hiking, climbing and biking — all amid the backdrop of our region’s beautiful granite outcroppings,” he says.

Llano comes in No. 10 on our list of top outdoor towns because of its proximity to multiple state parks, the scenic river that runs through town and the ample opportunities for multiple adventures — not only hiking, climbing and biking, but also camping, hunting, fishing and paddling.  

During the off-road cycling boom of the COVID years, Llano County cemented itself as a destination for cyclists. This was due in some part to the Castell Grind, an annual gravel cycling race founded in 2016 that draws cyclists to the town of Castell, a 20-minute drive west of Llano. On the roads around Castell, cyclists ride over rolling hills, past the clear Llano River and over crunchy gravel. The race takes place in April, usually at the peak of wildflower season, so participants can take in all colors of Texas’ spring. But don’t look too closely — you might run into cattleguard or one of the course’s infamous sand pits.

“Llano is home to THE BEST riding in Central Texas,” says Patrick Farnsworth, the race director behind the Texas Showdown Series of bikepacking races. “Whether you’re looking for day-long gravel rides or multiday bikepacking trips, there are great options.” One of Farnsworth’s races, the Central Texas Showdown, takes riders through Llano and the surrounding areas each fall.

If gravel isn’t your game, head east from Llano to Reveille Peak Ranch or Spider Mountain, which are some of the state’s top destinations for mountain biking. The two parks offer a mix of trails for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders.

For road bikers, the Willow City Loop south of town offers a classic Hill Country ride. It’s especially colorful during spring wildflower season.  

Keep a swimsuit on under your clothes because there’s no shortage of places to cool off in Llano.

You can’t drive past Llano without seeing its beautiful 1930s truss bridge and the sparkling Llano River it crosses. Beneath the bridge, the Llano City Lake Dam forms a perfect location for swimming, fishing, floating or paddling. Access the lake on the north side of the river at Llano’s manicured Badu City Park. On the south side of the river, you can park beneath the dam at Leonard Grenwelge Park and easily access the channels of running water where fish love to swim.

Outside of town, four nearby leased river access sites, part of TPWD’s River Access and Conservation Areas Program, provide fruitful fishing and paddling opportunities on the Llano River, including Castell Crossing upstream and the Kingsland Slab RV Camp downstream. The Llano Slab is a popular gathering point for swimmers, sunbathers and picnickers. Before you get wet in Castell, hit those gravel roads on a bicycle so you can make the cool water all the more rewarding. Afterward, you can grab a juicy burger at the Castell General Store.

Local paddler Susan Martin’s favorite trip is to put in downtown and paddle to the Kingsland Slab RV Camp, about 12 miles downriver.

Another local, Linda Hannifin, says the small town provides a calm, quiet atmosphere, “where we can fish, bird watch, take our little kids swimming, watch awesome sunsets, visit with our neighbors up and down the river or meet someone new on the water.” 

The three state parks within a half-hour’s driving distance provide a great starting place for affordable outdoor fun. Start by heading south of Llano to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, which offers an abundance of hiking and rock-climbing opportunities — not to mention the exciting recent additions of acreage to the park (which can be viewed on guided weekend morning tours). Head to the top of the granite dome, one of the most iconic hikes in the entire state park system, for unmatched Hill Country views. (As a rock-climbing bonus, nearby granite-filled Inks Ranch has started opening to climbers several weekends each year.)

Inks Lake State Park offers plenty of places to settle down for the night at a lakeside campsite or cabin. There, you can take a dip in the iconic Devil’s Waterhole. This thin inlet of the lake provides a great spot not just for swimming but for canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.

At Longhorn Cavern State Park, take one of three guided tour options that each offer a different view of the limestone cave. On my visit, I opted for a Sunday morning blacklight tour to see the cave come to life — the places where the cave is growing and changing glow green under blacklights.