The Texas Hill Country is one of the most popular vacation areas in the Lone Star State. Austin, the capital city, is the gateway to the region known for its rolling hills dotted with juniper and majestic live oaks and tinted year around with colorful wildflowers. Ranches, wineries, state parks, lakes, and winding rivers tempt canine travelers to break away for a couple of days of country fun.
This portion of the state was shaped by an earthquake roughly 30 million years ago. The convulsion buckled strata of limestone and granite into rugged hills and steep cliffs. The dividing line created by the earthquake, the Balcones Escarpment, zigzags down the state and divides the eastern flat farmland with the western rugged ranchland.
Geographically the Hill Country was shaped by an earthquake but culturally its influences came from many lands. German settlers founded Comfort, Fredericksburg, and New Braunfels and their impact is still seen in the communities’ architecture, food, and festivals. Native American, Mexican, and Polish cultures have melded in the dude ranch capital of the world, Bandera.
More recent history is the focal point of Johnson City, birthplace of Lyndon B. Johnson, and nearby Stonewall, where the Texas White House is part of a state and national park that welcomes four-legged travelers. LBJ was instrumental in the construction of the Highland Lakes, a chain of lakes where Fidos can frolic. State and county parks, lakeshore cottages, and even canoe trips welcome man’s best friend.