Hill Country State Natural Area, State Natural Area in Bandera County and Medina County, United States
Hill Country State Natural Area protects 5,369 acres (21.73 km2) of eroded limestone hills and mesas in Bandera and Medina counties, about 10 miles southwest of Bandera. Elevations run from roughly 1,280 to 2,000 feet, and the Woodard Cave Fault crosses the property east-west. Flat bottomlands border small creeks, and the bedrock is exposed across much of the preserve.
The area began as a private ranch before becoming a protected natural space in 1976. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department opened the grounds to the public in 1984.
The natural area draws visitors who hike, camp, mountain bike, and ride horses along marked trails throughout the grounds. These activities shape how people experience and move through the landscape each day.
The grounds offer primitive camping sites, basic toilet facilities, and a group lodge for overnight stays. Visitors should prepare for simple conditions and basic amenities.
Louise Merrick donated the ranch parcels between 1976 and 1982 on the condition that the land be "kept far removed and untouched by modern civilization, where everything is preserved intact, yet put to a useful purpose". That clause still shapes how the area is run: facilities stay primitive and TPWD may curtail activities to protect the environment.
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