Day Trips

Photo by Gerald E. McLeod

Enchanted Rocks & Jewelry in Llano sits near the center of one of the richest geological areas in Texas, and there couldn't be a better guide for rock hounds.

Frank Rowell, the proprietor of the shop, knows all the best places to go looking for rocks in the area. The town lent its name to the Llano Uplift, a pimple of metamorphic and igneous rock that is normally covered by thick layers of limestone that have been pushed to the face of the earth.

The most obvious head to this pink outcrop is Enchanted Rock, about 20 miles south of Llano.

Only one other batholith in the U.S. is larger than Texas' mountain, and Enchanted Rock features some of the oldest exposed rock in North America. The granite dome, now a state natural area, rises 425 feet above the ground and covers 640 acres.

The entire Llano Uplift stretches for more than 50 miles roughly along TX 29 from Burnet to Mason. The area is a treasure chest of minerals. Granite for the state Capitol was brought to Austin from a quarry outside of Llano that is still producing high-quality building materials. Near Mason, you can hunt for topaz, the state mineral. Llanite, a dark granite with blue crystal specks, is found nowhere else in the world.

"The best place to find different kinds of rocks is in the river," Rowell says. "Everything gets washed there eventually."

One of Rowell's favorite rock-hunting spots is on the Llano River a few blocks downstream from the county courthouse. The public access point near the intersection of East Sandstone and Ash streets is unimproved but an easy climb. It's also a popular swimming hole.

A good place to find the rare llanite granite is on TX 16 north of town near Baby Head Cemetery. Chunks of the sparkling rock can be found in the cut in a hill made by the highway. Rowell recommends extreme caution here because it is alongside a busy highway.

All that rock hunting is bound to make you hungry, and you're in luck, because Llano is one corner of the golden triangle of Central Texas barbecue (that includes Taylor and Lockhart at the other corners). While you're in the area, stop at Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, Inman's Kitchen Pit Bar-B-Que & Catering, or Laird's Bar-B-Que Restaurant & Catering.

Rowell was going to open a jewelry store until the former Llano Uplift Rock Shop building became available. He has brought back the tradition of a rock shop in one of the most diverse geological areas of the state.

Enchanted Rocks & Jewelry is on the west side of the Llano County Courthouse at 805 Berry St. The shop is a mixture of souvenirs, lapidary supplies, and custom-made jewelry. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. For more information, call 325/247-4137 or go to www.enchantedrocksandjewelry.com.

924th in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of "Day Trips" 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.