The Northern Lakes

Nature lovers and those seeking a slice of rural Texas should consider detouring even farther from Johnson City en route to Austin to visit the northernmost of the Highland Lakes: Lake Marble Falls, Lake LBJ, Inks Lake, and Lake Buchanan. One of the nice things about touring this area is that you have to take it slow: All that water forces you to meander along rural roads rather than drive directly to your destination. And, of course, engaging with that water -- whether submerging in it or just gazing at it -- is what most people come here for. For additional information about where to kayak, sail, swim, or fish, check with the chambers of commerce and visitor centers listed in this section.

From Johnson City, it's 23 miles north on Highway 281 to the town of Marble Falls, known for two natural features, only one of which still exists. The cascades for which the town was named once descended some 20 feet along a series of marble ledges, but they were submerged when the Max Starcke Dam, which created Lake Marble Falls, was completed in 1951. (You can occasionally get a peek at the falls when the Lower Colorado River Authority lowers the water level to repair the dam.) The town's other natural claim to fame is the still very visible Granite Mountain, from which the pink granite used to create the state capitol in Austin was quarried.

The main reason most people come to Marble Falls these days is its three parks and its two lakes (Lake LBJ lies a little upstream), but it's also pleasant to wander around the center of town, where there are a number of historic homes, antiques shops, and the (new) Old Oak shopping complex, featuring such whimsical gift boutiques as It's All About Me.

One of the town's other attractions is also the place to get details on what to see and do in the area: The Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Visitor Center, 801 Hwy. 281 (tel. 800/759-8178 or 830/693-4449; www.marblefalls.org), is located in the Historic Depot Building, built to serve the railroad spur used to transport granite to Austin. The visitor center is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm.

Trains no longer make it to Marble Falls, but they do go to Burnet, some 14 miles to the north. The Austin Steam Train Association restored the five historic coaches and the 1916 locomotive that you can board for the Hill Country Flyer Steam Train Excursion (tel. 512/477-8468; www.austinsteamtrain.org), a leisurely 33-mile ride from Cedar Park, northwest of Austin. The train runs Saturday and Sunday March through May, Saturday only June to November, and selected December evenings. Fares are $27 adults, $24 seniors, and $17 for children in coach.

The train makes a 3-hour layover on Burnet's historic town square, which, with its impressive courthouse -- not to mention its collectibles shops and cafes--is also a good spot for visitors who drive into town to explore. (Beware: a gunfight is staged at 2:30pm on most Saturdays when the train comes in.) Burnet grew up around a U.S. Army post established in 1849, and you can still visit the Fort Croghan Grounds and Museum, 703 Buchanan Dr. (Hwy. 29 W.) (tel. 512/756-8281; www.fortcroghan.org), home to several historic outbuildings and more than 1,200 historic artifacts from around the county. Admission is free; the museum is open April through August, Thursday through Saturday, from 10am to 5pm. In the same complex (but not in a historic building and open year-round) is the Burnet Chamber of Commerce (tel. 512/756-4297; www.burnetchamber.org). Here, among other things, you can find out why Burnet calls itself the Bluebonnet Capital of Texas--and when you should come to see if it lives up to that claim. The chamber is open 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday.

Some 11 miles southwest of Burnet, Longhorn Cavern State Park, Park Road 4, 6 miles off U.S. 281 (tel. 877/441-CAVE or 830/598-CAVE), has as its centerpiece one of the few river-formed caverns in Texas. Its past visitors include Ice Age animals, Comanche Indians, Confederate soldiers, and members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, who in the 1930s built the stairs that descend into the main room. The cave's natural and human history is detailed on narrated tours -- the only way you can visit--that last about an hour and a half; they're offered from Labor Day to Memorial Day Monday to Thursday at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm, Friday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm every hour on the hour. In summer, tours run every day on the hour from 10am to 4pm. Admission is $11 adults, $9.95 for children ages 13 to 19, $5.95 ages 2 to 12.

Continue north on Park Road 4, beyond where it intersects with R.R. 2342, and you'll reach Inks Lake State Park, 3630 Park Road 4 W. (tel. 512/793-2223; www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/inks), offering some 1,200 acres of recreational facilities on and adjacent to the lake for which it's named: hiking trails, canoe and paddle-boat rentals, swimming, fishing -- even golf on an 18-hole course. Don't miss Devil's Waterhole, flanked by pink granite boulders and a waterfall. You can canoe through it, hike to it, or just view it from a scenic overlook on Park Road 4.

Those with limited time might want to skip Inks Lake in favor of the oldest, most remote, and largest of the Highland Lakes, the 32-mile-long Lake Buchanan. The best way to see it -- and the highlight of any trip to this area -- is the Vanishing Texas River Cruise (tel. 800/4-RIVER-4 or 512/756-6986; www.vtrc.com), which departs from the Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park, at the end of R.R. 2341 on the lake's north shore (call for directions, or check the website). The lake's banks are still startlingly pristine (though private development may soon make the "vanishing" part of the cruise's name too true), and no matter what time of year you come, you're bound to see some wildlife. From November through March, bald eagles troll the skies, while the rest of the year wild turkeys and deer abound. These expertly narrated tours, which offer a lot of historical as well as natural information, vary season by season; prices range from about $20 for adults for the basic 2 1/2-hour naturalist tours to $31 for sunset dinner cruises ($27 for children). Reservations are recommended

If you want to get more up close and personal with the water, book one of the kayaking tours run by Lake Buchanan Adventures (tel. 512/756-9911; www.lakebuchananadventures.com), which depart from the same north Lake Buchanan dock as the river cruises. A 4-hour trip, which includes a deli lunch at the scenic Fall Creek waterfalls, and all equipment, gear, and experienced guides, runs $65 for adults. Hiking and kayaking trips, overnight camping trips, and boat rentals are available too. Reservations are essential.

Both the Vanishing Texas River Cruise and Lake Buchanan Adventures include excursions to a winery on their rosters (usually in spring), but you can also visit Fall Creek Vineyards (tel. 915/379-5361; www.fcv.com) by land. From Marble Falls, go west on R.R. 1431; after 20 miles, it meets Highway 261. Turn left (north) on Highway 261 and drive 6 miles along Lake Buchanan to Bluffton, then take a right on R.R. 2241, which will trail off after about 8 miles (2 1/4 miles beyond the town of Tow) into the winery. The bottles produced by these 65 acres of lakeside vineyards won't excite real oenophiles -- and you can buy some of the wines for less at the HEB supermarket in Burnet -- but it's a pretty drive over to the tasting room. Best bets: the Chardonnays and Rieslings. The vineyards are open Monday to Friday from 11am to 4pm; Saturday from noon to 5pm; and Sunday from noon to 4pm.

Driving the Bluebonnet Trail

Of its many names -- lupinus subcarnosus, lupinus texensis, buffalo clover, wolf flower, even el conejo -- bluebonnet is the most descriptive. And when the official state flower of Texas puts in an appearance, starting in March and peaking in April, hordes of people descend on the Hill Country to ogle and photograph the fields of flowers (think East Coast leaf-watching in autumn, only in a more concentrated area and time frame).

Several parts of the Hill Country offer good wildflower viewing opportunities, but the official Bluebonnet Trail starts in Austin and winds its way through several of the northern Highland Lakes communities, including Llano, Burnet, and Marble Falls. Like the bluebonnets, the trail itself is ephemeral: The signs for this route exist for only two weekends, usually the first couple in April. Burnet even hosts a Bluebonnet Festival on the second weekend in April, with live entertainment and food and crafts vendors (tel. 512/756-4297).

But bluebonnets aren't the only show in town. The Texas Hill Country Wildflower Trail was created by 10 Hill Country communities to celebrate the natural roadside beauty from late March through June. In addition to bluebonnets, you'll see Indian paintbrush, sunflowers, evening primrose, and black-eyed Susans. For more information on event listings, locations, and activities along the Trail, contact the Wildflower Trail Headquarters at tel. 866/TEX-FEST or go to www.tex-fest.com. For more on the Bluebonnet Trail and other wildflower-related events, contact the Wildflower Hotline (aka the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin) at tel. 512-929-3600.

Where to Stay & Dine

Rustic lakeside cabins and small motels dot this entire area, but two lodgings stand out. If you head 15 miles east of Marble Falls on FM 1431, you'll reach the town (such as it is) of Kingsland and The Antlers, 1001 King St., Kingsland, TX 78639 (tel. 800/383-0007 or 916/388-4411; www.theantlers.com), a restored turn-of-the-century resort occupying 15 acres on Lake LBJ. You've got a choice of bedding down in one of six antiques-filled suites in the 1901 railroad hotel, as President William McKinley did ($120-$140); in one of three colorful converted train cabooses ($120) or a converted railroad coach ($130-$140), parked on a piece of original track; or in one of seven appealing cabins scattered around the grounds ($130-$220). Some of the accommodations sleep four or six people comfortably, and one of the lodges accommodates up to eight. Activities include strolling several nature trails, boating or fishing on the lake, or browsing the antiques shop in the main hotel building. For fortification, cross the road to the Kingsland Old Town Grill, a good place for steak, regular or chicken-fried. Look eerily familiar? This 1890s Victorian house served as the film set for the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Opened in 1999 on 940 acres owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority -- most of it still wilderness preserve--the Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park, 16942 R.R. 2341, Burnet, TX 78611 (tel. 800/977-0081 or 512/756-8787; www.canyonoftheeagles.com), is ideal for those seeking serious escape. You can indulge in the Lake Buchanan excursions or adventures described in the previous section, hike the property's trails, stargaze at the lodge's observatory, or just kick back on your porch and watch birds flitting by. The Canyon Room restaurant offers everything from Fredericksburg bratwurst to pecan-crusted trout. Rates for the rooms, which are country-style rustic but feature such conveniences as phones with dataports (in case your escape is not that serious) and, in the Cottage Rooms, minifridges and microwaves, range from $100 to $170. A minimum of 2 nights is required for popular weekends, but you wouldn't want to stay less time than that anyway.

In addition to the Kingsland Old Town Grill and the Canyon Room--the latter has the advantage of being BYOB and the disadvantage of being far from most everywhere if you're not staying at the lodge -- I'd recommend two places in Marble Falls, which fall at the opposite ends of the history (and sophistication) spectrum. Blue Bonnet Cafe, 211 Hwy. 281 (tel. 830/693-2344; www.bluebonnetcafe.net), first opened its doors in 1929 and has received accolades for its down-home country food -- chicken-fried steak, pot roast, fried okra. It's open every day for breakfast and lunch, and serves dinner every day except Sunday. Prices are inexpensive to moderate. Café 909, 909 Second St. (tel. 830/693-2126; www.cafe909.com), which debuted in 2003, showcases the New American cuisine of chef/owner Mark Schmidt, who has cooked at some of the top restaurants in Dallas and Santa Fe. In a pared-down but intimate limestone building, enjoy the likes of seared divers scallops with roasted eggplant purée, followed, perhaps, by pan roasted breast of pheasant with spaghetti squash carbonara. Don't skip the stellar desserts. Café 909 is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Prices are expensive, and reservations are requested.

Barbecue lovers -- especially those en route to or from Fredericksburg -- might want to make the pilgrimage to Llano, where the Wootan family has been smoking big meat in a big pit forever at Cooper's, 505 W. Dallas St. (tel. 325-247-5713; www.coopersbbq.com). The huge pork chop is the signature pig-out dish, but you won't go wrong with any of the cuts you choose from the grill before you enter the restaurant to pay and pick up your sides of coleslaw, beans, and white bread. Cooper's is open 10:30am to 8pm Sunday through Thursday, until 9pm Friday and Saturday. Prices are inexpensive to moderate.