Texas Hill Country on US-290: LBJ country, Luckenbach and wildflowers
Waterfalls on the Pedernales, the LBJ Ranch, Luckenbach and the Willow City Loop, with a Highland Lakes cave to finish.
- Distance
- 236 km (147 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 37 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 9
- States
- TX
- Updated
- May 12, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 236 km (147 mi) with 9 stops, from Austin to Marble Falls. About 2 h 37 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Texas
Route description
Leave Austin west on US-290 through Dripping Springs, then turn north on FM 3232 for Pedernales Falls State Park, about an hour from downtown. Walk down to the tilted limestone ledges at the falls overlook, and watch for the flood warning signs: water can rise quickly after storms upstream. Continue to Johnson City, a small courthouse town with the boyhood home of Lyndon B. Johnson.
Farther west on US-290, the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park visitor center issues the free permit you need to drive through the LBJ Ranch across the river. Allow about two hours. Then turn south on FM 1376 to Luckenbach, where you can sit under the oaks and listen to musicians play for free. The small lot fills on weekends, and larger rigs should park on the road shoulder only where signs allow.
Fredericksburg is the heart of Hill Country wine country, with dozens of tasting rooms along US-290 east of town and a long main street of German stone buildings. Base yourself here for a couple of nights. Drive north on TX-16 and FM 1323 to Willow City for the Willow City Loop, best from late March to mid April; it is narrow, with cattle guards and no turnarounds for big RVs.
Return to TX-16 and head north to Llano, then east on TX-29 to Burnet and south on US-281 to Longhorn Cavern, set in a state park on Park Road 4. The road is winding but fine for most vehicles. End at Marble Falls on Lake Marble Falls, an easy hour back to Austin. Spring wildflower season and autumn are the best times; summer is hot, so plan swims.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Austin
TX - 260 km
Pedernales Falls State Park
NatureJohnson City, TXThe Pedernales River spills over wide tilted limestone ledges in a series of low falls. Swimming is not allowed at the falls themselves but is at a separate river area downstream; flash floods here rise fast.
- 318 km
Johnson City
TX - 425 km
LBJ Ranch, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
HistoryStonewall, TXPresident Johnson’s “Texas White House” on the Pedernales, with his reconstructed birthplace, family cemetery and the “Air Force One-Half” jet. Get a free driving permit at the state park visitor center on US-290 before driving in.
- 517 km
Luckenbach
HistoryFredericksburg, TXA tiny 19th-century trading post with a general store, dance hall and oak-shaded yard, made famous by the 1977 country song. Pickers gather most afternoons; it is a short drive south of US-290 on FM 1376.
- 619 km
Fredericksburg
TX - 726 km
Willow City Loop
ViewsWillow City, TXA 21 km narrow ranch road through private land, famous for bluebonnets and other wildflowers from late March to mid April. Stay in your car or on the roadside; fences mark private property, and weekends are crowded.
- 855 km
Longhorn Cavern State Park
NatureBurnet, TXA river-carved cave used by Comanche people and later as a speakeasy, with a CCC-built stone visitor center from the 1930s. Guided walking tours take about 90 minutes; the cave stays around 20 °C all year.
- 917 km
Marble Falls
TX
FAQs
How long is Texas Hill Country on US-290: LBJ country, Luckenbach and wildflowers?
3-day road trip of about 236 km (147 mi) with 9 stops, from Austin to Marble Falls. About 2 h 37 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Texas Hill Country on US-290: LBJ country, Luckenbach and wildflowers?
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 37 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Texas Hill Country on US-290: LBJ country, Luckenbach and wildflowers start and end?
It starts in Austin and ends in Marble Falls.
Which states does Texas Hill Country on US-290: LBJ country, Luckenbach and wildflowers pass through?
Texas.
