Where to stay
We don’t have houses on the ridge. These are the closest, about an hour away.
Ranch Road 32 rides the spine of a limestone ridge for about two dozen miles between Wimberley and Blanco, with the valleys falling away below. Not an event — a road, open every day of the year.
Devil’s Backbone is the stretch of Ranch Road 32 that follows a narrow limestone ridge between RR 12, south of Wimberley, and US 281, south of Blanco. It’s roughly 24 miles end to end. For long stretches the road runs right along the top, and the country drops off on both sides toward the creek valleys.
Most people drive it as part of a loop. The one we’ve sent guests on for years starts in Blanco: south on US 281, east on RR 32 across the Backbone, north on RR 12 into Wimberley, then back west on FM 2325 and FM 165 to Blanco — about 51 miles.
There’s a roadside picnic area up on the ridge with shaded tables and a long look out over the valleys. It’s the one place built for stopping; the shoulders along the rest of the ridge are narrow, so save the pictures for the pull-off.
Two lanes, real curves, and some grades. It’s a favorite with motorcyclists, especially on weekends, so give them room. Deer are out at dawn and dusk.
The Backbone sits on the eastern edge of the Hill Country, between two good small towns. Here is how it fits the rest of a trip.
We don’t manage any houses on the Backbone itself. The closest are in Boerne and Fredericksburg, about an hour away — close enough to make the drive a day out. See the houses
Wimberley sits at the east end, with Jacob’s Well and Blue Hole close by. Blanco is at the west end, on the Blanco River.
Pair the drive with Blanco State Park or Old Baldy in Wimberley, or build a longer route across the HillCountry.ai network.
The shoulders on the ridge are narrow and the curves hide oncoming traffic. Stop at the picnic area for the view, watch for deer around dawn and dusk, and give the motorcycles room on weekends.
We don’t have houses on the ridge. These are the closest, about an hour away.