From North Austin: take Airport Boulevard
south till it becomes
US 183, go straight.
From South Austin: take Ben White (TX 71) east under IH 35 to
Burleson Road, turn right, and get to US 183.
In a nutshell: You’re driving south on 183 to Luling, where you’ll go straight onto TX 80. You DON’T TURN till you get to the Rancho gate.
00.0 - Zero your odometer here - Ferrell Gas, 183 / Burleson Road intersection - head south on US 183.
0.2 - Onion Creek - Begins in the Hill Country near Henly, cascades through McKinney Falls State Park, where it’s fed by Williamson Creek a few miles to the west, and flows into the Colorado River downstream of Austin.
1.8 - Sheriff’s Posse Arena rodeo ground - Small hills behind are all that’s left of Pilot Knob, the only extinct volcano around. Down the long slope is the fertile Blackland Prairie, a tall-grass region extending from south of San Antonio to the Illinois Corn Belt.
2.4 - historical marker - More information about the Knob
2.6 - Dry Creek - North Fork, then South; begins just to the right, flows northeast under TX 71 to the Colorado; famous for floods.
4.6 - San Francisco Church - Mission-style in stone with grotto. Just beyond is Creedmoor-Maha water-supply tank serving two small towns to the East and West.
5.2 - Mustang Ridge - Newly incorporated city - speed limit 65!
8.7 - Maha Ridge - Separates Maha Creek from Cedar Creek.
10.3 - county line - From Travis into Caldwell; note pavement change.
10.6 - a prairie home - Erlich House: pyramid roof, dormers, porch, square shape - great!
11.0 - TX 21 overpass (no turn) - Now a modern highway, it’s the Old San Antonio Road, oldest thoroughfare in Texas. Originally connected Nacogdoches to Presidio San Juan Bautiste (near Eagle Pass) via Béxar; blazed by Louis J. de Saint-Denis in 1714.
12.3 - Mendoza - Village near headwaters of Cedar Creek, named for an early settler.
13.5 - LCRA lines - High-voltage electricity from Fayette power plant; Bluebonnet Farm
15.5 - basin-boundary ridge - Divides Colorado and Guadalupe river watersheds; view of microwave transmission tower atop Lone Man Mountain, 25 miles W. Low hills to the southeast are the Iron Mountains, which trend southwestward through your ultimate destination, Belmont.
16.5 - FM 1185 - (no turn) - At road to Lytton Springs, enter Post Oak Savannah. NOTE speed limit change.
17.0 - rest area - On left
18.6 - Main Fork of Plum Creek - Begins near Kyle, flows into San Marcos River below Luling. Site of horrific Comanche/Texian Battle in 1840.
20.3 - Lockhart - North city limit
21.2 - Kreutz Market - Excellent barbecue; Union Pacific RR crossing, Town Creek, cane break.
21.5 - town square - View of 1890s Victorian courthouse, domed Clark Library beyond.
22.4 - FM 20 (no turn) - To Lockhart State Park, built 1930s by Civilian Conservation Corps.
24.1 - South city limit, bye Lockhart - halfway there!
25.6 - Clear Fork of Plum Creek - Begins southeast of Kyle, flows through Lockhart State Park.
26.8 - FM 671 (no turn) - Alternate route to Luling through Joliet
27.7 - rest area - On the right
28.9 - rest area - On the left
30.8 - West Fork of Plum Creek - Double bridge; up hill on left is Kaufman Emu Farm.
32.9 - Carter Airport - Luling is within smell--hold your nose!
33.6 - ridge - Luling panorama
36.1 - Oil City - Davis Log House, antique derrick
36.3 - Southern Pacific RR - TX 80 S (go straight, DO NOT TURN!!!) - Named for a rail company president’s wife, the town fronts the tracks. Site of annual Watermelon Thump in June. Note decorated pump jacks.
37.3 - San Marcos River - South city limit, Guadalupe County line, with Zedler’s Mill’s horizontal water wheel on your right.
38.6 - IH 10 overpass (no turn) - From Florida to California, the most southern coast-to-coast interstate.
41.4 - Smith Creek - Flows northeast into the San Marcos.
41.8 - county line - Enter Gonzales County; note pavement change.
44.2 - ridge top - Divides San Marcos and Guadalupe river basins.
44.6 - Dillworth community - Spring on left steadily flowed until recently; pink building on right is old rural Black school house.
44.9 - St. James Church - founded and pastored years ago by Jesus Garcia, father of James Garcia, current RRR leasee.
45.7 - Neasloney Wildlife Management Area - operated by Texas Parks and Wildlife, with nature trail.
47.8 - 4-way stop (no turn) - Up slope to right is Belmont, home of Goss Barbecue and the Belmont Social Club.
48.5 - Guadalupe River - “Watercourse of the Wolf,” rises in the Edwards Plateau from two forks above Hunt in Kerr County.
48.7 - Rancho Richey Refuge - Turn right at second gate (past Gate One). Look for the big vinyl sign and flagging. At the Main Gate, LOOK CAREFULLY: it’s chained, but not locked. Just unhook the link from the inside nail. The dirt road leads to the Bluff Barn Camping Area. Be sure to close gate behind you, then follow the signs. Welcome!