HILL COUNTRY DESTINATIONS
Almost Heaven, The Devil’s Backbone Drive Remote Hill Country Backroads for an Angelic Adventure By Janis Turk
As crooked, gnarled, and twisted as the spine of the devil, a road called the Devil’s Backbone traces a towering ridge atop the Balcones Fault, offering one of the Hill Country’s most scenic drives. Here, a high two-lane road with breathtaking bends snakes its way through stands of cypress, cedar, juniper, and oak. Carved through chalky limestone cliffs, this long loop with stunning vistas stretches from Blanco to Wimberley and beyond. All the country hamlets and roads splintering from its spine make for a heavenly summer drive. Some claim the Devil’s Backbone was named for ghosts haunting its promontories and vales, but unless you take a sharp curve too quickly, it’s not scary. Head up Interstate 35 toward San Marcos and then exit left onto FM 12. Then stop at a hot spot where the devil would feel at home playing with fire. Wimberley Glass Works is Texas’ premier hand-blown glass and art studio, where artisans offer free glassblowing demonstrations using fire-spewing torches. They also sell colorful glass creations, like platters, barware, lighting, and more. From there, turn left onto FM 32 and look for the Devil’s Backbone Tavern up the road on the left. Stop for a cold one, or play the jukebox and a game of shuffleboard. Dollar bills dot the ceiling, and a rock on the old stone fireplace in back bears a spooky resemblance to a devil’s face. Next, stop at the Devil’s Backbone Overlook, a spectacular spot perfect for Instagram shots on the right-hand side of the road. Turn around on FM 32, and head back to turn left on FM 12, and head toward Wimberley, home to pie shops, cafes, antiques, boutiques, and historic stone buildings. A river runs through it. Rustic lodging, rambling river views, and cool water sports can also be found at Wimberley’s 7A Ranch, but its best-kept-secret is Pioneer Town. Stroll at high noon down the dirt streets of a place that looks like an Old West movie set, complete with a saloon, barbershop, post office, sheriff’s office/ jail, full-scale opera house, and ice cream shop (often open in summer for a cold treat). There’s even a building made of colorful bottles. Staying the night? Why not go “glamping,” or glamourous camping—no roughing it at all—at Sinya at Lone Man
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Creek? Inspired by a life-changing trip to Africa, Sinya is the dream-come-true of owner Lynn Gallimore, who fell in love with the luxe safari encampments she saw there. So, Gallimore brought to Texas the enchanting allure of safari life. Sinya is an actual African tent set on a platform on a high ridge overlooking a creek under starry skies. With the amenities of a fine resort hotel, including a big comfortable bed, air conditioning, fireplace, living areas, decks, an indoor bathroom with claw-footed tub, indoor and outdoor showers, a barbecue spot, hot tub, coffee bar, and more, Sinya is a place so magical, timeless, and serene it seems to draw the moon closer to it. At night, dine in nearby Driftwood. For Italian country fare, enjoy a Tuscan-style dinner overlooking vineyards at Trattoria Lisina next to Mandola’s Winery. Or sit at picnic tables under string lights and oak trees, or at booths inside, and eat at Hays City Store. Driftwood is also home to the ever-popular Salt Lick BBQ. Next, visit Desert Door Distillery, named “Number One Craft Distillery in America” by USA TODAY. Expertguided tastings help visitors discover the nuances of sotol, a Mexican liquor dubbed the “dangerously delicious cousin of tequila and mezcal.” Sample craft cocktails, nosh from a food truck, hear live music, and enjoy curated goods in the tasting room. Kids and dogs are welcome, say its ruggedly handsome owners, three military veterans who met in the University of Texas’ MBA program. Keep driving north. At Hwy 290W, turn left toward the town of Dripping Springs (or “Dripping” as locals call it). Check out the popular boutique Cowgirls & Lace, with jewelry, clothing, fabric, and home décor delights. The highlight of this trip is dinner at an extraordinary restaurant called Tillie’s at Camp Lucy. Set inside an authentic 19th-century Vietnamese town hall brought piece-by-piece to Texas, with towering inner 18th-century doors from Pakistan, all shipped and reassembled at a sprawling remote resort property, the restaurant is architecturally astonishing. It looks like an ancient temple or church, but Tillie’s full bar, pool, and patio simply prove that even transplanted treasures fare well in Texas. Its eclectic but simple menu will also wow foodies. Driftwood and Dripping Springs aren’t actually on the Devil’s Backbone, but start on it and drive that crooked road till it tempts you to move on, offering glimpses of heaven at every turn.
