Plenty of Miles, Maybe a Schnitzel on the Willow City Loop

Willow City Loop

Distance: 55 Miles

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The Willow City Loop is a ride with a big reputation. It's a popular 55-mile road route, not a path, that starts in Fredericksburg and makes a loop northeast through Willow City and beyond before bending back toward town, giving cyclists a nice taste of the Texas Hill Country.

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Fredericksburg blends German heritage with Hill Country charm. Riders roll past wineries, peach orchards, and barbecue joints, heading onto Ranch Road 1323 toward the countryside. The traffic thins quickly, and the wide open ranchland is distinctly Texan.

Willow City is little more than a dot on the map, but it’s the gateway to the loop. This is where the road tightens and the terrain begins to roll. Ranch gates line the roadside, cattle graze on the hillsides, and in spring the wildflowers make the ride spectacular. Bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, and primrose often cover entire fields, turning bends in the road into postcard views.

The loop twists and dips through shallow valleys, then rises onto ridges that open wide. It’s not a punishing ride, but the sequence of climbs and descents wears on the legs. The is narrow, with no shoulder, and that’s both part of its character and one of its challenges. On weekends, especially during wildflower season, cars move slowly through the loop, and some pull off in awkward places to snap photos.

Weaving through the Hill Country texture

Beyond Willow City, the ride stretches back through small Hill Country communities. Stonewall lies to the southeast, known for its peaches and roadside markets. Johnson City sits further east along the Pedernales River, the hometown of Lyndon B. Johnson. Riders who extend the route often connect through these towns before circling back toward Fredericksburg. Each adds its own piece of Hill Country texture—quiet streets, weathered buildings, and that mix of ranch and town that defines the region.

At the finish in Fredericksburg, post-ride recovery takes on a local flavor: German beer halls, barbecue plates, and nearby wineries make it easy to linger. Many riders turn the trip into a weekend, pairing the loop with a visit to Enchanted Rock or a longer spin into Llano’s granite hills.

There are tradeoffs to the ride. The narrow pavement demands focus, and during peak seasons the traffic can feel out of proportion to such a small road. Summer heat can turn the ride into a grind, with little shade along the open stretches.

Love Bluebonnets? Plant your own!

Cycling in Texas - Bovine and Bluebonnets

When you're done with the hills, roll on to Louisiana's Tammany Trace