As the wolf quickly approached his position, the man was certain he would soon be devoured, but as the predator leapt at him, instead of taking him down, the hiker felt the animal pass right through him.

As the man froze with both fear and curiosity, the wolf charged. As he walked, he came upon a wolf, an animal that is not found in the area these days. Perhaps the strangest tale from the Devil’s Backbone is story of three men who were hiking one day when one of them became separated from the others. One of the animals that figured prominently in their beliefs was the wolf it represented the same stoic fierceness that Comanche warriors held dear. The Comanche were a deeply spiritual people who had a connection to the land and the animals that shared that land with them. The man was clad in buckskin breeches and wore the war-paint of a Comanche brave. While walking along the darkened trail, he sensed that he was not alone, and upon looking to his side, he saw a dark-skinned shirtless man less than ten yards from him. One such tale is of a hunter who had just climbed down from his tree stand at dusk and was walking back to his hunting cabin. Many of the ghostly tales from the Devil’s Backbone involve encounters with Native American spirits, likely those of the Comanche. The Comanche were fierce warriors who had long ago defeated tribes such as the Kiowa, Caddo, and Apache, to become the masters of the Texas Plains. Prior to the arrival of the first Spanish settlers in Texas, this land was inhabited by numerous Native American tribes, and it was the much-feared Comanche who controlled the Texas Hill Country up until the early 1860’s. Most surmise that these sounds could be the remnants of the Confederate soldiers who mustered at the forts in the area prior to heading out at the start of the Civil War. One of the most popular stories, which has been told by numerous people, is the sound of phantom horses, the hooves of which are heard thundering down the lonely trails of the backbone. The area is made up mostly of ranches and hunting cabins, and it is from these remote locations where the hauntings have taken place. Most of these stories take place in the heavily wooded areas of the Backbone, where the sun seems to barely reach the deep valley, and where one gets the sense of being alone and totally cutoff from the world beyond. There are many who believe that the Devil’s Backbone is haunted, and reports of strange events have persisted for many years. From the highway and several overlooks, one can look out over deep valleys where the limestone cliffs disappear beneath a canopy of live oak, pecan, and mesquite trees.

It is wonderful drive that encompasses all the beauty that is found in the Hill Country. The Devil’s Backbone is a scenic drive that follows a limestone ridge which runs from Blanco to Wimberley. There is one spot in the Hill Country that has always held a special place in my memory and imagination, it is a place called the Devil’s Backbone. The rolling hills and general ruggedness of the region give it a beauty that has always spoken to me on a very deep level. As a child, I spent a lot of time in the Texas Hill Country, and even today, it is my favorite spot in the world.

Devils backbone tx