The Willow City Loop is short, slow, and unforgettable. Starting just off Hwy 16 north of Fredericksburg, the loop drops through open ranchland, over cattle guards, across low-water crossings on Coal Creek, then climbs back out with sweeping views over the Balcones Escarpment. From late March through April the roadside is carpeted with bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush and winecups; the rest of the year it's a peaceful, cattle-lined backroad with hawks overhead. All land bordering the loop is private — stay on the pavement, do not stop in the road, and never open a gate.