Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park: LBJ Walking Trail (Blog Hike #1055)

Trail: LBJ Walking Trail
Hike Location: Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
Geographic Location: west side of Johnson City, TX (30.27650, -98.41811)
Length: 0.9 miles
Difficulty: 0/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: A flat gravel loop past farm buildings from the 1800's.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/lyjo/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=980445
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming April 10, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 290 and US 281 in Johnson City, take US 290 west 0.8 miles to the signed parking lot for Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park on the left.  Park in this area.

The hike: For my introduction to President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) and the Texas Hill Country state and national parks that bear his name, see the previous hike at Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site.  Whereas the previous hike featured the state park, this hike features the national park.

            The most popular site at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is the famous LBJ ranch, which features a show barn, the Texas White House, the reconstructed LBJ Birthplace, and the Johnson Family Cemetery.  While a very interesting tour road explores the LBJ ranch, the ranch has no hiking trails.  Thus, the park's best (and almost only) hiking trail is the short LBJ Walking Trail, which is located in Johnson City 18 miles east of the ranch.  The LBJ Walking Trail takes you through a reconstructed pioneer village, and it is designed to give you an idea of how wild and remote Texas Hill Country was in the early 1900's when LBJ was growing up here.

US 290 parking area trailhead

            There are 2 places from which you could begin the LBJ Walking Trail: the national park's Visitor Center or the parking area on US 290.  I came here late in the day when I knew the Visitor Center would be closed, so it was more efficient for me to start at the parking area on US 290.  Hike in the 500 foot long entrance trail, then angle right to begin the loop around the reconstructed village.

2 barns

Dogtrot Cabin

            The first 2 buildings you pass are barns, but the first one is more noteworthy: it was owned by James Polk Johnson, the nephew of LBJ's grandfather.  Next you reach the Dogtrot Cabin.  This cabin was used by LBJ's grandfather as the headquarters for his cattle droving business.  Past the cabin is the Event Center, which contains many photos and much information about these buildings.  I lingered awhile in the Event Center partly to learn from the exhibits and partly to take advantage of the building's heater on the cold near-freezing late afternoon that I came here.

Eastern half of loop

            The eastern half of the loop contains no historic structures, but it offers nice views across an open meadow that is sparsely dotted with trees.  Town Creek flows just east of the loop, and a side trail heads east across a wooden bridge to the park's Visitor Center, the other place from which you could start this hike.  Near the close of the loop, you pass an old windmill, water tank, and cooler house, all essential support structures for ranching.  Upon closing the loop, turn right to head back to the parking lot and complete the hike.

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site (Blog Hike #1054)

Trail: Nature Trail
Hike Location: Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site
Geographic Location: Stonewall, TX (30.23758, -98.62702)
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: February 2025
Overview: A mostly flat gravel trail passing a living history farm.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lyndon-b-johnson
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=980446
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming April 10, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: The entrance to Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site is on the north side of US 290 1 mile east of Stonewall, TX.  Park in the large parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: Few American Presidents of the 20th century had as much influence on our society as our 36th President, Lyndon B. Johnson.  Known commonly as LBJ, Johnson is best known for implementing the Great Society social net, expanding the country's civil rights, and leading the first few years of the Vietnam War.  Yet the stuff that made Johnson who he was came from deep in the heart of Texas Hill Country.

            When Johnson was born in Stonewall, TX in 1908, Texas Hill Country was one of the most remote and wildest parts of the United States.  The area's rocky soil made farming a difficult proposition, and LBJ came from a poor family who lived in a small farmhouse with no electricity.  Johnson's upbringing gave him a grittiness and groundedness that only that lifestyle can, and many people view Johnson as the last American President to come from a frontier background.

            Two parks west of Austin, TX protect the area where LBJ grew up: a state park and a national historical park.  Both parks offer interesting sites to see, and both parks offer a system of short trails for hikers.  I came here on a cold near-freezing afternoon in mid-February, and I was happy to keep my hikes on that day short.  This hike forms a grand tour of the state park, while the next hike explores part of the national park.

Exiting the Visitor Center breezeway

            From the main parking lot, walk east through the Visitor Center breezeway, and then continue heading east on a wide dirt/gravel trail.  The first stop on your tour of Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site is the Sauer-Beckman Living History Farm, and a sign indicates that you are heading in the right direction.  Most of the park consists of active or recovering farm or grazing land.  Thus, most of the land is open grassland today, but the areas around the streams are densely wooded.  At the first intersection, angle right to dip through a ravine and keep heading to the living history farm, as directed by another sign.

Sheep at Sauer-Beckman Farm

            At 0.3 miles, you reach the Sauer-Beckman Living History Farm.  The Sauer-Beckman Farm is designed to let you experience a 1918 German/Texas Hill Country farm similar to the farms that were here when LBJ was a kid.  The farm features live animals, including sheep and chickens, and 3 buildings: the farmhouse, the barn, and a blacksmith shop.  Costumed interpreters help bring the farm to life in season.

Farmhouse at Sauer-Beckman Farm

            After walking past the farmhouse, turn left to head around a short loop through the densely wooded shallow ravine.  Next you walk around the first of two longhorn pastures.  Both of these pastures had several longhorns grazing in them on my visit, and I saw lots of deer in this area as well.

Hiking through a shallow ravine

            At 0.8 miles, you intersect an old road at a major trail intersection.  We will eventually turn softly right here to head around the north side of the Visitor Center and parking lot, but first turn sharply right to quickly reach Ranch Road 1.  Across the road stands the historic entrance to the LBJ Ranch, which is part of the national park.  The historic entrance is not open to the public, but it offers a nice view of the Pedernales River.  Imagine the dignitaries and famous people that drove in here many years ago.

Historic LBJ Ranch entrance

LBJ statue

            Back at the major trail intersection, the trail heads northwest before curving left to reach an impressive statue of LBJ.  Next the trail heads around the north side of the main parking lot before crossing the lot's Ranch Road 1 exit road and heading around the second longhorn pasture.  The park map tells you that this is an official Texas Longhorn Herd, and they live in a much larger pasture than the first one you passed.

Official Texas Longhorn Herd

            1.7 miles into the hike, you reach the Danz Cabins, a collection of pioneer structures that date to 1865.  Thus, these structures predate both LBJ and the living history farm.  The trail curves right at the cabins and ends at a small secondary parking lot about 500 feet later.  Only 1 trail leads to this parking lot, so the only option is to retrace your steps back past the Danz Cabins and around the official Texas Longhorn Herd to return to the main parking lot and complete the hike.

Danz Cabins

            While you are in the area, you should drive across Ranch Road 1 to the historic LBJ ranch.  The ranch has no hiking trails, but it has an interesting tour road, a show barn, the reconstructed LBJ Birthplace, the Johnson Family Cemetery, and the Texas White House.  Thus, the ranch is replete with unique area and presidential history.