• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Write
  • Intern
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact

The Austinot

Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.

  • Things To Do
    • Things To Do This Weekend
    • Things To Do This Week
    • Things To Do This Weekend With Kids
  • Discoveries
    • Austinot Loves
    • Activities
    • Day Trips
    • Local Business
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Drink
  • Entertainment
    • Events
    • Film
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Theatre
  • Culture
    • Arts
    • History
    • Museums
  • Et Cetera
    • Non-Profits
    • Podcast
    • Archives

Heights, Depths & the Rugged In Between at Reveille Peak Ranch

August 21, 2012 by Brittany Highland 2 Comments

Bluebonnets at Reveille Peak Ranch

Bluebonnets in bloom

If you owned 1,300 acres of pristine Texas Hill Country, what would you do with it?

For Vol Montgomery, the answer doesn’t have to do with profit or development, but with preservation and passion. The owner of Reveille Peak Ranch is actively creating a unique community for his friends and family, and those who share his interests.

On most days, Reveille Peak Ranch is a specially-designed haven for a small subset of outdoor sports enthusiasts: mountain bikers, trail runners and scuba divers. But it also functions as happy host to nature studies, school and youth camp outs, community BBQ’s and one-of-a-kind weddings.

Austinots Visit Reveille Peak Ranch

We had planned our day trip weeks in advance, when triple-digit temperatures and cloudless skies were the norm. The Saturday of our trip dawned sunless and foreboding, but we set out on 183 North with a spirit of adventure that only city-dwellers can conjure.

As we made our way toward Burnet, TX, the rain hit. No, it pounded. We laughed at the cosmic timing and pulled onto Reveille Peak Ranch’s dirt road after an hour and fifteen minutes of driving.

As the relentless rain continued to fall, we sat down with Andrea Roach, director of Nature Education and Client Services, in a silo converted into an office. With a background in biomedical science and healthcare, Andrea is a warm and knowledgeable hostess.

As our conversation continued, we learned that Reveille Peak Ranch is a family affair. Andrea is owner Vol Montgomery’s sister. Along with a third sibling and their parents, who reside in nearby Burnet, the Montgomery Family is never too far apart. To a great extent, Reveille Peak Ranch is the legacy of Vol and Andrea’s parents, who instilled in them a love of the outdoors. And now, a third generation of their family is growing up to appreciate the beauty of the Texas Hill Country.

Unique Opportunities for Outdoor Enthusiasts

Having opened in July 2010, Reveille Peak Ranch is still in its infancy. Because of that, it’s not yet open to the general public. At this time, you can visit if you are mountain biking, trail running or scuba diving.

Mountain biking in Texas Hill Country

Mountain biking trails at Reveille have been designed with good markings and flow

If you come for any of those purposes, other opportunities are available. You can primitive camp or enjoy electrical RV hookups, and there are unique and comfortable shower and bathroom facilities on site. You can also swim, paddle board, play sand volleyball and fish (catch and release).

Scuba Diving

In a short time, Reveille Peak Ranch has developed into a premiere location for scuba divers. The quarry is perfect for any skill level. A diving platform assists beginner divers, while advanced divers love the fact that the quarry is still being explored. To date, divers have discovered up to 100 ft. depths in the quarry.

With Aquarena Springs in San Marcos now closed to divers, and water levels at Lake Travis hazardously low, Reveille’s quarry is a great diving alternative with consistent clarity and depth.

Mountain Biking

On the day of our visit, the rain certainly didn’t keep the bikers away. Those who we spoke to said that the trails had good markings and good flow.

Outdoor Events

Jailbreak mud race at Reveille Peak Ranch

Jailbreak mud race

Many sports events have been held at Reveille Peak Ranch, including the Jailbreak mud race, the Tour de Ranch bike race, the Reveille Peak 100 and Spartan. During the Spartan, 6,000 racers descended upon the Ranch in two days. It’s a credit to the management, organization and facilities of Reveille Peak Ranch that the Spartan is planning to return in May 2013.

The Ranch’s calendar of upcoming events is packed. September 1st is Capt’n Karl’s Night Trail Race – 60k/30k/10k races held at night to avoid the summer heat. See if there’s an event for you on Reveille’s calendar.

Learning and Community

Though Reveille Peak Ranch has evolved into a respected athletic location, it was originally founded to encourage nature education. To that end, funds are currently being raised for a nature center. Educational events like hikes with a naturalist and hikes for photographers are also in the works.

In the meantime, Reveille regularly welcomes school groups and youth groups like the Boy Scouts. Because the Ranch is so large and contains so much natural diversity, it is the perfect place to expose students to what they see in textbooks. For example, all three kinds of rock (sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous) can be found at Reveille.

Our Special Tour

As we finished our informal interview with Andrea in the silo, the rain storm passed. We visited the two-story pavilion, with a full grill, swimming pool, volleyball court and fire pits below, and a star-gazing deck up top.

Andrea fired up the four wheel drive and took us on an exciting tour. We drove by the quarry, where a sizeable group of scuba divers were in the water.

Scuba Diving Texas Hill Country at Reveille Peak Ranch

Scuba divers in the quarry

From there, we made the slow but enjoyable trek up to Decision Point. During our travels, we saw a doe and her very young fawn, a bunny and a vulture spreading his wings to dry. We collected beautiful rocks, crossed a creek, and marveled at the mountain biking trails that real people actually brave!

At the end of it all, Decision Point was breath-taking. From there, we could see Lake Buchanan and the Buchanan Dam, Inks Lake and 360 degrees of beauty. The rain that had nearly “spoiled” our visit had cleaned the surroundings of dust and heat. The air was fresh and the colors were vibrant, a truly special treat in the middle of Texas’ summer.

Eric and Brittany Highland on Decision Pt. at Reveille Peak Ranch

Austinots Eric and Brittany crest Decision Pt.

Believe it or not, weddings take place on Decision Point. Vol Montgomery was married there himself. It’s definitely reserved for the most adventurous of brides!

Start Planning Your Visit

Reveille Peak Ranch pavilion

Reveille Peak Ranch paviliion

Between everything going on at Reveille Peak Ranch, and everything planned for the future, there’s really too much to fit in one article. One of the things that struck me most was how flexible Andrea seems to be when it comes to hosting events and making sure visitors’ needs are met. I guess that’s one of the benefits of having a young facility!

If you don’t mountain bike, trail run or scuba dive, you can still find a chance to visit the Ranch. It will absolutely be worth the trip.

A huge thank you to Andrea and the team at Reveille Peak Ranch for giving us the opportunity to visit. We’ll be back!

@QuasiBrit asks:

Did you know about Reveille Peak Ranch?

Filed Under: Day Trips, Discoveries Tagged With: biking, burnet tx, events

Best of The Austinot

We always have unique content on The Austinot and we love to give things away. You know, like concert tickets, gift cards, and other cool stuff. We only send out our “Best of the Austinot” newsletter twice a month. It’s where we give you a recap of our best articles and give stuff away. Interested? Subscribe to Best of The Austinot here!

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Connect with Us

    Hyperlocal Blog About the City of A...

    To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

    Hyperlocal Blog About the City of Austin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Things to do

Things to do in Austin with kids this weekend

Top 10 Things to Do in Austin with Kids this Weekend of July 1, 2022 include Bastrop Patriotic Festival, Family Game Night, and More!

If there’s one thing about this city, it’s that there is always something going on. So, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of July 1, 2022, there’s plenty of fun to be had, including Dive In Movies – Wells Branch, Bastrop Patriotic Festival, and more!   Top […]

Things to do in Austin this weekend | Brick Rodeo

10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of July 1, 2022 Include Brick Rodeo, Party at Independence, and More!

  For summer camp information, check out our page for Best Summer Camps in Austin for 2022!  If you would like to discover more Things to do in Austin this Week & Things to do in Austin with Kids this Weekend, check out Facebook for immediate notifications.

Things to do in Austin this week

10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of June 27, 2022 include Pints & Pups at Round Rock Express, Carpenter BBQ Pool Party, and more!

Austin is now among the fastest-growing metroplexes in the US! Keeping up with the growth, luckily there’s plenty going on in Austin all days of the week. There are things to do on Monday in Austin, of course, things to do in Austin on Saturday night, and everything in between! Some of you may be […]

texas swimming holes near austin

Texas swimming holes near Austin – 10 watering holes for a fun swim this summer

If you have been looking for free places to swim in Austin or googling ‘swimming holes near me’, you are in the right place! Texas is known for a lot of things and one of them is relentlessly hot summers. The temperatures are rising in Austin and across the state. Luckily, there are also many […]

Austin trampoline parks - Urban Air Adventure Park (Cedar Park)

Austin Trampoline Parks – Best Indoor Jumping Places for Kids and Adults!

Trampoline parks were among the decade’s most unique leisure attractions. They offer a playful atmosphere where people can defy the laws of physics and have a good time hurling themselves around. It consists of a large room filled wall to wall with trampolines. On the weekend, you may get rid of your boredom and have […]

Recent Posts

  • Top 10 Things to Do in Austin with Kids this Weekend of July 1, 2022 include Bastrop Patriotic Festival, Family Game Night, and More!
  • 4th July events in Austin: Independence day 2022 fireworks, parades, concerts & other celebrations!
  • 10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of July 1, 2022 Include Brick Rodeo, Party at Independence, and More!
  • 10 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of June 27, 2022 include Pints & Pups at Round Rock Express, Carpenter BBQ Pool Party, and more!
  • Texas swimming holes near Austin – 10 watering holes for a fun swim this summer

Welcome to The Austinot

We are all about Austin: the vibe, the people and the uniqueness of the city. We love to explore. Get to know us! We’ll respond if you comment. Heck, we’ll probably invite you to come and hang out with us!

Follow along to help support and learn more about local businesses, artists, and events.

-The Austinot Team

Privacy Policy

Trending Posts

  • 10 Fun Things to Do in Austin This Weekend of July 1, 2022 Include Brick Rodeo, Party at Independence, and More!
  • 4th July events in Austin: Independence day 2022 fireworks, parades, concerts & other celebrations!
  • 10 Best Lakes in and around Austin
  • 7 Popular Lady Bird Lake Activities to Experience This Year
  • Day Trip in Austin: 10 Places To Visit Like a Tourist

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

wpDiscuz