where does the hill country start in texas
Texas Hill Country The Texas Hill Country is a geographical region located in the Edwards Plateau at the crossroads of West Texas, Central Texas, and South Texas. Given its geographical location, terrain features, and native vegetation, the Hill Country could be considered the beginning or end of the American Southwest (depending on which direction one is travelling). The region is notable for its karst topography and tall rugged hills of limestone or granite.[1] Many of the hills rise to a height of 400-500 feet above the surrounding plains and valleys, with Packsaddle Mountain rising to a height of 800 feet above the Llano River in Kingsland.[2] The Hill Country also includes the Llano Uplift and the second-largest granite dome in the United States, Enchanted Rock. The terrain throughout the region is punctuated by a thin layer of topsoil and a large number of exposed rocks and boulders, making the region very dry and prone to flash flooding. Native vegetation in the region includes various yucca, prickly pear cactus, desert spoon, and wildflowers in the Llano Uplift. The predominant trees in the region are ashe juniper and Texas live oak.[3]
Austin, Texas Austin (/ˌɔːstəˈn/ ( listen)[4], AHST-uhn) is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. It is the 11th-most populous city in the United States and the 4th most populous city in Texas. It is the fastest growing large city in the United States[5][6] and the second most populous state capital in the U.S after Phoenix, Arizona.[7] As of the U.S. Census Bureau's July 1, 2016 estimate, Austin has a population of 947,890.[8] Located in Central Texas in the foothills of Texas Hill Country, the city is home to numerous lakes, rivers, and waterways including Lady Bird Lake, Barton Springs, McKinney Falls, the Colorado River, Lake Travis, and Lake Walter E. Long. It is the cultural and economic center of the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 2,056,405 as of July 1, 2016. It is the most populous state capital in the U.S that isn't the most populous city in a state.