<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Map of Texas Hill Country </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Website: Handbook of Texas: Hill Country </Td> </Tr> <P> 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 . 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 . 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 . </P> <P> Bound on the east by the Balcones Escarpment, the Hill Country reaches into the far northern portions of San Antonio and the western portions of Austin . As a result of springs discharging water stored in the Edwards Aquifer, several cities such as Austin, San Marcos, and New Braunfels were settled at the base of the Balcones Escarpment . The region's economy is one of the fastest growing in the United States . </P>

Where does the hill country start in texas
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