Packsaddle Mountain (Llano County)

Packsaddle Mountain stands five miles southwest of Kingsland in eastern Llano County (at 30°37' N, 98°30' W). Its twin-peaked silhouette resembles a saddle from some perspectives. In 1873 it was the site of the Packsaddle Mountain Fight, the last major Indian battle in the area. It is said to be the location of the Los Almagres mine, the object of Jim Bowie's searches for several years; records indicate that the Spanish operated a mine in the region. Prospecting on Packsaddle Mountain renewed interest in gold mining in Llano County in the 1920s, but with no lasting result. At an elevation of 1,628 feet, the higher of the two summits rises 650 feet above U.S. Highway 71. Local topography ranges from flat to rolling to steep, with local escarpments, covered with soils ranging from shallow and stony to deep, fine, sandy loams. Vegetation consists primarily of open stands of live oak and Ashe juniper.