Yegua Knobbs Preserve

Rising from the plains east of Austin, the seven forested, sandstone mesas known as the Yegua Knobbs are prominent enough to have been enshrined in local folklore, and their unique upland habitat makes them attractive both to wildlife and human visitors. Blanketed in post oak and pine forests, the hills form part of the divide between the Colorado and Brazos River drainages and the boundary between Bastrop and Lee counties. In 2004, TPL and the local Pines and Prairies Land Trust protected 302 acres of land including two of the mesas, creating the largest conservation parcel in either Bastrop or Lee county. Protecting this land will help conserve habitat for the endangered Houston toad and will provide an area for public recreation and scientific research. Funding for the project was secured through the settlement of an environmental lawsuit.