This stage is short, but steeper than the distance suggests. From Camp Wood, the route follows RM 337 east and leaves the Nueces River area via Camp Wood Creek. After that, the Hill Country section starts properly: narrow road, ranch entrances, limestone slopes, short descents and direct climbs back up. The high point sits just below 690 metres. The route does not climb in one steady line, but rolls across several ridges between Nueces Canyon and Frio Canyon. That makes it more demanding than a simple transfer day: bends, crests and limited road space keep changing the rhythm. Before Leakey, the road drops clearly again. The town sits in the Frio Canyon area and works well as a shorter stop before the longer Hill Country stages ahead.
