Best Places to Off-Road in Texas
Let Your City Bronco Get Out and Stretch Her Legs With Some Off-Road Trails
Everything is bigger in Texas, including many off-road trails throughout the lone star state. With the state's expansive and varied terrain, as well as a large number of Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, there's sure to be a trail for everyone, whether you are a Bronco owner looking to test out your ride or you want to tow your ATV/UTV in and camp.
The lone star state features several nationally recognized off-road driving destinations, according to trailsource.com. Below, we highlight the top five OHV trails in the state.
Barnwell Mountain OHV Area
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Photography by dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada
The Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area is located near the top of the Barnwell Mountains in East Texas and is widely considered one of the best off-road parks in the country. Opened in 2000, the Texas Motorized Trails Coalition (TMTC) property offers dirt bikes, UTVs and OHVs 1,850 acres of off-road delight.
There are 27+ miles of single-track trails for dirt bikes and many more miles of challenging trails for UTVs and OHVs. Barnwell features a 16-mile adventure trail for dirt bikes and ATV riders. If you want something a bit less demanding, there are trails that even the novice UTV and OHV riders will enjoy! The park has primitive campsites throughout, and campers have access to shower facilities, remote pavilions, and a dump station.
Barnwell Mountain is one of the first properties managed by TMTC and has since become one of the premier OHV parks in the country. Amenities include full shower and bath facilities, several vault toilets throughout the property, rental cabins, and a well-marked trail system with unobtrusive trail signage.
Hidden Falls Adventure OHV Park
Whether you're running completely stock or highly modified vehicles, Hidden Falls Adventure OHV Park covers more than 2,200 acres of pristine Texas Hill Country to explore trails with your Bronco or 4x4.
The park has multiple areas available to novice and beginner riders and challenging, expert-level off-road courses. The fee to drive your OHV on their trails per day is $27 for the day or $46 for overnight use. There are also package deals for up to a 3-day excursion.
If you are more interested in towing your dirtbike or UTV, Hidden Falls has plenty to offer the power sports crowd as well. You can also rent an ATV or dirtbike by appointment. Camping is plentiful, whether you tent camp or prefer a bunkhouse or an RV hookup.
Trees Ranch Offroad Park
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Photography by dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada
Northwest of San Antonio near Kerrville in the Texas Hill Country, the 5,500-acre Trees Ranch Off-Road Park is a haven for all types of OHV users. The level of difficulty ranges from beginner to expert. The park was built for off-road enthusiasts by a dedicated group of off-roaders looking for a place to challenge themselves and their rigs.
While Trees Ranch is primarily an exotic game ranch, this off-road paradise is a perfect venue for outdoor and OHV enthusiasts. Trees Ranch offers some of the best trails for extreme off-roading, featuring obstacles for rock crawling to mild creek bed trails.
A weekend fee is $60 for drivers and $20 for riders, and there's an RV hookup available for $50.
General Sams OHV Park
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Photography by dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada
Located near Huntsville, the 700-acre General Sams Off-Road Park offers more than 35 trails for Bronco owners and other hardcore 4x4 enthusiasts. With over 60 miles of trails winding through rolling piney woods, natural springs, creeks, sandpits, mud holes, rock climbing hills, and some of the best elevation changes for miles around, you can enjoy riding ATV/UTVs – or any other four-wheeled off-road vehicle you chose – throughout the park.
General Sams amenities include five cabins, nine RV spots with water, electricity, and sewer. Additionally, there are ten RV spots with water and electricity and 19 different primitive campground areas for RV and tent camping. There's also a full bathhouse with sinks, toilets and showers, a bike wash station, a concert stage area, and a well-stocked general store.
In addition to the riding trails, the park has events that cover everything from Muddy Gras to a Mother's Day ride if you are interested. Day passes cost $20, and weekend passes are $40.
Rosita Flats OHV Area
Located near the south-western side of Lake Meredith and bordering the Canadian River, Rosita Flats OHV Area has a variety of terrain that include wide trails with whoops, sand, mud and the occasional water crossing. Rosita Flats OHV Area is larger than nearby Blue Creek Bridge and is around 1,740 acres.
Next time you're in Texas, check out one of the above OHV riding areas. You won't be disappointed.
What Suspension Upgrades Does Your Bronco Need?
Keep in mind that whether you are four-wheeling or hauling that safety should always be our first concern. Make sure that your off-road trail gear is up to the task. Do you have enough ground clearance for these off-road trails? If not, consider the right lift kit for your Bronco or F150. Do you have the right shocks and springs for an off-road adventure? If that’s not a big Texas-sized 10-4, upgrade your Bronco shocks to some rugged off-road shocks that will give you the support and cushion you need for the ride. If you plan on towing your off-road toys like ATVs and UTVs then make sure you have the truck bump stops and helper springs you need to tow them safely, preventing sway and roll from your truck squatting under the weight of your trailer. Any way you look at it, Bronco Graveyard has you covered when upgrading your vehicle for the wilds of off-road country.