Texas Trails in a Texas Trail

[JWM PLAYS]

If more mild than wild is your thing and you live in Texas, I'm here to tell you that there are miles and miles of dirt and gravel roads and trails that are county or state roads for you to drive on. Below are pictures of our trip this past weekend. There was several places that would be impassable without 4 wheel drive I think just due to mud.

The key for us is using the On X app. A free trial came with the Jeep but my wife has enjoyed it so much she has since paid for 1 year subscription. It can help you navigate some pretty awesome "trails" (actually roads) that you would think aren't really roads but they are. Anyhow, we're enjoying seeing some different country and using the 4 wheel drive without the extreme rock crawling carnage. As it turns out, there is an adventure for everyone to be had when you own a Jeep.

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[steveorama]

Based on your pics it looks like you're in the coastal plains area. That's a pretty wide area though so it's hard to narrow down where since there isn't a lot of natural landmarks.

There's a popular overlanding route that's made up of county roads like this in Central Texas just west of Austin. It starts off out of Marble Falls and it makes it way towards Fredericksburg. I haven't ran it myself yet, but the Austin Jeep Trucks group usually runs it a couple times a year as a group.

 

[JWM PLAYS]

Based on your pics it looks like you're in the coastal plains area. That's a pretty wide area though so it's hard to narrow down where since there isn't a lot of natural landmarks.

There's a popular overlanding route that's made up of county roads like this in Central Texas just west of Austin. It starts off out of Marble Falls and it makes it way towards Fredericksburg. I haven't ran it myself yet, but the Austin Jeep Trucks group usually runs it a couple times a year as a group.

This was actually down near the Waco area. We ran one several weeks ago call the Chisolm Trail. It's supposed to closely mirror the Chisolm Trail in route. At least that's what is said about it.

 

[TheOpa]

Cool pics, thanks for posting them. It’s amazing to see so much flat open space. I do appreciate the hills and rocks here in PA but I also appreciate the flat roads in the NJ Pine Barrens just as much as I would also like to explore the area you are in. I could see some good weekends out of tailgate picnics and camping under all that open sky. Just being off road is good, even better when it isn’t the same old thing every time.

 

[Jonathan G]

I’m trying to find a trail within one hour of north Austin for tomorrow. Hidden Falls Adventure is unfortunately closed on Mondays.

Any recommendations for an easy trail to learn on? This will be my first off-road experience and I have a completely factory JT Willys.

 

[JWM PLAYS]

I’m trying to find a trail within one hour of north Austin for tomorrow. Hidden Falls Adventure is unfortunately closed on Mondays.

Any recommendations for an easy trail to learn on? This will be my first off-road experience and I have a completely factory JT Willys.

On X has a bunch. Look for the Chisholm Trail Byway also Navasota River Trail.

 

[kb5zcr]

This data is by the TEXDOT and lists all the gravel roads in the state via a map view. Good resource to make your own routes. Just something to check out.

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/in...1e41&extent=-99.7819,28.5091,-97.1040,29.9959

 

[Shopshirt]

That's a cool resource @kb5zcr

 

[Pioneer7]

This was actually down near the Waco area. We ran one several weeks ago call the Chisolm Trail. It's supposed to closely mirror the Chisolm Trail in route. At least that's what is said about it.

I'll have to check this out! Thanks!

 

[Weldit]

So me being technically challenged, …the app is usable from a device only? or can somehow be used on the Jeep’s touchscreen?

 

[ALT2870]

The OnX app? You can plug in your phone and it will show the map. Pretty much everything else you still have to do on your phone though.

 

[Great Offender]

I went thru this once before and you need to know that 95% of TX is privately owned and fenced. One need only look at Google maps in my area and see that the entire surrounding land is grayed out because of paranoid ranchers. Maybe On X could find a gem in there but Ft Worth is 8 hours away and at that distance Big Bend will win hands down but honestly, who should have to travel 8 hours for a national park?

I know, I know, "If you don't like it ...". I admit I am an accidental Texan for the last 12 years and I am trapped for at least the next 10 but if you are going to be trapped, do it at the beach!

 

[Weldit]

Great offender “Trapped” in Texas lol. Imagine that. Clearly you don’t get it or belong here.

Paranoid ranchers? Lmao

 

[LOGS]

I went thru this once before and you need to know that 95% of TX is privately owned and fenced. One need only look at Google maps in my area and see that the entire surrounding land is grayed out because of paranoid ranchers. Maybe On X could find a gem in there but Ft Worth is 8 hours away and at that distance Big Bend will win hands down but honestly, who should have to travel 8 hours for a national park?

I know, I know, "If you don't like it ...". I admit I am an accidental Texan for the last 12 years and I am trapped for at least the next 10 but if you are going to be trapped, do it at the beach!

Then leave. Perhaps you would enjoy Cali more...which has even less public land.

 

[Great Offender]

Perhaps you would enjoy Cali more...which has even less public land.

I would leave if I could but my wife's job is here and I love her more(?) MOST! which makes TX easier to bear.
I used Duck Duck Go as a search engine to avoid the endless Google ads "state with the least public land". https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=state+with+least+public+land&atb=v354-1&ia=web

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