Hey guys, I have the incredible good fortune of having spring break off this year and am planning a trip through central Texas. I was hoping that someone on here might have a little input for my rough draft routes. The Plan: Ride from my home in Bastrop into the Texas hill country and explore as many backroads and goat trails as possible. I will be camping for the first part of the trip before meeting up with my wife, on friday night. The spousal unit will be driving my truck with her bike loaded in the bed and we will spend the weekend exploring whatever area I land in while hoteling it. I have off the entire week but will likely not be leaving until mid week so that I can get some projects finished (optional). I will be on a plated KLX300 and am avoiding highways as best as possible. She will be on a beefed up klx140. So far I have finished a segment of the trip route leaving Bastrop and landing me in Pedernales Falls state park. Here is the route. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Grey+Wolf+Ln&daddr=30.176736,-97.2751079+to:30.1628679,-97.3234597+to:30.1537964,-97.330124+to:30.1109939,-97.338523+to:30.1155131,-97.353116+to:30.2030902,-97.4405437+to:30.3084609,-97.7280246+to:30.3315791,-97.7400188+to:30.3520037,-97.7836515+to:30.3644396,-97.8281107+to:30.3661898,-97.8760242+to:30.3882352,-97.9134534+to:30.3510999,-97.996027+to:30.312804,-97.9814595+to:Hamilton+Pool+Rd+to:30.299314,-98.244295+toedernales+Falls+State+Park,+Park+Roa++d+6026,+Johnson+City,+TX&hl=en&sll=30.310356,-98.103275&sspn=0.096031,0.132351&geocode=FSC0zAEdIugz-g%3BFeB1zAEdHbMz-im183OJL5BEhjF6030VK6pqtA%3BFbM_zAEdPfYy-ikVHH_O7JBEhjHm1NZgeBaymw%3BFUQczAEdNNwy-ikFyjAmlpBEhjEQC_Q5cIwtZw%3BFRF1ywEdZbsy-il5l79hPJpEhjGFSac_7ieQdQ%3BFbmGywEdZIIy-imfwHDY9JlEhjGoopApBHN-nw%3BFdLczAEd4Swx-imhGicY9b1EhjGBTlRlQf6Sjw%3BFWx4zgEd6Mks-im1gib8cMpEhjHKwHy54q1q8g%3BFbvSzgEdDpss-ikz41JZWMpEhjGhn3aXUYJ9Fg%3BFYMizwEdnfAr-imfWkPCLMtEhjEkav7S571sHw%3BFRdTzwEd8kIr-in9JNkaYDRbhjEpZOlVxscTjQ%3BFe1ZzwEdyIcq-ikhH0a7oDZbhjF4YMbAIqXtQg%3BFQuwzwEdk_Up-ilf30qvKTFbhjE_AnIqzdIi6Q%3BFWkgzwEd77Mo-ilzes9tojlbhjHjT8l1Tby_GA%3BFTCPzgEdnPAo-il_ndu8ODhbhjFuyEyR5kJrXQ%3BFen5zgEdBosm-g%3BFXJSzgEdFusk-ikDTh86ExNbhjH8xtoB-hCvlg%3BFaN1zgEdlrMk-iFWAq3ZnfxtNCmRo59ScxNbhjFWAq3ZnfxtNA&oq=pedr++enales&t=h&dirflg=b&mra=dme&mrsp=15&sz=13&lci=bike&z=16&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 Let me know what you think and please chime in if there is anything I shouldn't miss. Ill post more as the route develops. Day two https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Pedernales+Falls+State+Park,+Park+Road+6026,+Johnson+City,+TX&daddr=30.3541758,-98.4465152+to:30.285797,-98.6717277+to:30.344128,-98.6824466+to:30.4834649,-98.650692+to:30.4117518,-98.761661+to:Fredericksburg,+TX&hl=en&ll=30.279823,-98.76297&spn=0.384243,0.529404&sll=30.288717,-98.495865&sspn=0.192104,0.264702&geocode=FaN1zgEdlrMk-iFWAq3ZnfxtNCmRo59ScxNbhjFWAq3ZnfxtNA%3BFf8qzwEdTdMh-in9ywNuhAlbhjFB2xTOmTk6pQ%3BFeUfzgEdkWMe-ilJS1MyKL1bhjGinoiu-GfD-Q%3BFcADzwEdsjke-iltSjgZaLtbhjE7MAeRHXrlcg%3BFQgk0QEdvLUe-ikPdeWeJa5bhjGSfxMvd-suxQ%3BFecL0AEdQwQd-inB1dRr47lbhjFYpG94aOZz2w%3BFYH2zQEdUFUb-il3arKvVMBbhjGbwjFfsDuvxA&oq=fredricksburg&t=h&gl=us&dirflg=b&mra=dvme&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1,2,3,4,5&z=11&lci=bike
Day 3 https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Fredericksburg,+TX&daddr=30.2214287,-98.9039661+to:30.1675859,-98.948789+to:30.0759763,-99.0895491+to:30.0443676,-99.231256+to:30.0332136,-99.3289501+to:29.9564743,-99.3785694+to:Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=30.324286,-98.945618&spn=0.768135,1.058807&sll=30.023476,-99.264736&sspn=0.096311,0.132351&geocode=FYH2zQEdUFUb-il3arKvVMBbhjGbwjFfsDuvxA%3BFXQkzQEdYtga-ikDtgGFC-pbhjHetdleXhIIKg%3BFSFSzAEdSyka-in5W9hEc-lbhjFKhCcyaSPFhw%3BFUjsygEdcwMY-ilBJEdDfeRbhjErLkh6YdEx2Q%3BFc9wygEd6NkV-il1Cu3_SlhZhjHDhGk12yqX3A%3BFT1FygEdSlwU-il9m-2Ei1pZhjE5mIL8MSBgQQ%3BFXoZyQEdd5oT-imbZrkrLk5ZhjHA5vDesxnADA%3BFSzWxgEdLqoQ-g&oq=leake&t=h&gl=us&dirflg=b&mra=mrv&via=1,2,3,4,5,6&z=10&lci=bike
Day one: I think you might find all those residential roads through Austin kinda tedious. Might should bite the bullet and get across town pronto. Maybe stay on MLK to Lamar, then south to all the way down 290 to Southwest Pkwy. A few miles on 71 then you're on Hamilton Pool Rd. Or MLK-Lamar-Enfield-Redbud Trail-Bee Caves Rd. But all that North Austin route you have is just urban traffic, Steiner Ranch is just a suburb, 620 is a big wide crazy highway, and Lakeway is just another suburb. You're not out in the country. Unless that's the kind of thing you want to see. Just sayin. Day two: I know those roads. You'll have fun. Day three: I'm not sure all of those roads are really there, but there are many ways to get from Fredburg to Kerrville. I've had to backtrack more than once out there. On the plus side, it's all pretty and nobody shot at me. But Kerrville has gotten pretty big, kinda like Bastrop has. I'd probably go from Fredericksburg to Comfort and then to Medina. Then you get to take one of the most fun roads in Texas to Vanderpool. Lost Maples is a great park. Day four could be the other most fun road in Texas to Camp Wood. Enjoy.
Yep, I pretty much agree. I usually hit highway 39 out of Kerrville, so I'll be interested to hear about the roads you have routed.
Thanks for the input! Day 1 was less set in stone, my plan was to ride into Austin from 969 and maybe grab some food at one of my favorite spots before heading out. You are right though, 290 west of Austin wouldn't be nearly as bad as 71 east of Austin. I picked the route heading north was because I have never really been through there (besides lake travis). I will prob reroute through south Austin via shoal creek saloon and head out 290. I'm definitely going to check out the other roads you mentioned, my main goal was to hit as much dirt as possible, distance and time are less important. Thanks!
I checked the routes you posted and there was no dirt riding involved that i could see. Day two would be the time to ride them. Leaving perdenales falls sp, head north past 1323, on 281 to a county road that's mostly dirt runs to sandy from round mountain (Cr 307). Skip 2721, best done at high speed anyway, continue west on 1323 to smith-west which runs north to 962. Then. west on 962 for a few clicks until 3347, south on that almost until it turns to dirt and pick up CR 309 west which morphs into 310, then 315 all the way to hwy 16. You can really do some dirt west of doss, nearly to junction if time permits, starts at saltgrass loop. Another real fun set of roads starts as soon as you leave luchenback. grapetown road west to old san antonio road, south to grape creek road, west to 87, and cross it to bear creek road which is slightly north. bear creek dead ends into center point road, taken south all the way to 1341\cypress creek road. A mile west on that will bring you to stoneleigh rd, which will eventually get you into center point. Out in the 3 sisters area there's a great dirt road between 336 and 335. Unless we get a bunch of rain there shouldn't be any low water crossing to worry about.
I live in Dripping Springs, so I know the roads around Pedernales SP and Hamilton Pool pretty well. Not much dirt between Austin and Pedernales SP, but here are some ideas... The map shows that you're riding past Hamilton Pool (the actual pool). You should stop and see it, if you get the chance. Probably less than a mile hike/walk RT from the parking lot. Hammett's Crossing is nice - don't stop at "D"...keep going a ways for a nice, lonely road. If you feel so inclined, you can go all the way to 281 via Cypress Mill Road. You can then get back to Pedernales SP from the west from Johnson City, on Robinson Road. You can't go far at the cut-off to "E", if at all. This is a park maintenance road, I believe, on which you shouldn't be riding. "E" is actually on the Wolf Mountain Trail, which is non-motor only. Wolf Mountain Trail is an easy 7+ mile hiking trail, if you're interested in that stuff. If you have time, there are several small winding country roads, south of Dripping Springs, which are rarely traveled by anyone other than the folks living on them. Take a peak at Creek Road, from Roger Hanks Pkwy (in DS) to 165. From there, it's a short hop over to Pedernales SP. I rode Creek Road, this evening - bunches of deer (bad), lots of wild turkeys (good). If you like wine, your starting to get into a neat area. You can't spit out here without hitting a vineyard. A couple of micro brew spots, as well. Twisted X, just south of Dripping Springs at RR12 and 150 (Mexican-style beer). Jester King (farmhouse brewery) is on Fitzhugh, between 290 and Trautwein - the beer isn't to my taste, but the operation is really something. PM me, if you have any questions.
Buy a Butler map of the Hill Country. Enjoy. That's the easiest way. If you end up over by Perdenales SP Brock Hollow Dr to Rough Hollow Rd off of 2766 coming out of Johnson City used to be a nice little dirt loop. Fun on a DRZ. Possibly challenging on a GS. I'll post a picture when I'm not at work. That area seems to be littered with rock strewn little roads to nowhere and might warrant further investigation.
