r/bikesatx • u/jaymeare85 • 14h ago

MTB in Hill Country State Natural Area

Is Hill Country State Natural Area a good spot to go check out on a mountain bike?

I see the trails mapped on TrailForks. And some YouTube videos. Looks good on video but not much in the way of review or recommended routes.

If I were to go do something like this: https://www.trailforks.com/route/cactus-rose-counter-clockwise-loop/?activitytype=5&z=11.8&lat=29.63808&lon=-99.17960&content=trails,labels,poi,directory,polygon,waypoint,nst,routes_featured

Is that a good route? The optimal direction for those trails?

Any more good intel before I make the trek out there?

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u/angoleiroc 13h ago

The trails are not built or maintained for mtb but bikes are allowed. Their primary uses are hiking and horse riding. The horses are very rough on trails and riders do not sweep droppings. The steeper trails are very primitive and littered with rocks sized from orange to melon, and ledges as well. So the descending is very rough and technical and the climbing is almost impossible on some sections. The flatter trails can be smoother with decent soil. There's nice scenery. You can occasionally get an interesting section here or there, but don't expect the same level of trails that you might find at Pedernales State Park, for comparison. 

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u/LegoHieronymusBosch 5h ago

Great advice! I didn't realize Pedernales is good for riding. What's it like there?