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Hill Country State
Natural Area

 

 Trail Stats
Activity Type:   Bike, Hike, Horse
Nearby City:   Bandera, TX
Length:   22 miles
Trail Type:   Loop
Skill Level:   Intermediate or advanced
Season:   Year-round
Guidebook: Mountain Bike! Texas & Oklahoma

Important Phone Numbers
Bandera Chamber of Commerce

     bandera@hctc.net       830-796-3045

 

Plan to spend a full day riding and enjoying the three-stage ride.  Hill Country State Natural Area is made up of 5400 acres of rocky hill, creeks, and shady oak groves.  HCSNA provides only primitive camping, no stores, out houses, and for the reason, few people.  Twenty-two of thirty-two miles of trails are open to mountain biking, most of which is challenging single-track with steep climbs and descents, large and small rocks, technical obstacles, and creek crossings.


Trial 8b - HCSNA July 1999 

Perhaps the most scenic ride in the Texas Hill Country, Hill Country State Natural Area is located outside Bandera in Bandera and Medina Counties.  Merrick Bar-O-Ranch donated most of the 5369.8-acre park to the state with the understanding that it "be kept far removed and untouched by modern civilization, where everything is preserved intact, yet put to a useful purpose."
That useful purpose has become primitive camping, hiking, swimming, bird watching, backpacking, horseback riding, and of course, mountain biking.  Since there are so many activities available all the the same area, I find it necessary to tell everyone once again, everyone else has the right of way.  Bikes must stop for everyone, no exceptions.  If we forget to go by the rules, we will loose our right to ride in these beautiful state parks.


Trail 8 - HCSNA July 1999

Photo Gallery


Trail 4a


Trail 4


Cougar Canyon


Twin Peaks Trail 5b

Hill Country State Natural Area - July 4, 1999

The weather around Hill Country State Natural Area is unpredictable during the hot summer months. Storms can appear in a matter of minutes and flood low lying areas.
   Enter a City or US Zip:  

Our Weather Story:
On the weekend of July 4th, 1999 my brother and had been riding the trails on the North end of the park.  As we sat and talked about our ride over a snack we decided to see what the other end of the trails were like.  So off we went Northeast down Trail 7 toward Nocho's House.  Then, out of nowhere, a flash of lightning and a boom of thunder.  We turned and looked over our shoulders to find a black cloud 

overtaking the once blue sky.  As day turned to night we looked for a place to get on the main County Road which runs along side Trail 7.  The creek bed where swelling and getting hard to cross.  Finally, we found the road just in time for the rain to start affecting visibility.  We hit the road sprinting with every breath we had left.  The rain felt like hail hitting my arms and legs.  My brother pulled away as I ran out of steam.  The lightning, although beautiful, was getting really bad and I began to get a little nervous about the possibility of the storm causing me physical harm.  Finally, after what turned out to just over a one mile sprint, I made it back to the truck where I threw the bike in the back, stripped down to the bare essentials and jumped into the truck to find my brother ready with a towel and smile.  

I guess next time we should pay closer attention to the weather.

 

Of course, no ride is complete without a few crashes.  When we make it through a technical section without any trouble, there must be something wrong.  "Let's do it over!"

 

 

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All graphics and information copyright 2002,  Steven M. Lawrence
Unless otherwise noted.