Mountain Biking

Long known to the Texas racing crowd, The Big Bend has great riding WITHOUT the crowds. Enjoy solitary Singletrack and Jeep roads surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery. The area has almost 1000 miles of dirt and Jeep roads to explore and excellent Singletrack, especially in Lajitas and on the east side of Big Bend Ranch State Park. These two areas are contiguous and riding in them both can be combined for truly epic singletrack days, plus there's some great riding to be found in Big Bend National Park and on Terlingua Ranch.

Lajitas Resort

Desert Sports

Grapevine Hills is a 16 mile out-and-back on a well maintained dirt road with a short hike at the turnaround point. Makes a great day trip and a nice Beginner ride.

Glenn Springs/Pine Canyon

Ride down Glenn Springs Road and up Pine Canyon Road (BIG climb), which ends at the Pine Canyon trailhead. The hike's great and makes a nice day trip. Because of the big climb and steep rocky decent this is a more advanced ride than Grapevine Hills.

Old Ore Road

One of the best rides in the Park is the Old Ore Road, which is generally downhill if you ride it north to south. It's a fantastic 26 mile ride along the base of the Sierra Santiago Del Norte and Deadhorses Mountains. Add a few miles at the end and wind up at the Langford Hot Springs for a soak on the banks of the Rio Grande, or ride on back for a TRUE epic. Shuttle required for one-way. Available from Desert Sports.

General Information

Check with BBNP for road conditions. The best guide to riding possibilities in the Park is the 'Road Guide to the Backcountry Dirt Roads of BBNP' available for $2.00 at Park Headquarters, Desert Sports, Terlingua Trading Co. and other locations in the area. IMPORTANT: Riding off of the designated roads in the National Park is illegal.

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend Ranch State Park

Big Bend Ranch State Park, just to the west of Big Bend National Park, covers almost 300,000 acres of some of the roughest, most spectacular country in Texas. Dominated by mountains and huge canyons feeding the Rio Grande, it has some of the most varied and dramatic geology to be found in a part of the Southwest renowned for it geological wonders. This park is definitely an undiscovered jewel, with several excellent mountain biking trails and unmatched solitude. In addition, there's a great Lodge and Bunkhouse available for folks who want to spend a few days exploring the interior of the park. There are 2 main areas to ride in BBRSP; the Interior of the Park near the Ranch Headquarters at Sauceda, and the east side of the park accessible from the Barton Warnock Center, near Lajitas.

The Interior

The riding in the interior is primarily on dirt roads and Jeep trails with a few sections of good singletrack.

Llano Loop

Flat 8.5 mile beginner loop with nice views. Has several campsites along the way.

Encino Loop

Encino Loop Trail is a 9 mile loop located about a mile east of Park Headquarters. It follows an old Jeep trail that climbs steadily through beautiful igneous hills, then loops back across open country. An Intermediate Ride with several campsites.

Horsetrap Trail

5 miles of Singletrack and old Jeep roads; an excellent short ride that can be done right from Park Headquarters.

All of the rides in the Sauceda Headquarters area can be combined to make longer loops or even a multi-day trip

On the east side of the park, starting from the Warnock Center, is the Contrabando Trail. It's a combination of sweet Singletrack, Jeep roads and creek riding. The trail includes sections with excellent climbs, steep technical downhills, and great singletrack. There are also tremendous opportunities for shorter loops for beginners. The trail has incredible views and an excellent campsite. With two trailheads (Warnock and Movie Site) it's possible to ride half the loop and tie it together with 7 miles of highway, (nice option). It will be opening to the public November, 2003. These rides can be combined with rides in Lajitas for a true epic of 45+ miles. There's an entry fee for the State Park that can be paid at either Warnock Center near Lajitas, or either the Complex Headquarters or Ft. Leaton just east of Presidio. Don't try to drive into Sauceda without stopping as there's a locked gate and you won't have the combo unless you've stopped at the office. Contact BBRSP or Desert Sports for more info. BBRSP Complex Office: 432.229.3416 Warnock Center: 432.424.3327

Terlingua Ranch

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