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FM 4, tx

brd

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Location
Fort Worth, TX
What: This road is one of the best within an hour's ride of the DFW metroplex. This can also make it a heavily travelled road on weekends, and the DPS is out there in the summertime.

The best stretch of FM 4 is north of I-20 about 2 miles from Santo to Palo Pinto (14 miles).

There are pretty much 2 sections to this piece of road. The first is down low in a little valley and goes along the east side of Palo Pinto lake, which you can't actually see from FM 4. It is a series of back and forth corners, none overly tight.

Then you get to the little town of Lone Camp and there is a 2-3 mile long straight stretch. It is very tempting to blast through here, but be careful. There are a number of driveways along this stretch, so think about safety. Also, I've heard this road is heavily patrolled on weekends and I saw two police on it early on a Thursday afternoon. You don't need to run it at super-legal speeds, anyway. The speed limit is 55mph and if you try to hold a constant speed near that :angel: through the twisty parts, which are plentiful, you will have a good time.

The second set of twisties starts and heads up into the hills toward the town of Palo Pinto. There are some nice curves going around the hillsides. Some are tighter than the first section. Here's a shot of the exit of one good corner and the beginning of the next up the hill:
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In early April, there are bluebonnets along some of the roadsides (you can see them in the picture above on the left side of the road), but not enough to make it a popular wildflower viewing area, like the Willow City Loop.

All of a sudden, the speed limit drops and you're in Palo Pinto. There's a gas station there or back in Santo.

Don't be surprised if you find that you need to ride that road again. :wink:

There is one corner to be particularly careful of. There's a T intersection in the middle of a 25mph curve in the Southern section of twisties. It's well marked. The road that T's goes west and is Lakeview Drive. A few of the other corners are also blind curves around hillsides, so be careful there, too.

Where: From Ft. Worth, go west on Interstate 20 about 60 miles. There is an exit for FM 4 / Santo / Palo Pinto. Head north. After 2 or 3 miles you will pass through the town of Santo and then the good stuff starts.
 
What: There is another fun stretch of this road that I know about that is further south.

FM 4 runs through farmlands and has a series of what I call "stairstep" curves that are fun to ride. They are not overly technical and go through farmland, but with walls of cedar trees lining both sides of the road for a neat effect.

Be on the lookout for farm trucks and equipment on the road as there are some large, busy farms in the area.

Just before you get to Granbury, FM 4 goes through Acton. If you go right on 167, you will find Acton State Park, the smallest SP in Texas. (it's actually no more than a monument at a cemetery).

Where: Between Cleburne and Granbury. From US 67 in Cleburne take 171 N to FM 4 North.

From 377 in Granbury, take Hwy 167 S to FM 4 South.
 
Thanks for the post. I have read in Ride Texas that FM4 is a good riden and I have thought about doing a ride up ther with an overnight at Palo Duro and then back the next day, now I am thinking I may have to do it sooner than later.
 
I have ridden a section of this road before and the section from Santo to Palo Pinto was definitely the best. I might try to hit 4 this weekend. I plan on riding from the intersection of 2331, south of Godley, to Palo Pinto and back again.
 
FM4 rocks guys....i live down on Palo Pinto Lake and love it.....if you guys are ever headed up here for a ride let me know and i will for sure be joining in!!!

Thanks,
Cody
 
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