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Any places to ride West of Austin

mf01

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Austin, TX
I'm thinking about getting a dirt bike. I've had two road bikes and one dual sport bike in the 2000s. I'd like to ride again, but don't want to ride on the roads. Are there any places that are easy to drop in and ride West of Austin? I live near Bee Cave. I'd like to do some basic trail riding, but the only thing I've found is Hidden Falls.
 
I'm thinking about getting a dirt bike. I've had two road bikes and one dual sport bike in the 2000s. I'd like to ride again, but don't want to ride on the roads. Are there any places that are easy to drop in and ride West of Austin? I live near Bee Cave. I'd like to do some basic trail riding, but the only thing I've found is Hidden Falls.

If you are looking to do only dirt bike, your options will be limited to Hidden Falls in that direction.There is a place outside of Salado and one outside of Waco(Crooked CreeK). Got some trails in the National Forest in the Big Thicket and some near the Red River, after that you are headed to Big Bend and the far west:chug:
 
Isn't Emma Long Park still open?

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Thanks.

Are there any places to ride around that are informal (or "secret")? When I was in South Austin, I found a couple of areas with some basic trails. I could just hop on those.
 
I know a few guys that used to ride somewhere around North Austin. I think they called it area 51 ?????
There is also the Bastrop trails but they are East .
Didnt see CTOR mentioned but I am not a good reader :mrgreen:
In my opinion in Texas it is better to have a plated dirt bike .
 
KMZ is right.

"Area 51" is no more as it is under construction now.

Crooked Creek has closed for riding.

GSL is fun for a half day--which if you trailered from Austin and didn't camp--would be all you would prolly have time for anyway.

Emma Long, I've heard is not for beginners nor the faint of heart. (Don't know-haven't been.)

Hidden Falls is huge and has lots to offer.

GhostRider mentions a place west of Salado, that is CTOR-def worth checking out.

As I gaze into my crystal ball, I see a license plate tacked onto the rear fender of whatever dirt bike you get!
 
And you also have Powell MCR just outside of Bastrop 20 bucks to ride all day open only Saturday and Sunday
 
Emma Long, I've heard is not for beginners nor the faint of heart.

Very true, Emma Long is brutal. Think good trials rider, and you get the idea. Or try it on a mountain bike first since it's easier to carry a mtb up and down the iffy parts. ;)
 
I'm thinking about getting a dirt bike. I've had two road bikes and one dual sport bike in the 2000s. I'd like to ride again, but don't want to ride on the roads. Are there any places that are easy to drop in and ride West of Austin? I live near Bee Cave. I'd like to do some basic trail riding, but the only thing I've found is Hidden Falls.

I'd offer some advice for you. You could get a dirtbike, sure, but if you want to ride with others and go lots of places maybe what you are really wanting is a dual sport bike? Consider that as an idea, maybe something you can ride to your dirty locations and keep on going? Sure you can get a dirt bike street legal and do the same thing, but just wanting to toss that idea in your pocket, and then you can not only go to dirt locations, but you can enjoy all the roads getting there.... Down in that area you could get yourself a Butler map from Mr2Much and ride all the back roads and you'll never need to go to an offroad park at all..

Your choice in the grand scheme.
 
Since the original post was from 2014 and the individual only has 13 posts total.... i'm guessing the knowledge shared by the group here will be lost on him... but, hopefully will benefit others.

Dirt biking and Dual sporting are 2 very different things - with some overlap somewhere in the middle of the Venn Diagram. You can do both with either type of bike, but you'll have a lot more fun on the right bike for the right job. Then again, the best bike for the job is usually the one you have/show up with.

There are places around that are totally worth throwing the dirt bike in the back of the truck and driving to - we do it a LOT. You would probably not have as much fun at these places on a real dual sport (speaking from personal experience), but I bet most could get through it - albeit quite winded in the tougher sections.

CTOR - everything from mild to wild (well, as wild as most people that need to show up to work on monday care to get - in my experience)
Emma Long - technically challenging, but nothing that the average mild-aged, half out of shape guy can't do (with a few weekends of practice.. helps to have somebody show you as well)
Hidden Falls - lots of options - ride dirt roads to single track to bombing down the jeep climps/ledges
Ranches in the Bastrop area - AMSA puts on rides (usually once a month) at ranches mostly out that way (mostly easy single track with a few obstacles and pretty flowy stuff)


There are also good dirt roads that are fun to ride out to. Personally, riding a "real" dirt bike on the street/basic dirt roads for any real distance (again this is just me) is akin to the idea of sitting in rush hour traffic in a Lambo... unless you go the Sumo route and set it up for it. (i.e. What the heck am I doing here? my butt hurts!)

We can't all have everything, so If you need to pick one - decide what you want to do more - and buy that type of bike, then figure out how to make it work for the other.
 
Good post, Brian!

This info will help new Austin riders who's looking to get into dirt riding.
Heck, even street riding around Austin & the Hill country is quite spectacular.
 
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