The "Non-Invasive" Dirt Roads Around Austin Thread

[Coolhand]

OK, this thread has progressed to being able to edit a common Google Map with significant input from Tom/tjrockit. Here is the embedded google map from post #42 (top of page 3) with the group entries. PM tjrockit if you wanted to get added to the group map to contribute. I'm not sure the tools are quite there yet, but eventually I'd like to be able to highlight the cool roads in some fashion.



View Hill Country Dirt Roads, Texas Dual Sport Rides in a larger map

Original thread starts below...
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Alrighty... I'm starting this thread because I'm wondering what I'm missing. I'd like to hear your votes for the best... ah heck with that, ANY half decent public "non-invasive" dirt roads within a 100 mile radius of Austin. By "non-invasive" I mean roads that don't have semi-private gates every half mile and aren't going by private front porches every mile after that.

This is the area in question ... note that it didn't seem to work for me in Firefox.

Here it is the old fashioned way...


There's a lot of territory in this circle that I haven't explored. Most of what I know includes the following...

The CR 113s, 308s, 310s, and 315s NE of Enchanted Rock. (Although I think some of these, such as Smith-West, may now be paved...)



NW of Fredericksburg there's the James River, Salt Branch, Lange's Mill, Cherry Spring, and Schneider-Moellering.... I'm breaking some of my own rules in that some of these aren't dirt, but they're darned fun country roads.



I know there's some really nice stuff to the north of Enchanted Rock because I chased the Hill Country 350 dual sport guys through there in the fall of 2006, but I was too busy hanging on for dear life to know where I was.

To the east of Austin and to the south of Elgin are Old Sayers, Gotier Trace, and Old Antioch Rd (which I seem to remember is dirt...)



I'm about out of suggestions beyond that and I know there's a lot I'm missing, many of which I've seen mentioned in various threads. What would really be cool is if one of you computer literate types would write a "TWTex" Google app that would allow us a common map database that we could highlight promising roads on, and then link it to this thread. That way we'd have one-stop-DS-shopping, as it were, for the Austin area.



Discuss.

[sz rider]

Wonder what road that is running parallel to 290 from Elgin to Paige, Im thinking it's called "old something" I'll be checking the one next to 95 from elgin to Camp Swift soon, we'll let you know how it is. SZ.

[alphadog]

Old Hwy 20- last year it was dirt on the eastern end, but even with pavement it was a fun little road. There are a lot of dirt rds in Bastrop, Caldwell, and Guadalupe counties.

[CBAT]

Originally Posted by alphadog

Old Hwy 20- last year it was dirt on the eastern end, but even with pavement it was a fun little road. There are a lot of dirt rds in Bastrop, Caldwell, and Guadalupe counties.

From the easter end of Old 20 you can jog north just a bit and catch Paint Creek which goes back northwest towards McDade and Butler. Nice countryside. Old Potato also goes across 290 from Old 20 and if you stay on it, across 20, you will end up in Antioch.

[Coolhand]

Originally Posted by sz rider

Wonder what road that is running parallel to 290 from Elgin to Paige, Im thinking it's called "old something" I'll be checking the one next to 95 from elgin to Camp Swift soon, we'll let you know how it is. SZ.

SZ - Old Hwy 20 isn't a bad road but it's not great either, I seem to remember a fair number of driveways and such. Still, I'd much rather take that than 290. And the one next to 95 might be Old Sayers, which I mentioned above, but I do see on Google Maps that there appears to be another road between it and 95. I'm not sure if that's private or public, 'cause I don't remember seeing it, but if you check it out please let us know.



EDIT - the line I'm seeing next to 95 is the train track. Your only other option is Old Sayers I believe. It's worth riding.

This is part of Old Hwy 20 I believe... possibly just to the west of McDade where it briefly joins 290. We didn't want to join so went on the service road... no problem for the DR, almost a problem for the KLR, but the dual sport Hyosung didn't make it



This is part of Old Sayers (excuse the crappy pic).

[Coolhand]

Originally Posted by alphadog

Old Hwy 20- last year it was dirt on the eastern end, but even with pavement it was a fun little road. There are a lot of dirt rds in Bastrop, Caldwell, and Guadalupe counties.

Alphadog, hook us poor city folk up! Which are the good ones?

CBAT, thanks for the head's up. I think I've been on Old Potato or at least gone by it. Are those dirt?

Justin

[sz rider]

That's funny, The DS Hyosung, at least it tried right.

[CBAT]

Originally Posted by Coolhand

Alphadog, hook us poor city folk up! Which are the good ones?

CBAT, thanks for the head's up. I think I've been on Old Potato or at least gone by it. Are those dirt?

Justin

Yep, Old Potato is dirt from Old 20 to HWY 20. It's paved for a mile or so east of HWY20 then goes back to dirt until you get to Antioch. At Antioch Cemetary you can head west on a dirt road that takes you into Bastrop SP and you can ride Park Road 1 through the park and not have to pay the troll at the gates.

[Coolhand]

Yep, west from Antioch Cemetary is Gotier Trace. Pretty fun!



Bunch of mis-fits at the beginning of Gotier Trace on the park side

[je2000]

On the way to Thorndale. Forgot what road but that's a really big conveyor belt in the background.

[Coolhand]

Where in relation to Thorndale Justin? Is that around the Alcoa plant east of Elgin?

Any of you southerners have feedback on a route to Gonzales from Austin? This is what I'm thinking... nothing really jumps out at me as obvious though. Not sure why it's doing the wierd little loop on me down by Palmetto State Park...

Aus to Gonzales route...

Here's a possible return route...

Would end up being a pretty long day from North Austin.

[doolittle_m]

Down in Gonzales County there are several... no make that MANY roads that are dirt / gravel combination. May be a little rough on the tires because of the gravel size....just depends on what you have.
I am more familiar with those South & West of Gonzales.
From Austin, I would try West out of Gonzales to Oak Forest and down into Monthalia and then into Bebe and then to Wrightsboro and then Pilgrim and then Cheapside and back up 183.

[Coolhand]

[Eric2Tex]

Smith-west rd is still not paved all the way through, the last 2 miles north from 1323. Not too difficult since i've taken my k1200s down it once or twice. Althuis-Davis rd has 4 miles of dirt in the middle, and access to CR309. Also, no mention of Sandy-round mountain rd (1323-281) , mostly dirt.

There's another Cr310 that runs from 501 about 10 miles west of cherokee up to 190 about 20 miles out of san saba. A nice 20-30 mile stretch.

Went to winchester for vets day for steak. Did gotier trace all the way back though the parks. Several mudholes along the way but good riding.







Another pleasant dirt road about 20 miles west of llano and runs between 71 and 29. I usually go to fm 1900 from 29, turn north, then right when it dead ends. As usual, it was pretty wild the first time but the road has been bulldozed or sumpin since then. Its called Fly trap rd.

[Coolhand]

Thanks for the update Eric, and with pictures!

Althaus-Davis is essentially CR310 right? And I should have mentioned Sandy/Round Mt./307. Maybe that's the one that is turning paved... I always forget. But I could swear that the last time I was through there I remembered a lot more dirt. Anyway...

I like the look of that northern CR310 towards San Saba. I tried to get up to that area a few weekends back but only made it to Lampasas.

I see that one West of Llano... Fly Gap Rd according to Gmaps. Too bad it was dozed!!

[je2000]

Those dirt hills look inviting....

I'm not sure where that bridge was at but it was after McDade and before Thorndale. It's a big ore conveyor belt that goes all the way to Elgin. Ron (forget his handle here) may have the route still. We navigated by paper out of Bastrop and 95. Might be in the thread for that day. I think it was just a RTE.

[Hoop]

someone please save this thread in 'favorite spots' or something! Good info.
Thanks

[WoodButcher]

Originally Posted by je2000

Those dirt hills look inviting....

I'm not sure where that bridge was at but it was after McDade and before Thorndale. It's a big ore conveyor belt that goes all the way to Elgin. Ron (forget his handle here) may have the route still. We navigated by paper out of Bastrop and 95. Might be in the thread for that day. I think it was just a RTE.

Thumper_TX?

[Coolhand]

Originally Posted by Hoop

someone please save this thread in 'favorite spots' or something! Good info.
Thanks

I'm telling ya... one of these computer geeks has the brain muscle to make a Google Map that we can all update by highlighting good roads and providing comments...

[Eric2Tex]

Originally Posted by Coolhand

Thanks for the update Eric, and with pictures!

Althaus-Davis is essentially CR310 right? And I should have mentioned Sandy/Round Mt./307. Maybe that's the one that is turning paved... I always forget. But I could swear that the last time I was through there I remembered a lot more dirt. Anyway...

I like the look of that northern CR310 towards San Saba. I tried to get up to that area a few weekends back but only made it to Lampasas.

I see that one West of Llano... Fly Gap Rd according to Gmaps. Too bad it was dozed!!

Ackshully, CR310 starts at 71. Its across the highway from the 2nd rest stop past 281 toward llano. I has one of the slickest low water xings when there's any water around. It eventually merges with 309 IIRC before Click and the sandy creek xing. Should have some pics..... Althuis-Davis starts as FM 3374 from the north and dead ends into 1323, essentially parallel to smith-west rd. I took a video of it some time back great curves on either side of the dirt!









This is the really slick low water xing





Click, tx



I think this is CR309