Texas - Closest hills to Dallas?

Just got back from a long weekend in Hot Springs AR, and got some great rides in the surrounding areas. I really enjoyed the pain from the mountains. Now I know there are no mountains in N. Texas, but where are the biggest hills in the N. Dallas area???
thanks
-------j.

You're not going to find much in N Dallas in the way of hills. If you head a little south you can find some. Dino Valley or Cameron Park are some good choices.

There's a pretty good hill on I-20 down by Mountain Creek Parkway, and some of the roads south of there go over the same ridge, not sure what this would be like riding.

I think it would partly depend on what all is considered the N. Dallas area.

Country Club Lane in Garland has a nice little hill on it, but nothing like Arkansas. Watch out going down it, a stop sign is at the bottom.

Seems like one of the charity rides out at Mineral Wells is noted for a hill as is the Beauty and the Beast route in Tyler.

There are a couple places East of Dallas. If you leave downtown Rockwall on 66, there are rollers for 5-10 miles, and also down in Heath. Google up the HotRocks ride they have in Rockwall each year. Like everywhere else around here, there's nothing big, but its also not so flat you can see for 20 miles either.

Steve

you could also take a quick run up to the Sherman Dennison area, lots of hills up north.

marty

you could also take a quick run up to the Sherman Dennison area, lots of hills up north.

marty
I was thinking offroad.

Are you from Sherman? What routes do you take?

Clarification: I was referring to road cycling, gave up the mtbike several years ago.

flbikerman: I do some solo rides around Leonard, I ride up 69 through Bells into Denison and back. Sometimes 69 to 11 in Whitewright into Sherman and back. Where do you ride? Do you ride with any groups?

The route B&B follows around cedar hill has several good hills.

Clarification: I was referring to road cycling, gave up the mtbike several years ago.

flbikerman: I do some solo rides around Leonard, I ride up 69 through Bells into Denison and back. Sometimes 69 to 11 in Whitewright into Sherman and back. Where do you ride? Do you ride with any groups?

I use to ride from Sherman to Howe then cut back and go to Tom Bean and come back on 11 until they repaved it. Now if I go to TB I come back up 902 hit the access road and come back to Sherman. Or I just take the access road to Van Alstyne and back. If I go north I ride to the dam and cut back thru Pottsboro and come back to Denison on 82 then take the access road back.
If I'm riding up here I'm usually riding alone. I ride with a couple of people from Mckinney to either Van Alstyne or Howe and back to Mckinney.

All you guys need to get down to a Staples or Barnes & Noble and buy a copy of "the Roads of Texas"

All the good hills are on the little skinny roads... where you're afraid to ride because you don't know where they go. Trust me, they are cool. Highways suck.

I live in Richardson, and I know plenty of hills. Nothing quite like Hot Springs of course, but good for a workout.

1. 75/Renner, go West, then South on Collins. You are now in the "Canyon Creek" neighborhood. Turn right onto Fall Creek Drive. Lots of short steep hills back in there.

2. Somebody mentioned Pleasant Valley, which is a decent hill but the better one is "Trash Dump" which is Miles Rd going SE from Pleasant Valley, near the gun range. Nice n steep.

3. Around White Rock lake there are some decent hills, most notably at the SW end of the lake on Loving Ave / Gaston Pwky / West Shore Drive.

4. the Plano / Frisco crowd does Windhaven Pkwy (West of the Tollway, S of 121) which I've never done but I hear is a pretty good hill.

5. In the Wylie / Lavon area, take CR434 / Bennett S from 78, then S and W on 382 / Stone, you'll hit some fun rollers.

All of these except Windhaven I routinely pedal from my house.

Did you find Black Snake Road in Hot Springs? One of my favorites of all time.

Now that I think about it, there's some pretty steep hills down in Arlington. I'm not down there enough to know what road is best, though.

All you guys need to get down to a Staples or Barnes & Noble and buy a copy of "the Roads of Texas"

All the good hills are on the little skinny roads... where you're afraid to ride because you don't know where they go. Trust me, they are cool. Highways suck.

I live in Richardson, and I know plenty of hills. Nothing quite like Hot Springs of course, but good for a workout.

1. 75/Renner, go West, then South on Collins. You are now in the "Canyon Creek" neighborhood. Turn right onto Fall Creek Drive. Lots of short steep hills back in there.

2. Somebody mentioned Pleasant Valley, which is a decent hill but the better one is "Trash Dump" which is Miles Rd going SE from Pleasant Valley, near the gun range. Nice n steep.

3. Around White Rock lake there are some decent hills, most notably at the SW end of the lake on Loving Ave / Gaston Pwky / West Shore Drive.

4. the Plano / Frisco crowd does Windhaven Pkwy (West of the Tollway, S of 121) which I've never done but I hear is a pretty good hill.

5. In the Wylie / Lavon area, take CR434 / Bennett S from 78, then S and W on 382 / Stone, you'll hit some fun rollers.

All of these except Windhaven I routinely pedal from my house.

Did you find Black Snake Road in Hot Springs? One of my favorites of all time.

Hit several great rides, didnt see Black Snake Road.
The most brutal hill I have ever ridden was just south of Hot Springs on Mt. Riante Road. So Steep and long I didnt even come close to making it to the top. I think that it is called Trap Mountain. That is a challenge if anyone heads that way.

I see you have the Fall Creek at Collins in your list. My office is on Campbell and 75, so I am thinking of riding after work. Can you tell me some of your favorite steep hill routes? Google Earth shows a lot of steets but no elevations.

I was just out riding this afternoon in Garland, and followed Wynn Joyce out to Lake Ray Hubbard. It drops off pretty good going down to the lake. Well, I saw another cyclist out there, and evidently, he was making loops on Chesterfield Road, Claymore Ave., Chesapeake Drive, and Channel Island Dr. Look these up on the map. They're 4 parallel streets just a short distance apart. They're not long, they're not hard, but you can just go right around the block and uphill again and again if you're so inclined. If they're not steep enough, you need a heavier bike.

There are some killer hills just South of Joe Pool Lake - the route of the Red Hot Chili Pepper ride. Long and steep - real thigh burners. Other than that.... you could find some average size hills (for this area) just about anywhere.

Ride around Eagle Mountain Lake. It has some nice rollers.

Attached are some bike trails used by the Texas Flyers bicycle club of Flower Mound and Lewisville. All of these routes have rolling hills and a few are steep. The routes are in the countryside for the most :)part so you are away from heavy traffic. Very scenic as well.


http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/by/TexasFlyers