Texas - Suggestions for Weekend Trip from DFW

Hi all,

Just curious if any of you folks near the DFW area can suggest some good biking trips (within driving distance, say max of 8 hours away) for a 3 day weekend. Ideally, I would love to drive somewhere and rent a cabin or pitch a tent near cool off road trails. I'm not looking for anything too technical, just trails to go ride, maybe do some hiking, even take the dogs. Seclusion would be awesome but I know that's hard to come by with the above parameters.

I was looking at Broken Bow in Oklahoma this last weekend but wasn't able to get away. Any input or prior good experiences related much appreciated.

Dorba used to do trips to Devils Den in Arkansas.

http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/

Have you checked in with Dorba for trail ideas?

For MTB in a long weekend, it's gonna be Arkansas. Google the "Womble" trail. You can camp, do cheap hotel, do a getaway cabin type place, or stay in Hot Springs at one of the really nice hotels.

Palo Duro Canyon

Broken Bow is nice, don't know about trails there, though.

I found this:
http://www.singletracks.com/php/top.php?action=trails.state&state_id=35

At the OK visitor center on Hwy 75, I picked up a brochure, "Oklahoma's Top Rated Trails", which includes a 2-page listing of mountain bike trails.

Seems like they have 2 or 3 cabins you can rent at the top of Palo Duro Canyon.

I'll say it again, got Arkansas, LOViT, and the womble are great trails. When your done run into hot springs and get all smoothed back out in a spa.

Awesome! Thanks for the input, y'all, exactly what I was seeking. As my wife and I cross those off our list, we'll report back. And when we make it to Broken Bow, I will take some pics and let ya know how the trails were for the bikes.

All the above are great choices, my favorite is the Womble trail... and lots of places in Arkansas.

For someplace close, maybe just 1h1/2 from Dallas is Tyler State Park. A great mt. bike trial and nice campground. In the Fall or in colder weather there is hardly any other campers, great for dogs and mt. biking.... (just avoid any holiday weekends for the camping)

Come to think of it, there is the rail-to-trails route out of Lake Mineral Wells State Park (I forget the length). And then there is the rail-to-trails route out west, by Estelline? Anyway, both of these trails are graveled trails, I think marginal for road bikes and great for mountain bikes with convenient campgrounds to either.

(Edit: Here's the one out west: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/caprock_canyons/ )

Oh yea and there is always Bar-H in St Joe, lots of great trails and less than 1.5 hours away. Primitive camping.

I was thinking about running up to Lake Murray in OK just to ride around the lake- a 25 mile loop on roads that is not supposed to be too hilly (fingers crossed!). Here the link to that side, but you might check around on the website for other rides up in OK. It sounds like a pretty well run group.
http://www.oklahomabicyclesociety.com/maps/murray.htm

If you go to Lake Murray, take a mountain bike with you, the trails are great. Make sure you take someone with you so if you hurt yourself on the stunts you don't have to wait for days for someone to find your carcass.

If you go to Lake Murray, do not fish without a license. We took our 4 year olds there. I was helpling him cast, holding his GI JOE rod, and a game warden ticketed my for fishing, most likely becuase we were Texans. Made us pay cash on site or go see a judge. Really sweet guy.

I just got back from Lake Murray, had a good time on the ride. Write-up here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=467651

I just got back from Lake Murray, had a good time on the ride. Write-up here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=467651

hahahaha, profane fort names. Thanks for the great write up!