Solavaca Ranch - Mountain Bike Trail

Solavaca Ranch - Texas Mountain Bike Trail

7829 FM 205 8 Miles from Glen Rose, Texas 254.823.6574
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Hargrave's Solavaca Mountain Bike Adventure - A Texas Mountain Bike Trail

Summer at the Solavaca = OPEN, Hot and Dry

Gate is open before dawn and the trail is open until dusk. The creek has only one wet crossing left as it settles into the dry-month pattern until the rains come next in the Fall(?) or Spring(?). Early and late riding is recommended. Be sure and drink lots of water.

Trail Status Updates

This Texas mountain bike trail is located in the limestone hills of the Paluxy River watershed. Just down the road is the Dinosaur Valley State Park. Solavaca is a privately owned ranch with an ideal topography for a mountain bike trail - a large scenic variety of rocky hills and flats, all covered with cedar, oak, pecan, elm, mesquite, cottonwood, and many other native Texas trees. A seasonal creek runs across the property from south to north. This clear water creek is dominate in several of the more technical parts of the trail. The 8+ miles of single-track trail - all marked ORANGE - plus 3 miles of dirt road provide choices to satisfy all levels of riders. The owner rides and has built the trails to share. There are some sections that require a more advanced level of skill. Rock strewn descents, climbing switchbacks, steep dropoffs, roots, logs, a rock garden, just to name a few. Some of these have "go-arounds" marked with WHITE arrows, so that the beginners and intermediates can avoid the more technical sections. There is also a primitive camping area. CAMPING

Current Somervell
County Weather

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY	HOLIDAYS
CLOSED	CLOSED	CLOSED	OPEN	OPEN	OPEN	OPEN	Advise

Helmets are required when you are astride a bike please.
No PETS, No KIDDING.

WHAT TO EXPECT
When you drive up to the gate, it will be closed to keep the livestock in. The dogs that guard the goats will bark but they will not bother you. Come in and please close the gate behind you. You will see the barn area where you will go to sign the waiver. The sign-in forms are in the well house just before the barn. There is a porta-potty there too. That's it. Go ride. You may or may not be greeted by the owner, because he may be out on the trail. So you are free to take off and ride after signing the waiver form and dropping the fee in the can provided. If you come back and the owner is still not around, well, maybe he'll see you when you return.

At the Front Gate Mack - 4/08 LC, Ed, and George X-Over Bridge

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Owned by: Mack & Anne Hargrave 254.823.6574

This trail is located at 7829 FM205, 7 miles from Glen Rose and 4.5 miles from the Dinosaur Valley State Park, in the Paluxy River watershed

Open Thursday through Sunday and Holidays
pssssst! insider information - if you call, you may get to ride Wednesday after 12 noon.

TRAIL USE FEES: Adults $3/day Kids(12-under) FREE

Camping is available by reservation only. See CAMPING RULES

SITE LINKS: CONTACT GoogleMAP IT! LIABILITY FORM LARGE TRAIL MAP MAP & DIRECTIONS	PICTURES: DORBA Camp/Ride May 2008 HERE and MORE SOLAVACA RACING - Video :: Photos #1 :: Photos #2 :: Photos #3
GLEN ROSE PLACES DINOSAUR VALLEY STATE PARK CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU PALUXY RIVER BED CABINS HISTORIC GLEN HOTEL	FRIENDS RHINO RIDGE OUTFITTERS STUMPBLASTERS - NEW GLEN ROSE BIKE SHOP MountainBikeTX.com
How you do the Cula de Gato? Take off your shirt!

Welcome to my place. It is a nice place to kick back and soak in the good country. Or you could jump on your mountain bike and pump up, down, around and through the rock strewn hills and cedar covered reaches of the Solavaca - a new Texas Mountain Bike Trail. The Solavaca is very diverse with enough trail to interest beginners as well as seasoned riders looking for techincal riding and single-track in the XC tradition.

Special thanks to Larry Colvin, 2008 President of the FWMBA. I met Larry in October, 2007. He took the time to hear about the trail and then to come ride it. Larry rode the trail twice in the next few months, offering suggestions both on the trail and on the mountain bike scene. Just watching him ride put things in another perspective. He continues to be a great advocate and a steady source of support on many levels.

Thanks also to DORBA who is now supporting Solavaca in ever increasing ways.

254.823.6574 You are welcome to drop in.

Trail notes -

Twitter Update - Ain't no flies on us! We have set up an account on Twitter - search for user Solavaca - where we will be posting changes on conditions, and other newsy updates on the trails. You can set those updates to appear on your phone or, of course, you can follow using your browser at www.twitter.com
Official length of the ORANGE trail is 8.4 miles.
There is one main trail. It is ORANGE. At a few places there are options but all choices will return to the ORANGE trail.
White arrows indicate go-arounds so that some of the technical obstacles can be bypassed. Please note that not all technical areas have a bypass.
Sign-in and complete a Waiver at the well-house by the barn. Every visitor must sign in and complete a waiver with all information requested. No exceptions. Parents please list and sign for your children.
There are many places where the rider can cut the ride short and return by jeep road to the start. The barn will be in view at 4.5 miles, 6.2 miles so the way back will be obvious. Otherwise follow the Orange marking to complete the 8.4 miles. Reference times are from Pro-fast 40 minutes, to casual/beginner 1 hour 40 minutes.