WatersPark Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 Anyone done the rails to trails ride near Quitaque? Planning to try it on the way back from Colorado with the Mrs. It looks like Monks Crossing west to the tunnel and beyond would be the most interesting section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WatersPark Posted November 2, 2019 Author Share Posted November 2, 2019 Well, we did 12 miles in 35 degrees and despite the cold, it was a great ride. No bats in the tunnel. Definitely will want to do it again and go a bit farther up the canyon. We had to limit the ride so we could make the drive back to Austin. Seems like a possible bikepacking excursion- I believe camping is allowed on the route. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 Just skimmed the website, looks like a nice place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 On 11/1/2019 at 9:12 PM, WatersPark said: Well, we did 12 miles in 35 degrees and despite the cold, it was a great ride. So you did do Monk's Crossing to the Tunnel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WatersPark Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 Yes Monk's crossing to the tunnel is 4.5 miles and we went another 1.5 before heading back. I imagine it might get more traffic in better weather, but we didn't see anyone from Quitaque to Flomot. Got to love the town names! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 Texas Highways article: Tracking Time on the Caprock Canyon Trailway The 64-mile trail system crosses 46 bridges and rolls over farms and brushy ranchlands, passes through Clarity Tunnel, and follows Quitaque Canyon before climbing up and over the Caprock Escarpment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tip Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 (edited) We only rode trail in the park itself. The views were great. But a lot of the trail was sandy and just about impossible to ride. This was especially true at the dry creek crossings where the bison herd had churned the dirt up. We didn't ride a whole lot of trail because I was unwilling to take a chance going out and finding more of that miserable condition. The Trailway is NOT mountain bike trail. I looked at several pictures of it in the park headquarters. Just road looking stuff. I don't think a lot of it is particularly scenic either. If I was a roadie/gravel grinder guy I wouldn't drive 6 1/2 hours to do what there is available around here. Caprock Canyon State Park has some great scenery though. It's not big and grand like Palo Duro, but we thought the hills and cliffs were more defined and dramatic. Very serene and nice. The Prairie Dog town was very active and fun to watch. We also got in the middle of the bison herd as it walked across the road next to park headquarters. Both of those things were just about worth a 6 1/2 hour drive. Edited July 18, 2020 by The Tip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tip Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Just a bump to put the "informative" Caprock Canyon thread available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnw101 Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 We camped in Caprock Canyons last November and explored the park trails as well as the trailway. We also went up to Palo Duro for a day trip and rode the trails in the park. The whole experience was well worth the drive and very memorable. My take on different areas: -Everything around there is MTB only with a ton of sealant in your tires. When riding 60+ miles on the trailway, the clumps of grass alone in several areas of the trail would make you regret bringing a “rigid” bike (think endless speed bumps). -We only saw 2 people on the trailway after getting a few miles away from the park. It is very remote and that in itself was a major highlight for me. -The southwest end of the trailway offers more “bang for the buck” if you are pressed for time -The scenery along the entire trailway will give you a whole new appreciation of the panhandle. There are some really beautiful areas if you take the time to look around. -Caprock Canyons Park MTB trails were fun. Approach them with an exploring mindset and they are well worth riding and allow you to cover most of the park fairly quickly. And yes, you will have to walk through some of the sand traps in the creeks. -Palo Duro Canyon Park MTB trails are the real deal and quite possibly the most enjoyable trails I have ridden in Texas. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WatersPark Posted July 2, 2021 Author Share Posted July 2, 2021 We did about 12 Miles (Monks crossing to 1.5 mi past the tunnel and back)) on July 16 on our way to Colorado. 104 degrees at 5 pm. Nary a human to be seen. Still fun, but I'm looking forward to going again with more moderate temps. A note on the tunnel- guano powder is pretty deep in the middle section, be prepared! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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