McKinney Roughs Nature Park

[AustinBike]

The TL;DR - don't bother.

Sometimes the AustinBike World Headquarters sends me on a mission to scout out a new trail. And then sometimes this happens - I'm sent out to review something where I would have been better off riding urban around town. Headed out to McKinney Roughs yesterday and it is a mess. The trails are in terrible condition. They are almost all jeep track and terribly torn up by horses. While I was able to pull off more than 1000' of climbing in the ~12 miles of riding, it was pretty sketchy. Some of the uphills are sharp turns with switchbacks, and so loose/rutted that it was hard to clear them on my singlespeed. I would have been better off with gears unfortunately, primarily because of the terrible trail surface.

Here's the full review: http://www.austinbike.com/index.php/east-of-austin/339-mckinneyroughs

Now that the travel is done for the years I am looking to hit up some new trails. Grelle and Colorado Bend are on my list. If anyone else has suggestions on relatively close locations that I might be missing, ping me and I will add them to my list.

[ATXZJ]

Good review!

 

Went once and rode the trail clockwise putting me on the wrong end of some steep climbs. I was also on my cross bike which was ZERO fun in all of that sand. I will say some of the views are nice and the facilities would be great for a family outing where you can do more than one thing while there. Otherwise, i drive past it every week and never give it a second thought.

 

 

[Seths Pool]

my dad lives literally on the other side of the fence of McKinney roughs. the zip line shuttle service uses his road that goes down to the Colorado river. I forwarded him your review. he laughed and said that he was glad he read it. he said he is gonna get horse instead of a bike. (sarcasm) lol 

[AustinBike]

Yeah, the place is probably great for families and hiking. Seems like a horse and zip line would be great. Just not together.

[TheX]

I was there for the opening day of bikes being allowed. Rode it both directions. Hit some turns at speeds that caused me to fly off the trail due to all the sand. The ruts caused by horses made some of the trails brutal at best. I never went back.

Edited November 29, 2018 by TheX

[Shinerider]

John - Grelle Natural area would be "interesting" to hit by bike.  Very much hiking trails (no bike type flow).  But, would be fun to hit.  They have some sections that include steps that would be REALLY challenging.  And others that would be impassible by bike.  Would only hit it if you want to get another notch in your trail reviews. 

[Barry]

 

15 minutes ago, Shinerider said:

John - Grelle Natural area would be "interesting" to hit by bike.  Very much hiking trails (no bike type flow).  But, would be fun to hit.  They have some sections that include steps that would be REALLY challenging.  And others that would be impassible by bike.  Would only hit it if you want to get another notch in your trail reviews. 

 

I rode Grelle early this summer. I thought it was a lot of fun, if a bit short. 

https://strava.app.link/btu2YtMlfS

My comments at the time were:

"It has a couple of really fun trails. Mustang Ridge, Overlook and Cottontail work out to be about 3.5 miles of fun rocky ridge singletrack, with lots of quick up/down grade reversals. And there is another 3 or so miles of decent fast singletrack. It's all a little hard to get to though, with the fun stuff requiring a short but tough and steep cobble grind of Fox Run. Anyway, the place offers lovely views and the terrain is very cool. I’ll probably put it on a 8-12 month rotation."

And Colarado Bend is a damn good time!

[AustinBike]

Yeah, Grelle is all about making sure that we cover all the trails in the region. AB world HQ has strict requirements and yearly performance reviews are coming up. 

[Dawn]

Thanks for scouting out this trail and posting the review!

[cxagent]

I would say Barry nailed it. Grelle has some good trails but they are hard to access. I will say that Grelle has HUGE potential. There is a lot of area that desperately needs trail thru it (see map).

Keep in mind that LCRA only recently opened McKinney Roughs, Grelle and Shaffer Bend to MTB. Allowing MTB is a good start but it does not by itself make for a great trail system. That takes time, effort and a lot of work. Generally speaking the existing trails are existing jeep roads, horse trails or hiking trails that LCRA will allow MTB to use. Each use has its own conflict with MTB use. Like horses digging up the trail tread.

If you go ride Grelle, here are some tips -

You can find a map at - https://www.lcra.org/parks/Documents/parkmaps/Grelle-Recreation-Area-Map.pdf

Park at the Horse Trail Head (blue gate on the right before your get to Park Host trailer or main entrance). You have to ride Fox Run to get to the better trails. It is a gravelly jeep road with some large climbs. Before you get to the top of the 2nd / last climb, turn left onto Comanche Trail for the shortest entrance to good trail. Don't worry about that black diamond rating - it was for one marginal spot that has been "improved". But if your turn left at the next intersection, you might find some un-mapped trail that deserves a black diamond. Keep an eye out for some un-mapped trail that is REALLY good but dead ends at the moment. You don't want just anybody riding some of that. 😉

Don't try to ride Wild Turkey Trail from the lake. It is closed to MTB due to all the steps. It would be ridable by someone who can track stand to recover their balance before continuing the climb, but LCRA does not want it open to just anybody.

We have cleared and marked a new connection from the camping area to the horse area that is beginner friendly. Unfortunately that dumps a beginner out at the gravel climbs of Fox Tail so a beginner-ish MTB ends up walking a lot to get to anything they might enjoy riding.

Cottontail, Mustang Ridge and Overlook are the best MTB trails IMHO. Most of the rest are jeep roads or connections. That would be about 5 miles of good trail. So use the pass you paid for to stop at Muleshoe for a lap or two to get good ride for the entrance fee. They are on the same pass. But it is not the same pass as Pace Bend or Reimers Ranch.

Edited November 30, 2018 by cxagent

[cxagent]

Back to McKinney Roughs - 

I thought your report was valid but missed some of the issues.

The biggest issue is that LCRA has opened the area to MTB use. They got beat about the head and shoulders by the horse riders and such who don't want bicycles in THEIR park / trails. I give LCRA a lot of credit for starting the process to make McKinney Roughs a good MTB area. Even though it will take years.

The 'main horse trails' like Youpon are beaten to death by the horses. The hoof prints in mud make the trail surface like riding post holes. That trail has potential as a MTB trail but it would need major work. And that work could be destroyed by horses. I would just leave most of that trail the horses. The area that Youpon loops around has major potential for great MTB trail.

At the moment, I cannot connect the MTB trails into a loop. Some of the trails are closed to MTB because LCRA thinks they are too tough for MTB (e.g. closed section of Pine Ridge  I agree that many people could get in big trouble on those sections). Another major connection is closed due to a washout of the trail in the floods a couple of years ago. LCRA is working to build a bridge across that area but it will be years if ever before that is done.

The Ridge trail is closed to MTB because LCRA is reserving that one trail for ADA (wheelchair) use.  It is easy to work around that one except for the Woodland trail which became 'hiking only' because Ridge is currently the only access.

Some trails were clearly marked when we installed signs last year. Then in the spring, a BUNCH of brush was bull dozed and now I can't find a trail. It all looks like an open meadow with some brown sign post scattered about. I suspect this may change soon.

Overall I look at McKinney Roughs as major potential. I could ride there if I wanted. But if I was going to drive that far and pay an entrance I would probably go on to Rocky Hill. Generally speaking, this is not currently a good MTB trail system. It does not form a loop I can ride. Most of the trails are either too easy for me to enjoy or too hard for a newer MTB'r to enjoy. Given time and incentive this could become a great riding area by building new trails. 

[AustinBike]

3 hours ago, cxagent said:

I would say Barry nailed it. Grelle has some good trails but they are hard to access. I will say that Grelle has HUGE potential. There is a lot of area that desperately needs trail thru it (see map).

Keep in mind that LCRA only recently opened McKinney Roughs, Grelle and Shaffer Bend to MTB. Allowing MTB is a good start but it does not by itself make for a great trail system. That takes time, effort and a lot of work. Generally speaking the existing trails are existing jeep roads, horse trails or hiking trails that LCRA will allow MTB to use. Each use has its own conflict with MTB use. Like horses digging up the trail tread.

If you go ride Grelle, here are some tips -

You can find a map at - https://www.lcra.org/parks/Documents/parkmaps/Grelle-Recreation-Area-Map.pdf

Park at the Horse Trail Head (blue gate on the right before your get to Park Host trailer or main entrance). You have to ride Fox Run to get to the better trails. It is a gravelly jeep road with some large climbs. Before you get to the top of the 2nd / last climb, turn left onto Comanche Trail for the shortest entrance to good trail. Don't worry about that black diamond rating - it was for one marginal spot that has been "improved". But if your turn left at the next intersection, you might find some un-mapped trail that deserves a black diamond. Keep an eye out for some un-mapped trail that is REALLY good but dead ends at the moment. You don't want just anybody riding some of that. 😉

Don't try to ride Wild Turkey Trail from the lake. It is closed to MTB due to all the steps. It would be ridable by someone who can track stand to recover their balance before continuing the climb, but LCRA does not want it open to just anybody.

We have cleared and marked a new connection from the camping area to the horse area that is beginner friendly. Unfortunately that dumps a beginner out at the gravel climbs of Fox Tail so a beginner-ish MTB ends up walking a lot to get to anything they might enjoy riding.

Cottontail, Mustang Ridge and Overlook are the best MTB trails IMHO. Most of the rest are jeep roads or connections. That would be about 5 miles of good trail. So use the pass you paid for to stop at Muleshoe for a lap or two to get good ride for the entrance fee. They are on the same pass. But it is not the same pass as Pace Bend or Reimers Ranch.

Thanks, I think I might head out to Grelle this week, depending on how things work out at ABWHQ. I hear there may be some networking installations to deal with.

Is it singlespeedable?

[AustinBike]

2 hours ago, cxagent said:

Back to McKinney Roughs - 

I thought your report was valid but missed some of the issues.

The biggest issue is that LCRA has opened the area to MTB use. They got beat about the head and shoulders by the horse riders and such who don't want bicycles in THEIR park / trails. I give LCRA a lot of credit for starting the process to make McKinney Roughs a good MTB area. Even though it will take years.

The 'main horse trails' like Youpon are beaten to death by the horses. The hoof prints in mud make the trail surface like riding post holes. That trail has potential as a MTB trail but it would need major work. And that work could be destroyed by horses. I would just leave most of that trail the horses. The area that Youpon loops around has major potential for great MTB trail.

At the moment, I cannot connect the MTB trails into a loop. Some of the trails are closed to MTB because LCRA thinks they are too tough for MTB (e.g. closed section of Pine Ridge  I agree that many people could get in big trouble on those sections). Another major connection is closed due to a washout of the trail in the floods a couple of years ago. LCRA is working to build a bridge across that area but it will be years if ever before that is done.

The Ridge trail is closed to MTB because LCRA is reserving that one trail for ADA (wheelchair) use.  It is easy to work around that one except for the Woodland trail which became 'hiking only' because Ridge is currently the only access.

Some trails were clearly marked when we installed signs last year. Then in the spring, a BUNCH of brush was bull dozed and now I can't find a trail. It all looks like an open meadow with some brown sign post scattered about. I suspect this may change soon.

Overall I look at McKinney Roughs as major potential. I could ride there if I wanted. But if I was going to drive that far and pay an entrance I would probably go on to Rocky Hill. Generally speaking, this is not currently a good MTB trail system. It does not form a loop I can ride. Most of the trails are either too easy for me to enjoy or too hard for a newer MTB'r to enjoy. Given time and incentive this could become a great riding area by building new trails. 

I agree 100%. I would be willing to do some trail work if they were to build some MTB-only trails. And I also agree that getting the bikes off of the horse trails would make both groups happy.

[cxagent]

On 11/30/2018 at 5:22 PM, AustinBike said:

Is it singlespeedable?

Only if you plan to walk some. Those first couple of gravelly climbs would make SS tough. There are some other places too. Most of it would be fine on a SS

That said - if I don't know the trail I would default to a geared bike. Gears give me options. But that is just me.

Edited December 4, 2018 by cxagent

[Seths Pool]

On 11/30/2018 at 5:24 PM, AustinBike said:

I agree 100%. I would be willing to do some trail work if they were to build some MTB-only trails. And I also agree that getting the bikes off of the horse trails would make both groups happy.

this also interests me pretty well because of the proximity to my dads's property. I would be down do build some trail out there in a heartbeat. maybe I willl contact them and see what they say. I know for sure they know exactly who my dad is, long stories short.

[AustinBike]

23 hours ago, cxagent said:

Only if you plan to walk some. Those first couple of gravelly climbs would make SS tough. There are some other places too. Most of it would be fine on a SS

That said - if I don't know the trail I would default to a geared bike. Gear give me options. But that is just me.

I'll take some gears out there this week. I guess it is better to bring a gun to a knife fight than a knife to a gunfight.

[cxagent]

2 hours ago, Seths Pool said:

this also interests me pretty well because of the proximity to my dads's property. I would be down do build some trail out there in a heartbeat. maybe I willl contact them and see what they say. I know for sure they know exactly who my dad is, long stories short.

Please contact them if you have time. There has been a major management change at LCRA so I can't even point you the current Park manager. Keep in mind ARR spent a lot of time and effort to get this far and there is a lot of work ahead. Also keep in mind that big agencies like this are pretty risk adverse. That can change over time but it is a slow process.

[Schrute]

On 11/29/2018 at 7:31 AM, AustinBike said:

and Colorado Bend are on my list. If anyone else has suggestions on relatively close locations that I might be missing, ping me and I will add them to my list.

I would give Colorado Bend State park some more time to get back into shape after the crazy flooding that occurred last month. As of Saturday, according to some of the volunteer trail crew out there some of the good trails are closed. I would call ahead or maybe give it a month or two. I created two featured rides on MTBProject at CBSP and would recommend one of those. However, if anyone ever wants a tour out there I would gladly give one. Just PM me.

[AustinBike]

I will give that a few weeks. Got a full Wednesday and it looks like rain coming, so this week might be off for a Grelle trip, so that could shift to next week. If put CB on the back burner and ping you before I head out there.

[TheX]

A muddy Colorado Bend is BAD! My first time out there we got stuck in a storm and the climb back to where we started was ugly.