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Rocky Hill Ranch - Smithville, TX


Ridenfool
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Rocky Hill Ranch - resurrected in 2022 following a land sale where many of the legacy trails were lost.

Volunteer efforts have taken the 6.5 miles of remaining trail and doubled that to a 13 mile loop over 6 month's of work. A herculean effort. There will more new trail to come. Aiming for about fifteen miles, eventually.

The new trails offer a good balance that have both challenges on trails like Corkscrew, Black Trac, Litterbox, and Sofa King Fun, as well as expanding the good 'ol winding-through-the-Pines feel with trails like Karaway, Tristy, and Lemonade.  The new stuff was crafted to offer visitors that "I'm not in Texas anymore" feeling which has been part of the Rocky Hill experience for going on three decades. Fat Chuck's Demise has been reopened for those who enjoy a good suffering climb.

Technical Trail Features spice things up nicely with Shart Cut, The Grind, The Wall, and Reveille's Romp to get your attention. Several challenging new climbs and downhill sections have been added as well.

The Rocky Hill tradition of Rest Stops with a picnic table and water jug have been preserved. Take a break at the Crossroads, Lemonade Stand, and Ventoso Vista (Breezy View) rest stops while riding the loop.

Gravel Grinders can ride six miles by doing out-n-backs on all roads. These roads are also great for anyone to take an easy ride, and a great way for the weary to get back to the campground or parking area without completing the entire singletrack loop.

A map with trail descriptions has been attached. The attached map may not get updated on a regular basis, but the maps on MTBProject and Trailforks will be kept current, as well as offering GPX downloads. There should be a current map/descriptions download link found on the Rocky Hill Ranch website as well.

Rocky Hill Ranch has RV spots (30 and 50 Amp, w/water), Tent Camping, Restrooms, and Showers available for visitors. Nearby Smithville, Texas has some great choices for Dining, Lodging, and Shopping. Many of which are in the historic Downtown area.

Buescher State Park is between Rocky Hill Ranch and Smithville offering a fun, shared MTB/Hiking trail system and additional camping options. So, you can get a lot of trail miles under the tires if staying for the weekend.

RHR_Trails_and_Descriptions.pdf

Edited by Ridenfool
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Rode the new trails about 2 weeks ago.  Lots of fun, a wee bit more climbing then I was used to RHR.  That comes from using more of the front part of the ranch and several switchbacks. 

 

The newer stuff in the back now, reminds me a lot of riding at Warda(BCR), which is a lot of fun.  If anything right now, the trails needs lots of wheels down on them to get them burned in.  

 

I was able to navigate the new trails without a trail map, so that is a plus also.

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  • 4 months later...
  • 1 year later...

Its been over a year since the last post in this thread and I'm excited to report that more trail has been added. 🚵‍♂️

Wheel mileage from TH to TH is ~17.5 miles, and there have been multiple reports of 1200-1300 ft. of elevation gain measured when riding the big loop. GPS mileage from a phone app will show less distance, but your legs will know you went further. 🥵

What was originally named Tea Party in the early build stages eventually became "Rabbit Hole" and is rumored to be quite popular with riders for its challenges and flowy goodness.

We are constantly improving flow at RHR by adding berms and bench cuts that have received a lot of great feedback from riders.

 

If you have ridden Rocky Hill recently please post a few words here on your experience, as well as suggestions for further improvement.

Funny stories will be awarded bonus points. 😁

Edited by Ridenfool
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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

It is looking very good. I rode a lap yesterday and there was very little mud or water on the trails and the surface was primo for traction.

Overnight the rain expected never materialized, RHR's neighbor (Berdoll Pecan Orchard Weather Station) shows only 0.05 inches fell. The rest of the week looks clear on Wunderground.com.

The Excrutiation Exam is this weekend, and the trails remain open for Day Use for this event.

You should have a fantastic time at Buescher and Rocky Hill this week.

 

EDIT: Folks can always click that link above to see the Weather detail for Rocky Hill

Update: Another 0.1 inch as the front blew through today. Should be fine as froghair on the trails when you plan to ride.

Edited by Ridenfool
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  • 8 months later...

The Hills told me a few weeks ago that they won't be able to keep running Rocky Hill Ranch and, that they are planning to close the place after 30+ years.

 

... unless I would want to take it over.

 

Retirement wasn't all it is cracked up to be, and I spend all my spare time there anyway, so I'm now focused on the front end as well as the trails.

After several weeks of hitting it harder than I did trail building, I'm really, really, tired. Plus, I had the left knee replaced in July and will be getting matching new bling on the right one in a few days. I love a challenge.

The old website is now more up to date with a little refresh, and there's another completely new website in the works. It'll debut after I'm mobile again in four or five weeks post-op as there are some things on the ground that have be done to coincide with the new website. An Online Waiver Form is coming and will only need renewal once a calendar year.

In the mean time I've knocked back the overgrowth from the highway back to the trailhead. This took 15 hours on the Kubota.

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Have begun a longer-term makeover project for the Pavilion, while chasing plenty of plumbing and electrical punch list items. Getting lots of encouragement and positive feedback from the riders.

I've slacked off now. Don't want to go into surgery completely knackered. Here's what I did one day this week. Yes, I removed all the doors, and all their hardware, touched them up a tad and reassembled. Okay, I did take up slacking off the very next day and have been keeping that pace and feeling better for it.

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Everything was red before. I watched people walk up to the doors and grab the padlock hasp to open it. Because the red door handle, on the red door, trimmed in red, may have camouflaged itself. There is now a little contrast that should help folks with finding the handles.

 

Had a rider from Houston offer to help with some trail work after his ride. The passenger seat in my van was loaded with stuff, so we took his truck and did a little chainsaw work on a leaning pine at the beginning of Black Trac.

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I've also made the rounds with the tractor-shredder knocking back some of the tall grass on the trail sections I could get to.

More to come.

 

Edited by Ridenfool
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11 hours ago, TAF said:

What would this involve?

Paying the bills, tending the grounds, maintaining the facilities, making improvements, increasing visitor volume, updating the website and social media, and all the stuff running any business would require.

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On 9/16/2024 at 6:00 AM, Ridenfool said:

Paying the bills, tending the grounds, maintaining the facilities, making improvements, increasing visitor volume, updating the website and social media, and all the stuff running any business would require.

So would you take the land use fee as payment for all the work you'd have to put in?

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I collect the money, pay the bills, then spend the rest on improving the place. I don't expect to be putting much of it in my pocket for a year, or two.

I have a dream

A dream of Rocky Burgers and a vast assortment cold craft beers in the cooler behind the bar.

Every visitor to RHR brings the dream closer to reality.

This might take some time, if it is even possible at all.

Now I have to go to bed. Gotta get up at 0330 for my date with the surgeon tomorrow morning. 😳

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On 9/17/2024 at 9:39 PM, TheX said:

Any work days coming up? I've never been there, but I may have to check it out.

Once we are further along, and the temperatures are better, I expect to have workdays.

I'll post up something here when that happens.

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