Jeep Trails in Texas
Texas has hundreds of thousands of acres of open land, making the Lone Star State an ideal place to get your Jeep muddy on some of its thousands of miles of trails, both on public and private property. If you are taking your Jeep off-roading on public land, you must have a Texas OHV decal on your vehicle.
The fees from this registration maintain the public trails. Not all venues sell decals, so it’s best to get one beforehand. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues citations for drivers who have not complied with this rule. Also, make sure the parks you are considering allow Jeeps. Some are for ATVs or dirt bikes only.
North Texas
Hillbilly Heaven Extreme in Iowa Park, west of Wichita Falls, has hundreds of acres of Jeep trails, mud pits, jumps and other obstacles for daredevils and more sedate mudders to enjoy. All off-road vehicles except dirt bikes are allowed, and all participants must sign liability waivers. You can also camp at Hillbilly Heaven, but campsites are primitive and should be reserved in advance.
Hillbilly Heaven is privately owned. Bridgeport, northwest of Dallas-Fort Worth, converted 300 acres of city property into Northwest Park, an area with 25 trails where Jeeps as well as ATVs, motorcycles and other hardy vehicles are welcome. Trails have varying degrees of difficulty, so consult a map at the park before tackling any of them. The park is only open on weekends and has shorter winter hours; participants must sign a waiver releasing the city from liability.
East Texas
River Run ATV Park in Jacksonville — west of Dallas-Fort Worth and north of Houston — has camping, canoe rentals for a trip along the Neches River, four-wheeling events every couple of months and dozens of miles of trails of varying degrees of difficulty for all levels of offroading enthusiasts.
The park covers more than 2,000 acres nd is open to Jeeps, 4x4s, ATVs and horses; trails include dry trail riding, oil field roads and mud pits. It’s open all week, and you can buy an annual pass. Cabins and RV hookups are available.
South Texas
At Creekside Offroad Ranch you can choose from all sorts of recreation — trails, mud, hills and sand for the Jeepers in the group, and swimming in Peach Creek, RV hookups and beautiful scenery for those who want to stay out of the mud.
The ranch is in Splendora, a small community north of Houston. It’s open from noon on Fridays through 6 p.m. Sundays. The venue has campsites, including bathrooms and showers, and allows trucks, Jeeps, ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes — just about any off-road vehicle a driver can handle safely.
Central Texas
It’s called the Hill Country for a reason, and Hidden Falls Adventure Park in Marble Falls, about 60 miles outside of Austin, can show you why. Hidden Falls, a 3,000-acre ranch with dozens of miles of trails, hills and mud pits, allows Jeeps and trucks along with dirt bikes and ATVs. The park is open Thursday through Sunday and has campsites and cabins available for rent.
Trees Ranch Offroad Park in Alto manages to combine an exotic game ranch with hundreds of miles of trails that have been primed for Jeeps. Trails range “from mild to wild,” according to the park’s website, and are rated according to their difficulty in dry weather. Be prepared for increased difficulty if there’s mud.
Primitive camping and RV hookups are available. The park is only open specific weekends, and fees differ depending on the weekend, so check the website before making plans.
