The ATV parks in Texas are the best in the country when it comes to off-road adventures.
You know the saying: Everything is bigger in Texas. That includes the culture of off-road vehicles. It's a place where high-lifted trucks and mud-crusted Jeeps are a norm once you get away from the cities and into the country. In fact, there may be no better place in the lower 48 if you're into ATVs, dirt bikes, UTVs, or simply off-road trucks and SUVs.
It's one of those places where no one's going to judge you if you walk into a store or restaurant afterwards caked head to toe in mud. Or even through the airports, as I once found out firsthand after going directly from the park to the airport.
But I digress. Texas is home to tons of offroad parks filled with miles of trails just waiting to be explored by you and your family this year. The great thing about Texas is there's a little something for everyone. If you're looking for obstacle courses, water crossings, mud pits or hill climbs, they've got all those. If you want something that caters to beginners with lower skill levels, they have those too.
Today we'll have a look at some of the best off-road spots in the state of Texas. From the private ORV parks to the state-run and maintained ATV trails, you're sure to find a place that's perfect for your next off-roading adventure.
Hidden Falls Adventure Park
Located only about an hour outside of Austin in Marble Falls. Hidden Falls is popular simply because it offers a little of everything. Dust, mud, hills, and rocks...it's all here. They have trails for everything from dirt bikes to full-sized 4x4 vehicles. This is a great place to go if you're just dipping your toe into the waters of off-road vehicles, because in addition to trails that cater to every skill level, they also offer dirt bike and ATV rentals, so you can try before you buy. The other cool thing about this park is the plethora of lodging options. Hidden Falls offers everything from primitive campsites and bunkhouses to multiple RV parks with full hookups. You might want to make reservations in these places in advance, because Hidden Hills is a popular place, and these spots fill up quickly most weekends. Oh, we should mention they are only open to the public Thursdays through Sundays. Although, if you purchase an annual membership, you can ride seven days a week.
Alligator Run Offroad Park
Aside from having a cool name, Alligator Run offers a nice variety of mud bogs, wooded trails, and dusty hills to get your vehicle dirty all day. This park is in east Texas and sits only about an hour from Shreveport, Louisiana. Fees to use the park are cheap too. This park does have a campground with electrical hookups. However, we're most impressed by the fact they offer primitive camping for free. It's not often you can find that these days. They are open from Friday to Saturday every week.
Sam Houston National Forest
This place has become extremely popular with overlanding enthusiasts in recent years. Day use fees for the OHV areas in Sam Houston are extremely cheap at only $5 per person. The multiple-use trail area has approximately 85 miles to explore. This National Forest is located only about an hour from Houston, making for easy access from those in the city wanting to get away from it all.
Trophy Club Park
Owned and operated by the city of Trophy Club near Fort Worth and Dallas, this park is home to excellent, year-round ATV and dirt bike riding for only a $15 fee. Users also need a Texas OHV decal issued by Texas Parks and Wildlife. Note that this park does not offer any rentals nor any camping facilities. However, they offer just about everything else. There's boating, hiking, fishing, and even hunting if you get tired of the ORV trails.
Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area
Nearly 1,900 acres and 40+ miles of ATV and dirt bike trails await visitors to this Gilmer, Texas park. This one is open Thursday through Sunday and is owned and operated by the Texas Motorized Trails Coalition. The park maintains some restroom and shower facilities. They have a handful of cabins and bunkhouses for rental. They also have a limited number of electrical campsites and even a handful of full hookup sites for those wanting a full weekend of off-road adventures.
Northwest OHV Park
Travis Smola
There's a little something for everyone in this park. Owned and operated by the city of Bridgeport, this park has a nice variety of open areas intermixed with wooded trails covering a variety of types of terrain. A Texas OHV sticker is required to operate inside this park, but the prices are extremely reasonable. It's only a $15 daily fee per ATV or dirt bike and $25 for UTVs, Jeeps, trucks, and SUVs. There's a discount for residents of the area. Just make sure you reserve your day passes in advance before heading to the park.
Sabine ATV Park
At nearly 3,000 acres, this east Texas park is a beast. There are approximately 60 miles of hills and winding trails waiting to be conquered. Mudding is an extremely popular activity here and is sure to be fun for the whole family. Sabine ATV Park offers on-site cabins, lodges, and more than 80 RV campsites for ATV riders weary after a long day on the trails. They also offer cheap primitive camping. This park also offers a swimming hole for cooling off after a dusty day on the trails, a fully stocked general store, a restaurant, and perhaps most importantly, ATV/UTV wash stations so you can hose your vehicle down after a weekend of fun.
Creekside Off-Road Ranch
This park is a little smaller at 350 acres, but it's easily accessible from the highway outside of Splendora, Texas. They are only open Friday through Sundays, but the price is right at only $20 per day for each ATV/ORV and rider. A weekend pass is just $40 for primitive camping. This park doesn't have as many campsites as some of the others on this list, but they do have 12 full hookups and 13 that offer electric and water. There are also showers on site to hose all the mud off yourself at the end of a fun day on the trails.
River Run ATV Park
One of the few parks in Texas that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this spot sits a stone's throw away from the Neches River near Jacksonville and offers up approximately 2,000 acres of land to explore. This park has a few cabin rentals as well RV sites at $30 for non-event stays. One thing we really appreciate is the fact they have four shower houses to clean off at the end of the day that are free of charge to use for guests. There's also a convenience store to pick up some spare parts or snacks for a long day on the trails.
General Sam Offroad Park
Located outside Huntsville, Texas, this park offers approximately 700 acres and 60 miles of trails to explore. There's a nice variety of mud and sand here, although most of the crowds come for the mud. Primitive camping opportunities abound throughout the park. There are also a few RV sites with full hookups. There are also five rental cabins and a general store for supplies.
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READ MORE: WHY USING AN ATV OR UTV FOR HUNTING IS A BAD IDEA
