Cycling

On a clear day in far West Texas, you can see forever and most of our days are clear. If you’re on a bicycle, you can ride forever. The mountains and plains around Fort Davis are a road rider’s paradise, with especially nice rides for those who can ride 50 to 100 miles daily. The classic ride is around the Scenic Loop. The Scenic Loop mileage is about 75 miles. The elevation change is dramatic–from about 5,000 feet in town to a max of 6,270 with lots of ups and downs of several hundred feet in-between. No, you’re not in Houston anymore. Other scenic rides take you from Fort Davis to Alpine and back, or to Marfa and back. A shorter ride with less challenging but still gorgeous terrain is a ride north from Fort Davis on Texas 118 to the base of Mt. Locke (with the twin observatories on top) and back again. Make sure you ride through Davis Mountains State Park as well. The Permian Basin Bicycle Association sponsors the annual Fort Davis Cyclefest ride which is held the third weekend in September. For details, call (432) 699-1718.

Most privately owned land, and Fort Davis National Historical Site do not allow riding off the pavement, mountain biking opportunities are limited. However, the Prude Guest Ranch has about five miles of trails open to mountain biking. Guests at the ranch may use the trails at no charge. For details, call 1-800-458-6232. Davis Mountains State Park has a 3.5 mile mountain biking trail for experienced bikers. Check out this page for more information about biking in the Big Bend region.