The Local Citizens

Pure Hell! A network of military roads, double track, rocky very technical singletrack, smooth singletrack through some forest. Very tough climbs, both single and doubletrack. Don't bike alone. There are many trails out there, I'm not sure how many miles. I couldn't find a good map, but there may be one. Big climbs. Not for beginners. Even if you take a short loop, the climbs will test you. There are even sounds of artillery fire, and you might even see some helicopters, or other military training. I'm not sure if this place is open year round. Call Mud, Sweat, and Gears in Lawton (580-510-9224) or LETRA (580-442-5541).

The Breaks at Bar-H Mountain Bike Ranch currently has approximately 25 miles of professionally designed, built and maintained trails open for public use. These range in length from about .3 to 4.5 miles and level of difficulty from very easy to expert only. Except for Earl's Way and Bill's Way, which are combination ranch road and bike trail, all of The Breaks trails are singletrack designed and built specifically for that purpose. Tia Hutson, The Breaks manager and master trail designer/builder, is always adding new trails and improving, and occasionally rerouting, existing trail. Her long term development plans call for building 10 to 15 miles of new trails over the next five years. Trained by Tony and Danna Boone (owners of Arrowhead Trails, Inc. in Colorado and seasoned professionals in the trail building business), Tia and her late father Bill Hutson developed a system of singletrack unparalleled in Texas and most of the southwest. Approaching 1200 acres, The Breaks is nestled amidst the canyons and arroyos of the Red River valley of north Texas, terrain that is close to perfect for singletrack. So it is no wonder they have been able to create a mountain biking park to challenge riders of all levels. The trails range in elevation nearly 400 feet from the lowest sections in The Holler to the highest points on Devil's Backbone and Horseshoe. Plus the terrain covers nearly the entire topographic spectrum, from open pasture to dense woodland, narrow winding ravines, steep, rugged hills and sharp ridegelines offering panoramic vistas of the Red River Valley. As a whole, The Breaks offers not only superior biking opportunities for all skill levels, but also a complete park environment with facilities to accommodate trail runners, scouting and orienteering groups, racing events (biking, running, adventure, etc.) of any size, camping from large RV hookup to remote wilderness, nature observation/photography and much more. Whatever your outdoor activity preferences, consider The Breaks your home away from home and first choice destination.

Singletrack that crosses creeks and roads. Out and back, 7 miles one-way from Holson Valley Road to Talimena Scenic Drive, or another 0.5 mi to Talahina State Park. Mostly uphill one-way, down the other way. Some doubletrack. There are some sections, like creek beds, that some people will hike-a-bike. Rock outcrops and loose rock in some sections. Very taxing trail, bring water. Don''t bike alone, and sign in at the trailhead. Bugs can be bad in the summer.

This is an outstanding network of trails. It has a little something for everybody. The trails are about 90% marked, and it has a nice beach to relax at afterward. Be mindful of the campers, and the hikers...there are plenty. Of note, make sure that you hit up the following trails: IMBA and Log Jam. These are really great trails. The only negative thing that I could say is that the trails might be a little sandbagged. The level of difficulty might be a little fluffed, but other than that...it's an awesome area.

This is an awesome little trail system. They are mostly ridden by locals, but all comers are welcome. They consist of all sorts of difficulty levels, with some technical areas. An added bonus is that every intersection is clearly mapped with a post and map indicating where you are, as well as which trails branch off of that particular intersection...awesome. Getting lost is not possible. The only downside is that in July and August, some of the trails are somewhat overgrown. I recommend long sleeves and legs guards.

This Trail is not for the faint of heart. It starts off with a 3.5 mile hike straight up the mountain. Once there, you may want to take a break. This of course is followed by the payoff...3.5 miles of downhill (not too extreme) technical, sketchy singletrack. It is an awesome run, and well worth the burning thighs.