Hill Country State Natural Area - Mountain Bike Trail

The Hill Country Highlights loop is everything an avid mountain biker could ask for. It combines easy sections you can breeze through to highly technical parts that may force you off your bike. Often these technical parts lead to incredible views of the landscapes in the area.

There may be some areas where you have to walk through depending on skill level and others that take a few tries to complete on a bike. Also, the surface varies from section to section, with some sections having loose soil due to erosion. Nevertheless, it should be worth checking out if you're an intermediate-level mountain biker.

Before you go:

Drinking water

Restrooms

Fee required

Lift service

Fat bike grooming

Family Friendly

Night riding

E-bikes allowed

Dogs Allowed

Obstacles

Shuttles

Detailed Trail Description

The loop starts and ends at the alternate parking area near the visitor center. Riders can start with the Prairie loop, which offers an easy section to get your blood pumping and body warmed up before you hit the rest of the loop.

After that, you can go through the Creek Bottom trail, which is another easy section that leads to Hermits trail. There should be a camping area at the end of Hermits trail, although this involves hitting a straight line and turning back at the end.

If you've already seen the camping area or are just uninterested, you can stay on the loop and instead turn onto the Madrone trail. There are several looped trails that connect to the Madrone.

The first is the Cougar Canyon Overlook trail. However, it is a challenging ride, given it's a steep climb. However, the view we found at the top made the climb worthwhile. Also, the section after that is easy and flowing, not to mention you get a slowing descent right after that takes you to a different section of the Madrone Trail.

Vista Ridge is the next looped trail connected to the Madrone, with some sections of this loop being shaded. The Madrone connects to the Spring Branch Trail leading to the most technical part of the loop.

Shortly after that, you'll encounter a four-way intersection, at which point you should head up the West Peak Overlook trail, which will loop back to the Spring Branch trail. This is a fairly technical part, and you may have to be on the lookout for obstacles on the path. However, it also offers an impressive view of the park.

You can then follow the Spring Branch trail back to your starting point. Several bailouts along the loop can make your ride shorter. For instance, you don't have to go through the Cougar Canyon and Vista Ridge trails if it's your first time.

Instead, you can go through the madrone trail without taking any detours. This should significantly reduce the distance you travel. That said, you will miss out on some of the stop points that make the ride enjoyable.

Sights of Interest, Landscapes, Views

We noticed several interesting views, especially at the overlook trails. Cougar Canyon and West Peak overlook, for instance, offer beautiful views of the landscape. However, they do involve some climbs that can make your ride much more tiring.

Recommendations and Precautions

• Bring a sufficient water supply since there are no water stations at the park.
• Also, most of the trails aren't shaded.
• The rocks and dirt on the ground can be loose, so be extra careful.