Reimer Ranch
One of the great things about living in the hill country is the incredible weather and immense vistas. Mountain biking is a great way to get out into the hills and cover some ground. Stay hydrated and follow us!
Reimer Ranch is located just north of Dripping Springs off Hamilton Pool Road, about five miles past "Bert & Ernie's" hole in the wall restaurant/convenience store.
Rounding a slow corner on Hamilton Pool Road, a sign points you towards the entrance. The Ranch is maintained as part of the Travis County Park system.
Pass through the metal gate and travel on the unpaved dirt road until you reach the mountain biking area. Two miles of dips, holes and the accompanying jostling lead you to the park check-in. Leave your Lexus in the garage for this trip.
After paying $8 for car entrance, head to the parking area. Although, the Park is only open Thursday-Sunday it stays open late, until 9:00PM. Park under one of the large trees to keep your car from sweltering while you're gone.
The start of the trail system is accessed immediately off the parking area. A covered picnic area sits at the start of the trails along with a sign designating the ease or difficulty of trails.
Most, if not all, of the trails in Reimer Ranch are single track. My 13 year old son and I started out following the trail to the left passing the picnic area. Riding through an open grass area, we quickly came to a fork in the road, to the left was "novice" to the right "expert" – with little thought, we veered right.
Within a short distance we were in a stand of trees taking 90° turns and weaving through the trunks. Then we began a slow ascent. The progressive elevation change brought jagged rocks and a more challenging course.
The trails for the most part ran through stands of trees but would also break into bare open sky with plenty of sun and cactus. At the higher elevations the views to the west were of the distant, tree-covered hills and the valley below.
At the highest elevation we rode, the trail wound through, over and around rocks. More technical riders may have maneuvered their way through -- we were left pushing our bikes. The descent took us through some great ups and downs and along a narrow rock ridge that felt downright dangerous.
Dropping back in the grassy fields and close to the parking area were a couple of ramps that were built to catch a little airtime. This is a ride we will definitely be doing again.
Summary: The drive into Reimer Ranch was almost like riding the trails themselves --it isn’t paved which makes for a preview of what lies ahead. Once on the trail it is all single track. The park is for all levels of riders; there are novice, intermediate and expert trails along with a race track. I would advise to set aside at least two to three hours to explore these trails. BRING WATER.
We use the book, "A Complete Guide to Mountain Biking: Austin & San Antonio, Central Texas & the Hill Country" to discover new areas to ride. The book summarizes the "good" the "bad" and the "ugly" about each location to make choosing your next ride easier.
Drive Times
Getting from one place to another takes time in the Hill Country. Texas is a big state and there's a lot of land to traverse. I've put together a drive time grid of how long it takes to get from one place to another.
Roadtrips through the Hill Country
The very thought of a roadtrip sparks energy in the air. As a college student, my best friend and I would stock the car with candy bars, sodas and enough clothing to last a week. We'd head off to Vegas or the mountains or sites yet unknown for an overnight.
