Horsetrap Trail Loop

— When I first visited Big Bend Ranch State Park back in 2009, one of the first trails I biked was the Horsetrap Trail Loop. The fairly easy five-mile-loop trail was very scenic, as you can see by the photo above. The trail starts right at the Sauceda Ranger Station (seen in the next photo) and progresses in a mixture of single and double tracks. Sometimes the terrain is rocky, and there are also a few spots of sandy areas. Those are the worst for bikers like me. They can be more difficult to maneuver around than rocky areas at times. This loop is very scenic and there is only one short hill along the trail. Watch out for desert plants.

The Sauceda Ranger Station is the main checkpoint inside the park. It is located on the Main Park Road, a 27-mile-long dirt road. Although the road is well maintained, a high clearance vehicle is recommended as well as having spare tires. During this first visit, however, I was driving a Toyota Camry and had absolutely no problems at all. I did have to drive very slowly, though. Even with a high clearance vehicle, you should plan on a one-and-a-half-hour or longer drive from the moment you enter this gravel road.

Next, there are two additional photos along the trail, including one with my old mountain bike. You can click on the thumbnails to see the full landscape. It is easy to see why this isolated park is so captivating for hikers, campers, and bikers. With these expansive views, one feels like being completely secluded from the rest of the world. In fact, most of the time, you are going to be the only person on those trails.