Overlanding in the Texas Hill Country (no, not THAT route) 

I probably wouldn't call this overlanding looking back on it. If I'd camped somewhere and spent a couple of days out there, for sure. But I definitely didn't know where I was going and was just out exploring, so call it a partial overland. 😁

Yeah, I didn't plan ahead very well on this trip and didn't download any maps before I left. I use both Gaia gps and onX. All of my subsequent trips, I've pulled down the maps I think I'll need before I leave. Rookie mistake on this one. Thanks for watching!

There is a very well documented "Hill Country Overland Route" in the Fredericksburg area. It's gorgeous, but literally everyone in Texas has done it, myself included. The eastern part of it, between SH 16 and SH 71 is amazing.

Thanks for watching!

Because they don't want people to know that they are allowed to pass through, that's why they put the "no trespassing" sign right next to the gate. They want to deter anyone using "their road" as much as possible

Thanks...I kinda figured that once I was actually going across, but my first impression was, why don't they want people driving in the river? There's literally a road on the other side. Once I saw how shallow it was, I could totally see people ripping up and down the actual river and why that might be frowned upon.

Thank you! It was my first one. They've gotten so much better over the last couple of years.

You're not kidding! I wish there was more public land in Texas.

After I got back, I looked at the private land layer on Gaia GPS and the road is outlined, meaning that even though it runs through someone's property, the road itself is public. I didn't have a cell signal out there and hadn't planned ahead by downloading the maps before I left. If I'd had that resource at my fingertips, I would have known while I was out there. There's also a comment a bit further down from​ @prandomable that lists a TxDOT resource that shows public roads. This particular road is listed on that map and is therefore public all the way through.

@@lalelandadventures thanks! Good to know. Thinking of heading out that way tomorrow and didn’t want to end up on private land. I have the Gaia app and will be downloading layers tonight.

I think so, as long as it hasn't rained recently. The road goes through some creek beds, so I could see it getting sloppy after a hard rain, but it's all maintained roads. There are houses scattered throughout. For what it's worth, I'm still a newbie, too.

I live in Dallas -- there is not a single road in all of Texas that I have found yet that actually needs 4wd. I'm hoping one exists somewhere. If anyone sees this comment, PLEASE correct me. I'm desperate. All the onX maps in Texas are gravel. Driving on gravel is not off-roading.

Some of the back country roads in Big Bend definitely require 4 wheel drive. I've only been on Old Ore Road, and my friend that was with me didn't use 4 wheel drive until we got to the southern half. The videos I've seen of Black Gap look like there are some pretty rough parts, too.

@@Toby_Flenderson_1982 Their there; you just haven't run across them yet.

@@Toby_Flenderson_1982 Correct. I laugh when I see these modded off road vehicles around Central Texas. Where ya going bud? A Honda Civic can go on every OnX trail within 300 miles.

The sign means not to tear up and down the riverbed. The road clearly continues across the river, and there were recent tracks over there, so I drove across, which is allowed.

Sign meant Not drive up or down the river stream, just cross.

Thanks!

That's a great resource. I've been using it to plan a trip in the Big Bend area!

@@lalelandadventures I think Big Bend is completely public as long as within the National Park.

@@prandomable it is, but I'm going outside the park...there is a dirt road that runs between Candelaria and US 90 south of Van Horn that I'm looking at