12 Best Off Road Parks in Texas

Looking to ride some off-road trails in the Lone Star State? Texas has miles of Jeep trails and OHV trails, as well as some great quality off road parks to satisfy your thirst for adventure on any 4×4 trails. You’ll find a range of organized parks and ranches and simple, wild terrain where you can drive your Jeep, OHV, ATV, or even dirt bike.

With its long tradition of farming and outdoor living, Texas is an excellent destination for open trail adventures. Not only are 4×4 vehicles welcome, but they’re also popular, and you’ll get a great welcome. Some spectacular scenery doesn’t hurt either: granite rock parks, dirt tracks, scenic hills and waterfalls with their challenging creeks and crossings. You’ll find pretty much any type of terrain and technical difficulty on Texas off road trails.

So, where are the best off road parks in Texas? Here are the top ones to visit:

1. Trees Ranch Offroad Park
2. Barnwell Mountain 
3. Matagorda Beach
4. Hidden Falls Adventure Park
5. Katemcy Rocks
6. Wolf Caves Off Road Park
7. General Sam’s ATV and Off-Road Park
8. Rocky Ridge Ranch
9. Escondido Draw Recreation Area
10. Creekside Offroad Ranch
11. Canadian River Area 
12. Xtreme Off Road Park and Beach

12 Best Off Road Parks in Texas

1. Trees Ranch Offroad Park

Starting off in Texas Hill Country – one of the best places for 4×4 off road in the state – this offroad park offers 5,500 acres of pure fun and adventure. The trails here cover challenging terrains like creek bed trails, extreme buggy obstacles, and more. What makes it unique is that the park owners are off roading enthusiasts themselves and make sure that the trails are always up to scratch.

They also don’t take prisoners when it comes to warnings: read through the website and especially the section “Are you prepared?” to make sure you’re fully ready before visiting. This is an off-road park where you’ll encounter extreme trails and are likely to do body damage to your Jeep, so be prepared to do some maintenance on the stop to keep running!

2. Barnwell Mountain

The Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area covers 1,850 acres of well-signed trails for off-road vehicle enthusiasts to enjoy. Located near Gilmer, TX, it welcomes dirt bikers up to Jeep drivers and all skill levels. When it comes to Dallas off road driving, this is a perfect destination, only 120 miles out of town.

The park was designed with off-roading in mind, which is why there are different levels of difficulty to the trails, allowing beginners to hone their skills before moving up. It is maintained by the Texas Motorized Trails Coalition and features camping grounds, shower facilities, and bunkhouse and cabin rentals. You can enjoy a few days here trying out some of the most scenic off road Jeep trails in Texas.

3. Matagorda Beach

Head to the sandy trails at Matagorda Beach to get a different sense of adventure on your off road trails in Texas. This is one of the best extreme off-road beach trails, popular with all types of outdoor enthusiasts from paddleboarders to shell collectors and – of course – 4×4 off road fans. You’ll find 23 miles of accessible trails and great views, including abandoned ruins, the seafront, and even a nude beach!

You will need a permit to drive onto the beach – you can get one at several locations nearby.

4. Hidden Falls Adventure Park

Over 200 miles of ATV, motorbike, and 4×4 trails are ready to be explored at Hidden Falls Adventure Park in Marble Falls, TX. This self-entitled “premier off-road adventure park in Texas” deserves its name. Coming in at number 1 on several “best off-road Jeep trails in Texas” lists, Hidden Falls offers the most scenic and fun trails in Hill Country. There are lots of events and special deals and even a moonlight riding option during the weekend.

For a day of 4×4 off road riding at Hidden Falls, you can expect to pay from $25. You also have a campsite available and other accommodation options for extending your stay, which is very tempting given the number of trails on offer.

5. Katemcy Rocks

Another one of the off road Jeep trails that consistently scores highly on all “best of” lists, Katemcy Rocks features unique granite rocky trails, with a fantastic landscape to experience. The area is known as the “Moab of Texas,” and for a good reason: there are 800 acres of granite rock to explore, with lots of various obstacles and exciting terrain. Any skill level will find exciting OHV trails here.

The trails are only open on specific dates, so you will need to check out the calendar on their website. They offer annual events such as Rocktoberfest, so it’s worth organizing an off roading trip around them. As with most off road parks in Texas, there are accommodation options on the spot, either camping or in cabins.

6. Wolf Caves Off Road Park

This ranch matches Katemcy Rocks in granite rock crawling opportunity. Just on the western edge of the Texas Hill Country, Wolf Caves Off Road Park is 8 miles out of Mason, TX, and offers trails exclusively for 4×4 vehicles.

430 acres of riding have been made available here – but the trails are challenging. Only modified Jeeps will be at home, although there are more beginner-level trails as well. The landscapes and views are absolutely breathtaking all around the park.

Wolf Caves is open on weekends, and you can either buy a Friday or Saturday arrival permit to enjoy the trails. You can stay on-site, either in a cabin or on the RV campsite with electric hook-ups.

And what’s the story behind the name? It appears that wolves used to roam around this area, especially near the northeast corner of the property – hence why a granite rock formation there was named “Wolf Caves.” You might still meet mountain lions or coyotes if you’re on that side of the park, though!

7. General Sam’s ATV and Off-Road Park

General Sam’s park spreads through 706 acres of pine forest and six creeks, so it’s a place to get muddy. You’ll find over 60 miles of trails north of Huntsville, in a different setting that ensures your car will get dirty. This is one of the top Jeep trails in Houston, TX, area, and they welcome visitors over almost every weekend. You can also book private events and riding days during the week, but check with them first.

8. Rocky Ridge Ranch

While some parks prohibit 4×4 off road vehicles and choose to focus on motorbikes, dirt bikes, and ATVs, Rocky Ridge Ranch near Denton in north Texas welcomes them too. On the 650 acres available here, you can drive your Jeep or ride across stream crossings, steep hill climbs, and jumps. There are open settings with beautiful views, as well as miles of gorgeous wooded trails.

You can camp on-site, and you can even fish in the 50-acre stocked fishing lake! The property is only open on weekends.

9. Escondido Draw Recreation Area

Escondido Draw Recreation Area offers 3500 acres of scenic off-road trail, 35 full hook-up RV sites, a new pavilion, and primitive camping. They also have restrooms and showers onsite.

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, this family-friendly park has something for everyone. Go for a ride on their 35+ mile dirt bike track or explore 23+ miles of beautiful and exciting ATV and OHV trails.

The park is open Thursdays from 12pm to 5pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 8am to 8pm, and Sundays from 9am to 5pm with everyone exiting the park by 6pm on Sunday unless prior arrangements. Trails are open Friday and Saturday from dawn to 10pm.

Escondido Draw Recreational Area is open every weekend of the year (unless the park is leased for an event). Visit their website or Facebook group page for more info.

10. Creekside Offroad Ranch

Jeep trails in Houston Texas don’t get better than those you’ll find at Creekside Offroad Ranch in Splendora. The park extends over 350 acres, offering miles of Jeep trails with mud, water, sand, and hills. You can spend weekends here camping, and there are also lots of events all year round for fans of OHV trails.

11. Canadian River Area

In the Panhandle part of Texas, you will find lots of off roading trails offering free riding and camping for Jeep drivers. The Canadian River and Lake Meredith near Armadillo are some of the best spots.

West Texas Outlaws and other off roading clubs hold annual riding competitions at the Canadian River 20,000-acre site. Enjoy fantastic scenery in the dry, arid landscape and be mindful that there is very little water around so you’ll have to bring some with you!

12. Xtreme Off Road Park and Beach

A great park covering hundreds of acres, Xtreme Off Road Park and Beach has something for everyone: wooded trails, steep hills, mud, lakes, BBQ spots, and beach areas. You can camp by the lakefront and spend as much time as you’d like as the park is open daily.

Spend a few nights here and go swimming and fishing, too.

There are no amenities, so you’ll have to make do with primitive camping. It will be a truly wild experience!

Conclusion – Off Road Parks in Texas

So, what are the 12 best off road parks in Texas? To summarize, here they are again:

1. Trees Ranch Offroad Park
2. Barnwell Mountain 
3. Matagorda Beach
4. Hidden Falls Adventure Park
5. Katemcy Rocks
6. Wolf Caves Off Road Park
7. General Sam’s ATV and Off-Road Park
8. Rocky Ridge Ranch
9. Escondido Draw Recreation Area
10. Creekside Offroad Ranch
11. Canadian River Area 
12. Xtreme Off Road Park and Beach

If you’re looking for an exciting off road park in Texas with a variety of Jeep and OHV trails, you’ll be spoiled for choice at these fantastic Texas off road parks. There is an excellent range of scenery and locations and lots of different skill levels for the trails, allowing you to try your hand and 4×4 trails in Texas for the first time, giving you some new challenges. Experience all of the off road trails Texas has to offer.