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Texas labels their rural highways Farm to Market (FM) roads, Ranch to Market (RM) roads, or Ranch Roads (RR). Ft. Davis LoopThe Ft. Davis Loop is a scenic, fairly hard, 75 miles, 7,000' elevation gain ride. The ride goes through volcanic mountains and grasslands. You may see antelope or javalena along the way. If the entire loop is too much, the 16-mile out and back from Ft. Davis to the McDonald Observatory Visitor Center is the best part of the loop. The observatory has guided and self guided tours of the observatories. The guided tour is about a hour and a half so take a locking cable. After a steep 200' climb, there is a lobby at the new HET where you can view the telescope. Ft. Davis is not too big but there is a lot to see. The Ft. Davis National Historical Site has restored military quarters from the 1800's. The Ft. Davis State Park has a nice campground and the park's Indian Lodge is really nice at a reasonable price and has a nice restaurant. All the roads are in good condition and it is designated a Scenic Loop. There are shoulders along TX166 until the turn to Valentine, then the pavement narrows but there is almost no traffic. Big Bend Roundup RouteThe route between the various towns on the Big Bend Roundup loop has few places to pick up food and water so be prepared and stock up when you pass through a town. The route from Ft. Davis to Marathon opens up and is pretty flat and uneventful. There are a few small hills west of Alpine. Marathon is pretty limited but there is the historic Gage Hotel. There are a couple of gas stations at the turn to Big Bend. The route from Marathon to the Chisos Basin is pretty barren. The Big Bend Headquarters has the first water until the basin. The Chisos Basin is easily the most scenic part of the loop. Schedule an extra day or two to hike or sight see at the the basin. Good trails are the Lost Mine Trail, the Window Trail, and the Emory Pass Trail. There is a campground but it doesn't have showers and it is first come first served. There is a group campground that does take reservations. The Chisos Basin Mountain Lodge is very nice and reasonably priced and there is a restaurant and a camp store there. The only gasoline is at the station at Panther Junction. The steep climb up to the basin is only 6 miles but is very scenic. Actually, the steepest section on the road is outbound up to the Lost Mine trailhead. A nice side trip is to Castolon and the walk along the Rio Grande at San Elena Canyon. Big Bend is busy during the Texas schools spring break in March but drops off fast as soon as it is over. The NPS Big Bend website will have more information and has a Daily Report which includes weather and campground usage.
About half way from Lajitas to Presidio there is about a 15 percent mile long climb that is pretty dramatic with great views to the south over the Rio Grande. There is a nice rest area (no water) at the top. There is a lot of climbing since there are a lot of dry wash crossings that dip down then climb back up. Once to Redford, the road flattens to Presidio but is less interesting. Nowadays, there are lots of signs informing you that crossing into Mexico is ok but it is illegal to reenter anywhere but at an official entry point like Presidio. Take your paperwork if you want to cross into Mexico at Presidio and be allowed to return to the US. North of Presidio you pass the Shafter ghost town. The stretch from Presidio to Ft. Davis gradually climbs from desert to grassland. Off in the distance to the west is the Chinati Mountains. There are a number of moderate long climbs along the way. It's pretty boring, a good day to sag. Marfa has a pretty impressive courthouse in the center of town. The observatories on the Davis Mountains give away the fact that you're getting close to Ft. Davis. On the long drive home to New Mexico, stop in Carlsbad and visit the Carlsbad Caverns National Park or the Living Desert Zoo State Park in Carlsbad. Thanks to Art Pinson for developing this ride.
Albuquerque to the Chisos Mtns Lodge is about 610 miles. Albuquerque to Ft. Davis, Tx is about 480 miles. Roadways: All the pavement is in good condition, shoulders in some areas, and light traffic for nearly the whole route. Distance: 396 miles, 5 Riding Days. Options:
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