Gilmer - Barnwell Mountain, in Gilmer, about 30 miles north of Tyler, or 30 miles
south of Mount Pleasant. Muddy, big hill climbs. It's 5 miles north of
Gilmer TX. on Highway 155 north between Gilmer and Daingerfield. Exit right
on 155 north in Gilmer go approx 5 miles and you'll see a roadside park
at the top of a very steep hill. Exit right into the roadside park and
the entrance is at the back of the park.
"Cost about $15 a weekend for access for members. Membership of
TMTC is about $35 per year. There is everything from 1 Diamond trails up
to 5 rated trails. Definitely the best thing within 3 hours of Dallas."
- offcamber
"Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area is in just east of Gilmer....about
2 hours east of Dallas on I-20. about 4-5 hours up I-59 from Houston....about
a days' drive from Austin! It's 1800+ wooded acres. The TMTC bought a big
chunk of the Barnwell Mountain range!
It's been an iron ore topside surface mining operation for years,
so the top of some parts of the mountain is flat as a pancake....in some
areas, the iron ore is tight packed and about as smooth and wide as a six
lane freeway!
When it rains, you can still drive the main roads. Elevations run
from 400 ft at the base to 600 ft at the top. The top road is about 2 miles
long with trailheads branching off it. The trails range from very easy
to totally ballbreaking. Some of the hill climbs are impossible and there
are trails with iron ore boulders the size of basketballs and washouts
large enough to swallow an ATV....or a Jeep.
If you have a buddy who "can ride anything" this is the place to
visit and have a laugh. Most of it is rough going woodsy riding, but some
areas are madman's land. Lots of rocks and rough stuff, some good sandy
areas, lots of single track and dual use trail too. This place is open
to Jeeps, ATVs and dirtbikes... no 3 wheelers. But, you'd be surprised
how uncrowded it is. The different groups seem to hang in packs, ya know?
The locals had known about it and been riding there for decades,
so it was a natural choice for a playground. The TMTC hopes to build a
similar offroad recreation area every few years in areas all over the state,
until we have private riding areas within an hour or two of everyone. No
more dependence on Federal land and dealing with government closures. It's
the way of the future. Non-profit groups joining together to buy large
properties for all to use without fear of closure since it's private land
and this is Texas!
BMRA is only open weekends right now...but, it is available for
events sponsored by clubs and can be reserved for special event such as
races. There are RV hookups...but no plumbing yet, so bring water. There
should be full showers and all by next summer. There is a concession person
on site each weekend with BBQ and other Texas staple foods. Primitive camping
is cheap and you can camp anywhere you want.
When you get there, you have the option of paying for a TMTC membership
and getting a great discount on future gate fees (they charge by the family,
not per person, and by the weekend, not per day) or you can get a day pass
to allow you to check it out. It's like this for insurance reasons. And
because in the years to come, we'd like to have several parks...so, you're
membership would work at any of them.
The TMTC formed in the fall of '99 and BMRA opened this past spring.
Since then they've gained about 700+ members and I'd expect the TMTC to
grow to 2000+ by the end of 2001. Drop by the website and get more info.
texasmotorizedtrails.com Or call Clyde and Linda out at the property
on weekends...the phone numbers and all the maps are on the website." -
Bobby
