West
of Austin, about 45 minutes into Hill Country. The Slabs is about 1 mile
from Kingsland, 15 from Marble Falls and about an hour west northwest of
Austin. River bottom with lots of sand and big granite formations. Lots
of hard lines but you can also drive around anything.
"The Slabs is legal if you follow the rules. I think it is something
weird like two feet elevation above top waterline on the banks begins private
property. Also any purple posts designate private property. Don't joke
around with it because the landowners are also gun owners there. The sheriff
is a joke. He'll come out and scare the crap out of you but if you can
read between the lines while he is lording it over you and being important
you can see that he or anyone else cannot do a damn thing if you stay in
the riverbed and follow the law. There is phenomenal 'mini-Moab' rock slabs
interspersed all over the place. Pick your lines and choose anything from
easy to impossible.
The problem with the Slabs is the the fun rocks/stuff IS rising
out of the riverbeds in the legal areas. To run the Slabs involves a multitude
of river crossings and any week is different from the week before because
of rain runoff and shifting of the sand around all the slab formations.
Hydro locks are common. Unless it is is very dry with low river flow, do
not attempt it without a lot of lift and/or snorkel setup.
My last two trips witnessed hydro locked vehicles in mid river with
water up to their hoods. Once stopped, the sand (white fine beach sand)
engulfs the vehicle. The last stuck required two huge 4x4 pickups with
40-something inch Swampers strapped in line to a third winch-equipped Explorer
pulling the front pickups, and it still took the better part of an hour
to pull the stuck out of the riverbed. It was quite a sight seeing huge
swampers simply dig in and also bury themselves trying to strap out the
stuck.
The Slabs offers the best rockcrawling I've seen in Texas and is
smack-dab in the middle of one of the prettiest areas in the whole state.
On one camping trip the Monarch butterflies were migrating and all of the
mesquite trees growing out of the riverbed by our campsite were covered
in millions of butterflies. Go when it's dry and you'll have the time of
your life, but I'll never try there again unless there's been a long dry
spell beforehand and the water level is passable." - GJarrett
"The slabs aren't a good idea from what I have heard. If you
are in the waterway, you aren't on private property, but it is a city easement
or something like that, and they still get you." - YellowCJ
"DON'T GOT TO THE SLAB NEAR KINGSLAND!!! ever since 4Wheel
parts wholesale put their article out about it the cops have been giving
out trespassing tickets left and right to the tune of $500.00 per person.
Unless you know the people that own the land on the banks the sheriff will
get you. Even then he'll still give you a hard time." - TheLakeRat
The Slab is located north of Kingsland, TX on 1431. Head
West a little over a mile on RM3404. Once you get to the Slab you can see where
to pull onto the river bottom. If you go left down the river it's all sand and
water. The good stuff (rock crawling) is up river to the right. Lots
of sand and water crossings (12" +), 4x4 required !!
A Rating of 8 is given, which stands for 'Heavy rock
and/or severe ruts. Rocks exceeding hub height frequent. Shelves to 12".
Deep mud or uphill mud sections. Steep grades to 25 degrees and can be loose or
rocky. Water crossings may exceed 30" in depth. Side hill to 30 degrees.
One vehicle wide. Body damage possible. Experience needed. Vehicle Modifications
helpful.' - 4x4trails.net
