Easy: Ride to the Post for #30DaysofBiking

There are roads in our Texas Mountain Trail region that are PERFECT for cycling, including an easy ride (great for families and beginning riders!) starting from Marathon.  The "Ride to the Post" is a five mile trip (10 miles out and back) to the county park, called "Post Park." 

The Road to the Post extends south on Avenue D in Marathon from US Highway 90 and the Union Pacific Railroad, and has an amazing history!

• Your route follows one fork of the Comanche War or Indian Trails into Mexico—there was a skirmish on the ridge above Post Park in 1855 between Buffalo Soldiers, Texas Rangers and Indians in 1855!
• It also generally follows the original Ore Roads to haul the ores (lead, zinc and silver) from the smelter at Boquillas in Mexico in 1895-1906, as well as quicksilver from the Terlingua, Study Butte and the Mariscal mines in south Brewster County to the railroad in Marathon as late as 1937!
• The route takes you near the historic cemetery and the site of an influenza tent hospital from the 1918 epidemic!
• The area known as Post Park was the site of a military encampment, farms, and ranches. Today it is the place for county-wide dance parties, fishing and birdwatching!

Begin your ride at the Gage Hotel in Marathon or at the Hotel's Gage Gardens. The Gage Gardens and Post Park are both sites on the new Far West Texas Wildlife Trail. How to get there? Look for the signs to "County Park" heading south....that's your road! This is an "out and back" route...5 miles south to Post Park and 5 miles back to Marathon.

Don't let the chart fool you, the average slope in this route is only 1.2%, and the elevation gain is only 121 feet. This is an easy ride!

Our Texas Mountain Trail organization continues to find "heritage bike routes" around the region to recommend to locals and travelers alike.  Most of them are great for motorcycling and driving as well.  Even if you don't like to hop on a bicycle, we hope you enjoy our #30DaysofBiking feature all during April!