A top 10 Texas bike ride: Willow City Loop (out and back)

Ride Summary: One of the Texas Hill Country's most scenic drives: wildflowers galore, creeks, pink granite and other geologic points of interest.

Distance: 25 miles, out and back, with an option for at least 10 more if you add on Willow City-Click Rd

Elevation gain: 1900+, with Willow City-Click

Roads: relatively smooth chipseal, low speed limit. Skinny-tire friendly but be prepared for a number of cattle guards. I got a pinch flat but that's my fault for being on a bald, slightly underinflated tire. 

Driver tolerance: I had nothing but friendly waves. This is a well-known scenic drive and people tend to only be on this road to see the sights.
The bad: I think this could get might busy on a weekend in bluebonnet season but I still think it'd be enjoyable. You're not supposed to stop and get out of your vehicle but I had no issues stopping the bike and taking some pictures.
The good: Wildflowers, primo Texas hill country scenery, geologically interesting 

Does spending a couple hours pedaling past spectacular wildflowers, some impressive geology, multiple creek crossings sound like a nice way to spend a precious Texas spring day (there are only so many, you know)? Then throw your bike on the rack and check out the Willow City loop.

This is a popular road for bluebonnet gawking and I drove this with the wife and MIL about a decade ago. I've been wanting to do it on the bike ever since and it was, if anything, even more beautiful than I remembered.

Cycling this 13-mile stretch of heavenly road definitely allows you to linger and savor it a lot more. Just remember, the road is public but all the land is private, so you're really not supposed to pull off and walk around. I stopped the bike multiple times, however, and got no guff from anyone. I think they're mostly worried about having dozens of families trying to pull off to take bluebonnet portraits and/or have picnics.

I was there during a very wet spring and the day after some torrential rains in the region so the creeks were full (but didn't create any issues at crossings), the flowers vibrant, and there was even a waterfall to be seen in the distance hundreds of feet above me. I'm sure this ride is wonderful at any time of year but riding it in the spring--especially after good rains--is when you really want to do this one. 

Now, bluebonnets peak in mid-March to mid-April and I'm guessing that the road can get pretty clogged with cars and motorcycles. While I love me some bluebonnets, I think the Texas hillsides get more spectacular as the spring wears on--certainly more colorful with much more red, yellow, pink and white--and I think the traffic decreases a bit as the bluebonnets fade.


I took my spin on the first Saturday in May, starting about 2:30 p.m., and I pretty much had the road to myself most of the time--probably got passed by about 10-20 cars and about the same number of motorcycles.

Coreopsis are at least as pretty as bluebonnets

Traditionally, this is ridden as a loop with the western section on State Highway 16. That's pretty fast, uncharming chipseal, IMHO, so I recommend doing this as an out-and-back starting in Willow City. There's a wide shoulder across from the general store, whose attendant told me I was fine to park there. If you do take 16, I'd take that north and then do the Willow City Loop road from north to south because it puts you climbing in the pretty stuff and descending on the busy highway.

The climb back up to Willow City is a nice, 500+-footer; not too steep but it's pretty long and will get your blood pumping. If you're disinclined to inclines, just make sure you have a low gear and take your time; you'll get there...

Unless 25 miles is your limit, I'd also throw in Willow City-Click Rd, which the tourists tend to avoid. I was running out of time so I didn't do the whole thing but there was a nice

The creek on Willow City-Click Rd the day after a deluge...

creek about 2.5 miles down the road that I blissed out at for a bit. I am pretty sure the road continued at least another 2.5 miles but I'm not sure if the roads shown on Googlemaps/Strava are actually open to the public. I'll have to give it a try next time...