Overall Route Rating
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4.52 out of 5 Rider Rating 4.52
30 Reviews

Bend Region - Rio Grande River Road

Motorcycle Route Author

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By Guest (0 McR Points) on Jul 31, 2005

Rider Reviews

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Guest
December 6, 2010
Nice write up, but your map is incorrect. The…
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Guest
May 16, 2010
Spend a night at the motorcycle-friendly Prude…
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Written Directions

Start in Alpine TX and head south on 118 till you get to Study Butte TX where you need to go west on Farm to Market 170 road. Take that to Presidio TX where you need to get on US 67 and head north all the way up to Ft Davis.

Scenery

During the April-May time each year, this is the best Bluebonnet viewing and picture taking area in all of Texas. It is a very quiet country farm road with plenty of places to stop and take pictures. Take your time and enjoy the country. This is a good cruiser route with plenty of gas stops along the way.

Drive Enjoyment

This road is a very well maintained Farm to Market system with plenty of twists, turns, hills and flat straight-aways.

Tourism Opportunities

Good accommodations in Alpine, TX with several motels, etc. This is a college town. Study Butte has the Big Bend Motel and Mission Lodge and you can also stay within the National Park at the Chisos Mountain Lodge. Just don't venture too far during your travels without supplies and a full gas tank. At Contrabando, TX along the road to Presidio you can pull off and enjoy a permanent movie set that is still used for movies and commercials. There is also an old mission just outside of Presidio that you can visit. There are several pull-offs and you should just to breathe in the silence and isolation. This is also "open range" territory meaning that you may find livestock meandering on the road at odd intervals. Presidio has some accommodations also, but you might want to go up Route 67 out of Presidio towards Ft Davis and visit the sights there. Rt. 67 goes through Marfa, TX and Shafter, TX (a ghost town).

Motorcycle Road Additional info

- View the weather forecast for this area from Yahoo weather .
 

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Jerry
February 24, 2019
34 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
Tex 170 between Presidio and Terlingua running along the Rio Grande is spectacular, especially starting about 25 miles outside of Presidio. Hwy 118 has a few nice spots between Terlingua and Fort Davis but it is mainly flat. BUT Hwy 118 on the other side of Fort Davis is fantastic. Then Hwy 117 is even better. From Fort Davis go 20 miles North on 118 and then turn around and make a horseshoe on Hwy 117 for about 25 miles. Both roads are awesome coming and going. Don't forget to stop at the snake farm in Fort Davis. Lots of videos on Youtube under Texas Outdoors and Motorcycle Roads.
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Pod
January 13, 2020
5 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
My wife and rode down to Terlingua, TX from Pittsburgh this past September, 5,500 miles R/T, mostly back roads and I must say, FM 170 from Terlingua to Presidio, TX ranks in my Top 3 after Rt 12 Utah and Million Dollar HWY CO. The scenery is outstanding, the road is in great shape, the rest areas are desolate yet inviting. Great breakfast in Presidio at The Bean. I'm a Diner freak and this is a good one. I'm used to smooth roads so it takes some getting used to the rough surface compound they use in TX.
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JonB52
February 27, 2017
39 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport
Rode this in April 2016 and had a blast. Road through Big Bend Natl Park and then back along the river to Presidio and then on to Candelaria. Nice roads and lots of twisties and elevation changes in the first half. Fun ride but there is nothing between Terlingua and Presidio. The road ends in Candelaria and its really not worth the ride. From Presidio either go back and ride it again to Terlingua or head north to Marfa.
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