Motorcycle Ride - Riding The Three Twisted Sisters in the Texas Hill Country

How to Ride The Three Twisted Sisters

Do you want to ride the gnarliest roads that the state of Texas has to offer?  Looking for winding roads? Sweeping curves?  Roller coaster dips?  Spectacular scenery?

Then it’s time for you to head on out to the Hill Country and ride the Three Twisted Sisters – Ranch Road (RR) 335, RR 336 and RR 337 – all paved two-lane roads set in the backdrop of Texas scenery as good as it gets – clear winding rivers, roads that buck and twist and million dollar views spreading near and far.  Hands down, this 100-mile loop is, without a doubt, among the best, most challenging motorcycle roads in the state of Texas.

GETTING THERE

RR 337

However you get there, the best jumping on point is Medina, TX – the start of the First Sister, RR 337.  Follow this road west.  The route starts out rather innocuously with fairly straight stretches of road meandering through fields, but it gradually transitions into the first of many twisty sections.

At Vanderpoole head north a short way on Highway 187, then hop right back on RR 337 going west (and you don’t want to miss this section!).  Passing through Leakey, TX (pronounced lay-kay) make a quick stop at the Bent Rim Grill to feast on their delicious burgers, mingle with the other riders who flock there like a swarm of bees or pick up a souvenir or two for those poor unfortunates who couldn’t make this trip with you.

Once fueled up motor on down RR 337 heading for Camp Wood.  This section of the road is considered the best that RR 337 has to offer – curves and dips galore.

RR 335

At Camp Wood turn north onto Highway 55 and right after Barksdale take the turnoff onto RR 335 – my personal favorite!  This roads acts more like a roller-coaster – offering ups and downs that will make you hold your breath.  Though there aren’t as many curves on RR 335, it has such a distinct flavor that you’ll long be disappointed when it finally dead-ends at Highway 41.

RR 336

Head east on Highway 41; a relatively straight road, but you’re right back in action as soon as you drop down onto RR 336.  This road brings to mind a wild bronco with all its twisting and turning.  So hang on tight and enjoy!

If at all possible, I highly recommend that you ride this route (or at least some of it) both ways.  It’s a whole different experience from each direction.

AND DOWN HE GOES

As with anything, traveling on motorcycles comes with its own set of risks.  Odds are, you’ve heard stories of horrific motorcycle wipe-outs on roads such as these from grandstanding riders.  Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents happen to even the best-intentioned of riders as well.  And that’s what happened to Rich.  It wasn’t a too sharp turn, or over-acceleration into the corner that was his demise.  Nope!  It was a patch of gravel, rocks and sand that decided to take him down faster than you could count to 1.  Nothing hurt – except his ego.

OTHER THINGS TO DO IN THE AREA

GARNER STATE PARK

Considering it was a holiday weekend, we did manage to snag the last campsite at Garner State Park and quickly established our homestead (tent) in the shade of a tree.  Besides camping this park offers miles of hiking trails (yeah me!) and easy access to the Frio River.  You can swim, inner tube and even rent paddle boats or kayaks.  If you are feeling frisky, there’s even a nightly dance gathering for young and old alike.

FRIO BAT FLIGHT

10-12 million Mexican free-tailed bats make their summer home at the Frio Cave near Concan, TX.  This is the second largest bat population in the world that is open to the public.  As a maternity cave, the bats return each spring to mate and give birth to their pups. 

Fun Fact: imagine a 100 pound woman giving birth to a 20 pound baby and that’s what it’s like for a female bat.  Wow

If you haven’t witnessed a bat flight, I highly recommend going to this one.  With so many bats making their way out of the cave opening, this spectacle can last for hours.  At first a few bats meandered out, then more and more started spiraling upward from the entrance.   Within a matter of minutes, a whole river of the little creatures began pouring forth; flying overhead so close you can hear the rustling of their wings and feel the breeze stir as they pass right above you.  They all swiftly meet in the air forming a spiraling funnel sweeping upward and then stretching toward the horizon. 

TRANSPORTATION TO THE BAT CAVE

If you’re traveling by car – no worries.  You meet the guide at the gated entrance to the property that the cave is on, and then follow them 2 miles to a dirt parking lot.  If you’re traveling on a motorcycle, I highly recommend parking your bike on the other side of the gate and hitching a ride with the guide.  We (in our ignorance) rode our bikes over 2 miles of what amounts to a dirt trail.

To describe the route as increasingly difficult was an understatement.  It was an exceptionally sandy ribbon of a road, complete with whole sections of pebbly ruts that threatened to jerk the front wheel sideways and flip the bike right out from under you.  Given a different type of motorcycle I would have enjoyed myself immensely, but with visions of wiping out in front of the 2 dozen vehicles that were trailing behind us, I kept a death grip on the handle bars and pushed ever onward, silently praying that the end was near.

Had it not been for the fact that I knew I had to ride that same trail afterward; watching the bats fly overhead and corkscrew out of sight would have been so much more enjoyable.  But we did prevail and made it back to the main road upright and in one piece. 

The Three Twisted Sisters are roads that you just have to ride to understand how awesome they really are.  Words cannot express enough the thrill of the ride.  I hope you too can make it happen!

Till next time.  Ride safe!