Land for weekend escape - hiking, ATVs, possibly hunting? (Dallas: for sale, leases)

[missusfitzus]

Wondered where one might look for a weekend escape for my family (I have 4 boys)? Just a place to get away from it all, even if hunting would be out of the question. Lots of land and privacy. A place to hike, ride ATVs, etc. Any thoughts?

[RockyJoe817]

The morning radio DJ sometimes talks about owning a land lease for hunting.

I had a work colleague that his family owned a large amount of land around the Oklahoma/Texas border. My colleague was able to hunt, ATV and four wheel drive.

You may just look up this information on the classified ads or do an internet search for hunting leases. FYI: Always ensure you have the proper hunting/fishing license as well, the fines are steep.

[loves2read]

look at a map--
and then Google for land for sale in whatever county you are looking at

[missusfitzus]

Thanks for the replies, but as I am totally unfamiliar with Dallas and all of Texas, I was looking for ideas as to where folks go for recreation.

We are relocating, and I had been thinking that I might be able to tolerate the 'burbs (where my kids will be happiest) if we had a place to go "get away from it all." But it's hard to look when you dont know the area or where people go, and with a 4-hour's-drive radius around Dallas, that leaves a LOT of counties!

Having said that, I did see another thread where a poster was looking for recommendations for a vacation home, so I got a lot of good ideas there.

[Pooua]

Originally Posted by missusfitzus

Thanks for the replies, but as I am totally unfamiliar with Dallas and all of Texas, I was looking for ideas as to where folks go for recreation.

We are relocating, and I had been thinking that I might be able to tolerate the 'burbs (where my kids will be happiest) if we had a place to go "get away from it all." But it's hard to look when you dont know the area or where people go, and with a 4-hour's-drive radius around Dallas, that leaves a LOT of counties!

Having said that, I did see another thread where a poster was looking for recommendations for a vacation home, so I got a lot of good ideas there.

I'm sorry if I misunderstand exactly what you are looking for, but I get away from it all anywhere within a 4-state radius. Now, I don't know if you are set on buying a place, or just getting away from it all, so I'm going to tell you about just getting away from it all.

All the things you describe are readily available across Texas, but you might consider Arkansas, too. This would give you a change of scenery, into real forests (with real trees!) and real mountain. Arkansas is primed for hunting, fishing and general outdoor recreation. They charge a sales tax to maintain their camp grounds, and I rate their state campgrounds as the best I've seen across 4 states. Arkansas is a sportsman's paradise, particularly if the sportsman loves 4, real seasons.

I've camped in Arkansas at Kirby Landing, but Daisy State Park is nearby. I usually go in the off season, so not many people around. I had the whole park to myself in January. I had a bear sniff my tent as I lay inside. This is about a 6-hour drive from Dallas.

As for Texas, my favorite places are in the Hill Country (Texas' natural water park country), generally West of Austin. Places like Spicewood (Krause Springs), Hamilton Pool, Wimberley, Pedernales Falls, New Braunfels and Fredericksburg are wonderful places, though they had a tough time last year, due to drought and wildfire. These are about a 5-hour drive from Dallas, and not particularly close to each other.

One of my favorite places in all of Texas is Balmorhea State Park, because they have the wonderful San Solomon Springs, the world's largest natural, spring-fed swimming pool. It's way out in West Texas, a day's drive from here (12+ hours drive), but it is such a popular spot that you won't find parking once school gets out. Divers from all across Texas go there to practice diving. Entire classes from Abilene drive down to San Solomon Springs.

If you want to stay closer to home, you have many options, but not as appealing, IMO. Turner Falls in Davis, Oklahoma, is only about 90 minutes drive away, and one of the best places you will find nearby. I don't know that they have much hunting up there, but it's a great family retreat. No dogs allowed in the park, though.

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by missusfitzus

Thanks for the replies, but as I am totally unfamiliar with Dallas and all of Texas, I was looking for ideas as to where folks go for recreation.

We are relocating, and I had been thinking that I might be able to tolerate the 'burbs (where my kids will be happiest) if we had a place to go "get away from it all." But it's hard to look when you dont know the area or where people go, and with a 4-hour's-drive radius around Dallas, that leaves a LOT of counties!

Having said that, I did see another thread where a poster was looking for recommendations for a vacation home, so I got a lot of good ideas there.

Try Oklahoma just across the border from Texas and around an hour and a half away. Affordable land and hunting as well as open space should be available with lakes in SE Oklahoma as well.

[Saintmarks]

Red River ATV Park, on the Red River is awesome. 2700 acres of ATV trails, about 1.5 hours from Dallas. North on I-35 to Gainesville, west on 82 to Muenster and north 15 miles.

Red River Motorcycle Trails, Inc. | Voted #1 Best Off-Road Destination in Texas - Red River Motorcycle Trails - Red River Motorcycle Trails, Inc. | Voted #1 Best Off-Road Destination in Texas

[SimpleLife2]

In addition to the others' suggestions, I'll add this ...

I work with a lot of people who like to hunt. Over the years, several of them have told me about their 'camps' along various rivers and tributaries. They do exactly the sorts of things you're looking to do with your boys. Hunt, hike, ATVs. The river that seems to come up most often is the Brazos. If you google it, you'll see that it runs northwest to southeast across the state. It's to the northwest of the DFW metroplex and goes southeast to the Gulf of Mexico. My coworkers like their little leases out that way. Several of them have leases that are basically in the middle of nowhere, kind of northwest or due west of the metroplex -- very small towns in the vicinity, but no big towns. They describe what sounds like kind of dry areas to me, with the familiar scrubby vegetation and shorter trees, but their leases ARE in 'the woods.' That's just Texas for you. A lot of it is like that. They love their little camps. As the Brazos moves farther south, the surrounding towns get bigger and the vegetation gets bigger and a little more lush. Keep in mind, though: in general, we don't do 'lush' here in Texas -- when it comes to vegetation anyway.

So that's one way that you could begin your search. Googling the Brazos and looking at environs along it and its tributaries. If you're to the northwest and west of the metroplex, you're in drier, less-populated, very-small-town areas. If you're to the south and east of the metroplex you're in denser, moister vegetation. (But most of the vicinity around DFW can't be described as 'moist,' just 'moister.')

As you go east of the metroplex, and a little southeast too, you'll find taller trees, pretty pines, more moisture, and denser vegetation. I don't know of anybody off-hand who has leases or camps out that way. But they're bound to exist, right? And I think it's pretty out that way.

So it depends on what you have in mind. Denser, more forest-y land -- go east and southeast. Drier, scrubbier, 'Texas' feel -- go west and northwest. Some surrounding towns and cities of size with a mixture of the drier climate to the west and the pine-ier climate to the east -- go due south kind of along the corridor between the metroplex and Austin. But bear in mind, if you're not from here -- our vegetation is, in general, sparser and drier than a lot of other states' no matter where you head.

Another area that can be really pretty but is probably about 3-4 hours away at its closest point and 8-10 hours away at its farthest is the Hill Country. Google Texas Hill Country. That is, imo, one of the prettiest parts of the state. It's hilly, lots of vegetation, a number of creeks and rivers, and slightly cooler climates. The only problem is, it's a bit of a trek from the metroplex.

I would make this suggestion for sure: After you decide where you're going to live, THEN start looking for where you want to recreate. I say this because the metroplex is very large and traffic is very heavy. If you decide to live on the north side of the metroplex, it would probably be wise to avoid a south-side camp. If you live on the west side, you would be wise to avoid an east-side camp, and so on. Traffic here is a bear. If you can avoid travelling THROUGH the metroplex every time you want to go to your land, I think you should. It will feel more like an escape, you'll be more relaxed as you start and end your trips, and you won't have to plan all your drives around our nasty rush hours.

Best of luck to you!

[CraigCreek]

If you find your place, just make sure you and your family are aware of the property lines, as your new neighbors may not take kindly to stray ATVs, hunting, etc. on their land. Most rural landowners are okay with hikers - but not with activities which can harm their property, scare off wildlife, or endanger trespassers.

I know. I'm just such a landowner.