Lazy Cow
- 2.5 mi
- round trip
- 305 ft
- climb
- Singletrack
- surface
- Out and back
- route
- Oct–Apr
- best months
Lazy Cow is a mountain biking route in Franklin Mountains State Park in Texas, managed by State Park and Recreation. The ride is about 2.5 miles from the park's center, and the whole trip is an out-and-back of roughly 5 miles with a total climb of about 300 feet. The route is mostly flat, with the steepest stretch coming about half a mile from the start. The climb is gentle, with a 4% grade at its steepest, and the high point sits at about 4,330 feet. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show October highs around 78°F with lows near 54°F, and April is similar at about 79°F by day and 51°F at night. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the route, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. Several other mountain biking routes lie close by, including The Maze about 0.6 miles away and Cardiac Hill at 0.7 miles. Climbers can find Hidden Canyon, upper/west Indian Springs Canyon, about 2.5 miles off.
Best time to go · Oct–Apr
Best time to visit Lazy Cow
Best months: October–April. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
57° / 34°
2 wet
Feb
63° / 39°
2 wet
Mar
70° / 45°
1 wet
Apr
79° / 51°
1 wet
May
88° / 60°
1 wet
Jun
95° / 70°
2 wet
Jul
94° / 73°
5 wet
Aug
92° / 72°
5 wet
Sep
87° / 66°
4 wet
Oct
78° / 54°
3 wet
Nov
66° / 41°
2 wet
Dec
56° / 34°
2 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at La Tuna 1 S, TX, 8.4 mi away at 3,870 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more rides worth the drive
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The Maze
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1.05-mile out-and-back singletrack with 74 ft gain in Texas.
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Gasline Road
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Cardiac Hill
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2.02-mile out-and-back singletrack with 622 ft gain in Texas
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Antler Run
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Lost Cow
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Polecat Alley
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1.03-mile out-and-back singletrack with 148 ft gain in Texas.
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Blue Moon Road
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1.23-mile singletrack out-and-back with 184 ft elevation gain in Texas.
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Scenic Road
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2.09-mile out-and-back singletrack with 969 ft gain in Texas.
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Mad Cow
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Mad Cow is a 2.23-mile out-and-back trail in Texas with 482 ft of elevation gain.
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Sotol Forest
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
