TX Hill Country Ride to Medina, Leakey and two of twisted sisters RR-337 and RR-336

This picture faces east from the Old Timers store in Medina (where one can get gas, drinks, snacks, and a bathroom break).  Look for the road sign for RR-337 in the picture showing an arrow pointing to the left.  If you are coming from Kerrville, you will take a right onto RR-337.

We rode this ~185 mile route on 12/31/16 Saturday, New Year’s Eve and in Feb 2017.  We also rode the portion from Kerrville to Leakey and back the same way we came in Jan 2018.  The route includes riding TX-16 from Fredericksburg through Kerrville to Medina then turning right onto RR-337 E to Leakey.  Although for an even better ride that skips Kerrville traffic, follow the map below that takes one around Kerrville via the 534 Loop and 173 and FM-2771.

Here us the route from Fredericksburg to Kerrville then taking a right onto the 534 Loop to 173. Taking a right onto 173 then a right onto FM-2771. Another left onto TX-16 and you will go 20 mi that includes some great curves to Medina.

See the post Getting around Kerrville for a faster and more pleasant route through Kerrville.  The ride from Kerrville to Medina on TX-16 is awesome!  TX-16’s road surface is smooth asphalt in the sharp curves.  There are rumble strips on the road before two sets of the sharpest curves.  You can use these strips to warn you to downshift just before those curves.  I will wrote in more detail about the TX-16 route from Kerrville to Medina in another post titled “Texas Hill Country Favorite Ride“.

Note – In Jan 2018, the TX Hill Country had a week-long bought with very cold weather causing roads to ice over.  The curviest section of TX-16 between Kerrville and Medina was treated with salt and gravel during this bad weather.  Keep track of weather before your visit in case you need to ride slowly through this section until the road clears off.

On Jan 20, 2018, we rode through the gravel and salt on TX-16 so decided to ride RR-337 (one of the Twisted Sister roads) only to Vanderpool from Medina.  We knew RR-337 from previous experience that RR-337 between Vanderpool and Leakey might have lots of gravel if it had also been treated.  Once we got to Vanderpool, we continued on RR-187 and took a right onto TX-39.  The map and decription of the route (RR-337 to RR-187 to TX-39) is included in this post. TX-39 is an interesting road.  It has lots of beautiful crosses over the Guadalupe River with curves.  See the post that describes the Loop of TX-39.

RR-337 between Vanderpool and Leakey has lots of sharp curves that would be a blast, but the road has a chipseal surface so the bikes can slide around, and some curves can sometimes have gravel.  The presence of chipseal and gravel may be a disappointment if you want ride aggressively through the curves.  If there is no gravel though, you can ride these curves fairly quickly.  Leakey is a nice little town with lots of restaurants and shops.  We have always eaten at La-Las Mexican Restaurant which is good.

Once you pass this picnic area on left of RR-337 W between Vanderpool and Leakey it will get a lot curvier.  Just check for gravel before each curve.

Sign warning you of the great curves to come posted on RR-337 E at picnic area before curves from Vanderpool towards Leakey.

 

Here is the route from near Kerrville (FM-2771) taking a left onto TX-16 to Medina then taking a right onto RR-337 to Leakey

The bridge on RR-337 W just before Leakey crosses the Frio River (shown in background before trees). Flood Gauges are found on almost all river crossings in the area.

After Leakey, you can make the return trip the same way you came.

If you want to add a ride on RR-336, head north on US-83 and take a left just out of Leakey onto RR-336. There will be cattle guards on the RR-336.  As one rides closer to TX-41, the road surface will get rough making the bike swivel around almost like having a back flat tire.  I would recommend riding this road (RR-336) at a conservative speed at least the first time it is ridden.

After riding RR-336, you can take a right at the stop sign onto TX-41 (with 75 mph speed limit)!  There are several options for getting back to Kerrville: 1) take TX-41 to TX-27 – this is the route shown below.  It is the most direct but the most boring; 2) Take TX-41 then take a right onto US-83 at the blinking light, go 9 mile, then take a left onto RM-39, a good riding road with some fun curves following the Guadalupe River which will take you back to Ingram, or 3) Take a right onto TX-41 then take a right onto RM-1340 which will also take you back to Ingram.

Below is the route that goes straight through Kerrville in detail:

Left onto TX-16 to Kerrville;  Go 21 mi.

Stay on TX-16 S/Sidney Baker St/ Medina Hwy to Medina;  Go 22.8 mi.

Right onto FM337 W/Ranch Rd (RR)-337 to stop/yield sign  Go 20.2 mi.

Right onto RR-187 N/RR-337 in Vanderpool;  Go 1.1 mi

Left onto FM337/RR-337 to stop sign in Leakey; Go 16.2 mi  85 mile to here

(In Leakery turn left onto US-83 S for gas; go 0.3 mi)

(For food, turn right or left onto US-83 N in Leakey)

(We ate at Lala’s Mexican restaurant; turn right onto US-83 N from blinking light; restaurant will be on left)

To get onto RR-336, Right onto US-83 S at blinking light;  Go 1.5 mi

At fork, keep Left onto RR-336 N;  Go 26.5 mi

Right at stop sign onto TX-41 E;    Go 9.1 mi

Straight to stay on TX-41 E crossing over US-83; Go  21.4 mi

Right onto TX-27 E @ blinking light/stop sign.  Go 11.4 mi

Left to stay on TX-27 E;  Go  2.7 mi

Straight onto TX-27 E;  Go  6.3 mi

Left onto TX-16 N to Fredericksburg corner of TX-16 N and E Hwy S; Go ~24 mi 

Map for ride from Medina to RR-337 to Vanderpool then FM-187 to TX-39 to Ingraham

Ride from Medina to Vanderpool on RR-337 then to Ingram via RR-187 and TX-39

West onto RR-337   Go 11.2 mi to stop sign in Vanderpool.

Right onto RR-187  Go ~1.0 mi to  Lost Maples General Store on left (Gas, food and bathrooms)

Continue northwest on RR-187.  Go 18 mi to stop sign.

Right onto TX-39 E  Go 26.3 mi.

Straight onto TX-27 E to Ingrahm.  TX-27 E will take you into Kerrville.