San Angelo Cycling and Running Routes

Cycling and Running Routes

San Angelo, Texas

Road cycling

1. The Knickerbocker Loop from the Mary E Lee Park swim beach to town of Knickerbocker and back, 26 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219937395.

2. Out and back on Arden Road from Liquor City to County Road 411 and back, 34 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219941479.

3. The Loop Group long course, 31 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219949563.

4. FM 2288 from Liquor City to HY 87 at Grape Creek and back, 20 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219952185.

5. A great loop around the Bluffs subdivision circuit (4.5 miles per lap – if you hammer through four laps you’ll get a hard 18 miles workout), www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220053265.

6. A flat route that includes Jamison Road from Liquor City, 16 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219960265.

7. A San Angelo classic - Burma Road out and back from Liquor City, 46 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219969249.

8. Susan Peak Road from highway 277 and Waling Pecan, 52 miles, nice hills in the middle part of the ride, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220038655.

9. A flat loop that circles the east side of Lake Nasworthy, 12 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219957275

10. A flat loop that goes from the swim beach to Highway 277 and back via Spring Creek Park, 20 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220056721.

11. The San Angelo Bicycle Association time trial (TT) course, Susan Peak road, 12 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220058723.

12. OC Fisher Dam, out and back, 14 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220061105.

13. A rolling route that goes through Knickerbocker, Tankersley, and Jamison Road from Swim Beach, 41 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220068259.

14. The Seven Sisters loop from the Swim Beach, 39 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220071789.

15. The Loop Group short route, 19 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220077825.

16. River Road loop, near downtown San Angelo, ~ 14 miles, http://www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/river-road-loop-route-23270662.

17. State Park road loop, 14 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220084343.

18. A flat route that starts at Fort Concho and goes out Paint Rock Road, 27 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220049079.

19. Swim Beach to Door Key Road out-and-back, 20 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220087789.

20. The Almost-to-Bronte” loop, 58 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/220090609.

21. Need more of a challenge?  Try the San Angelo Grand Fundo route (combination of pavement and dirt roads), http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/235844785

Cyclocross and dirt road bike routes (can also be ridden on a mountain bike)

1. State Park lake loop – a complete circle around OC Fisher reservoir, combination of paved roads and dirt roads/trails, 23 miles, http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/278912579

2. Twin Buttes lake loop, a complete circle around Twin Buttes reservoir, about 50 % pavement and 50% dirt/4WD road, 30 miles, www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/twin-buttes-lake-loop-with-dam-crossing-route-18139500.

3. An interesting loop that starts in Middle Concho Park with some dirt road and options for additional distance on 4WD roads or trails, 14 miles, www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219944467

4. A dirt road ride through ranch and oilfield country on CR 411 & 412 north of Mertzon. About 34 miles if done as an out-and-back, http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/226310267.

5. ASU cyclocross course on Johnson Street next to the ASU softball fields.  Approximate lap distance is about one mile – do multiple laps to get a hard in-town workout, http://www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/asufit-cx-course-johnson-and-university-route-42676610.

6. Middle Concho cyclocross practice course, Middle Concho Park, www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/mid-concho-cx-training-loop-route-152193331.

Mountain biking (or trail running)

1.       Spillway Hill (Middle Concho Park) mountain bike or trail run loop, distance will vary depending on how much of the motorcycle trail loop is used. The dirt road and 4WD tracks are good routes for new or casual cyclists, www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/spillway-hill-ride-route-18828500,

2.       San Angelo State Park, miles and miles of trails with multiple possible routes, www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/san-angelo-state-park-south-to-north-loo-route-83619741.

3.       Powerline loop (or out-and-back), a short but challenging area near Lamar Elementary that follows the power lines.  There are some short but steep hills, good for mountain bikes or for a trail run, http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/281662935.

4.       Twin Buttes – Spring Creek out-and-back.  This is part of the 30-miles Lake Loop ride but includes only the 4WD roads between the Equalization Channel and the crossing at Spring Creek. Mostly flat-to rolling, great views especially along Spring Creek, suitable for cyclocross or mountain bike, http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/281676781.

Running and Walking

(There are literally hundreds of routes in the San Angelo area, but the listing below highlights some of the most popular and routes that are used for events or general fitness activities.)

1. Twin Buttes access road (also know as the infamous Dirt Road from Hell). This road was formerly used for the Wool Capitol triathlon and Striders Duathlon long course. Starts in Middle Concho Park - this is a GREAT training run on soft surfaces. Can also be accessed from highway 67 south.  http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/257740231
2. Run in the Sun 8K route (a nationally certified course), http://www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/run-in-the-sun-2007-route-441709
3. Trail run in the State Park, 3.8 miles but can easily be lengthened, http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/238846685
4. Armydillo 10K (formerly used for the Marine Corps Bulldog Run), http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/283430321
5. Red Bluff Road out-and-back, http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/283431299
6. ASU Turkey Trot 5K (on the campus): www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/new-turkey-trot-route-24705746
7. Run to Remember (on the ASU campus): www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/run-to-remember-2012-route-114034573
8. Family Day 5K (on the ASU campus): www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/229484405
9. Homecoming 5K (on the ASU campus): www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/216412233
10. Silver Wings 5K route (on the ASU campus): http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/70329540
11. Full tour of ASU campus (5K): http://www.mapmyrun.com/us/san-angelo-tx/a-run-mapped-on-02-20-2012-route-70200536
12. East campus loop 5K: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/283274905
13. KOA loop: http://www.mapmyride.com/us/san-angelo-tx/koa-mar-2-2011-5-53-pm-route-29033108
14. Spillway Hill Trail Run (can easily be lengthened or shortened): http://www.mapmyride.com/us/brownwood-tx/spillway-hill-trail-run-route-4153291
15. Crazy Desert trail run (half marathon), San Angelo State Park: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/244860612
16. Routes on the ASUFit web site: http://www.angelo.edu/services/fitness_wellness/routes.php
17. Routes on the SAISD web site at each school and also community routes): http://saisd.org/media/docs/wellness/SAISD%20Fitness%20Routes_Combined%20Listing.pdf

Triathlon-specific workout venues and routes

1. Lake Nasworthy swim beach: Swim around the no-wake markers, ride out-and-back toward the town of Knickerbocker (www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/219937395), and run on Fisherman’s Road into Spring Creek Park (http://www.mapmyride.com/us/brownwood-tx/spring-creek-park-from-swim-beach-route-7448249).
2. Middle Concho Park (Wool Capitol Triathlon transition area):  Swim in the Middle Concho inlet of Lake Nasworthy, bike on Red Bluff Road toward the town of Knickerbocker and back (http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/283435263), and then run on The Dirt Road From Hell (http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/257740231)

(Copyright 2013 Bill G. Cullins All rights reserved)