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Steep Elevation Change for Practice Hike?

2,904 Views | 20 Replies | Last: 7 mo ago by doubledog
archangelus2
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3:58p, 7/5/24
AG
I am looking for some steep elevation to practice hiking for a backpacking trip. Right now I am using Wolfpen Creek Amphitheater which is OK and also an incline treadmill.

Any other ideas for steep inclines in the area with elevation changes greater than 40 feet over short distances?

The big mound over by Rock Prairie and Fitch looks perfect but doesn't look open to the public, I assume it was a landfill?
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KidDoc
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In reply to archangelus2 • 4:26p, 7/5/24
AG
archangelus2 said:
I am looking for some steep elevation to practice hiking for a backpacking trip. Right now I am using Wolfpen Creek Amphitheater which is OK and also an incline treadmill.

Any other ideas for steep inclines in the area with elevation changes greater than 40 feet over short distances?

The big mound over by Rock Prairie and Fitch looks perfect but doesn't look open to the public, I assume it was a landfill?
That is private land.

The only spot that comes to mind immediately for me is a decent hill in Pebble Creek. It is on Stonebriar circle.

How about out at the new hood where Texas Speedway was? They still have those huge berms out there if you can access it.

From google maps it looks like you can access the burm at the old speedway.
Google Maps


Good luck with your training!
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lawless89
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4:29p, 7/5/24
Backside of Bryan High football stadium. I hated that hill in high school.
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ratfacemcdougal
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5:25p, 7/5/24
Lake atlas observation tower
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woodiewood
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In reply to KidDoc • 5:40p, 7/5/24
KidDoc said:
archangelus2 said:
I am looking for some steep elevation to practice hiking for a backpacking trip. Right now I am using Wolfpen Creek Amphitheater which is OK and also an incline treadmill.

Any other ideas for steep inclines in the area with elevation changes greater than 40 feet over short distances?

The big mound over by Rock Prairie and Fitch looks perfect but doesn't look open to the public, I assume it was a landfill?
That is private land.

The only spot that comes to mind immediately for me is a decent hill in Pebble Creek. It is on Stonebriar circle.

How about out at the new hood where Texas Speedway was? They still have those huge berms out there if you can access it.

From google maps it looks like you can access the burm at the old speedway.
Google Maps


Good luck with your training!
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woodiewood
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5:43p, 7/5/24
You could walk or run the streets in Williams Creek subdivision and get a great workout. The Brazos county topo map shows elevations from 213 to about 290 feet.

https://en-us.topographic-map.com/map-35wkl/Brazos-County/?center=30.57404%2C-96.22304&zoom=16&popup=30.57613%2C-96.22337

When I was in college and got into a health kick, I would walk the stairs up and down a few times three or four days a week in the O&M building (about 120 ft) and in the Harrington Education building and got a good workout.
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MikeTV
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5:54p, 7/5/24
I used bleachers with a loaded backpack. This area is dreadfully flat.
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FlyRod
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6:58p, 7/5/24
Dunno if this is an option that appeals to you, but when I go wilderness/canyon hiking in the AZ mountains with buds, I strap on a decently loaded backpack and use elevated treadmills at Golds. It ain't perfect but it works.
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doubledog
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9:22p, 7/5/24
McKinney Roughs Nature Park
  • 1884 SH 71 West
  • Cedar Creek, TX 78612 near Bastrop

a hour+ drive from BCS but good well kept trails and steep hikes.

https://www.lcra.org/parks/mckinney-roughs-nature-park/
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FamousAgg
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9:48p, 7/5/24
Lake Bryan, up and down the dam. About A 30 degree angle 30 foot in elevation, about 50' of flat, 3 sets of incline. It's immediately west of the front gate. If you go to the east of the entrance it's more of a straight shot up maybe 80 feet


There are also 20 miles of mountain bike trails they are up and down, but not many long stretches
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Cartographer
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10:26p, 7/5/24
I am doing this now. Been walking up Barron road to CSHS then I walk up and down the sets of stairs in the rear of the building. It's about 1.25 miles to the school at a good incline.

It's not perfect but I just got back from making 5 miles out of that.
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milner79
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11:26p, 7/5/24
There is a large grass-covered mound off Rock Prairie as you enter the Baylor Scott & White campus. Possibly helpful???
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runnrboy
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In reply to FamousAgg • 3:44p, 7/6/24
AG
As a member of Brazos Valley Mountain Bike Club, we built and maintain the trail system and have been told by BTU that no one is allowed on the sides of the levee. This is why we had to move the trails off the levee. There was a group of hikers using the levee on the East side to do exactly what the OP wants to do and they wore a pretty significant trail into the levee. Then mountain bikers saw it and thought it was an official trail and started riding down it. A few people were injured going down the trail and I believe one had to be carried out by EMS. Then erosion started to happen, which is not good for the levee. BTU thought we created it and threatened to close the trails. After a lot of discussion we convinced BTU that it wasn't us but others doing this.

The West side trails have been closed off a couple of times because of issues with the levee. One time it was closed for a few years until they fixed the issues. And we had to rebuild all the trails on the West side. BVMBA has spent a lot of time and resources working with BTU to keep the trails rideable and hikeable for everyone, so I highly suggest not to do this.
https://bvmba.net/surrounding-trails/
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Hornbeck
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4:26p, 7/6/24
AG
Is the area around the old dump off Rock Prairie accessible? I know the Greenway runs behind there.
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General Jack D. Ripper
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1:44p, 7/7/24
Run up and down the amphitheater green at Wolf Pen.
Space may be the final frontier, but it’s made in a Hollywood basement.
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techno-ag
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8:59p, 7/7/24
AG
The north end of 2818 has a nice hill with lots of open space.
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dubi
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8:41a, 7/8/24
AG
Winding Rd in College Station is just north of Southwest Pkwy. Nice hill right in the middle of the city.

In fact, I taught my kids to drive a stick shift on that hill so they would learn not to roll backwards.
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zachsccr
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7:59p, 7/8/24
AG
Parking garages on campus. Early on a Saturday you can run/ruck the ramps.
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amanda04
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9:29p, 7/8/24
AG
I've trained for elevation hikes using the Atlas stairs and a weighted backpack and endless box stepups and a weighted backpack during weekdays and traveling within 2 hours for longer hikes on the weekend.

For weekend hikes, check out the River Place Nature Trail in Austin, which has a dece[tively deceiving change in elevation for being in a subdivision. Also, decent is the river trail in Cameron Park in Waco.

Best of luck on your hike!
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runnrboy
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7:31a, 7/9/24
AG
And if you are heading to Austin other places to check out would be the Hill of Life at the north end of the Barton Creek Greenbelt. It's off of Camp Craft Rd and will get you close to 300ft in 1/2 mile.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3WoabiKpr45wDx5Y6

Or if you want something longer you could try Jester Blvd. It's around 2 miles and about 300ft of gain. It is a paved subdivision road though.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/iewyVRzHi2qFrvyR8
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doubledog
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7:48a, 7/9/24
Some good hills at Lost Maples

https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lost-maples/

It is a good drive and an overnight stay but well worth it.

If you are looking at some high country hiking (e.g. Philmont). I would consider Mckinney Roughs or Lost Maples. You need to train on hiking up rocky slopes. Get used to the uneven terrain and the skills need to hike on and over rocks. It is not just the up hill training but the long flatter trails that you need to learn how to pace yourself. Finally if you are training for the high country then you need to consider acclimatization. You can have the fittest body at 300 ft and literally be out of shape at 9000 ft. Three days is normally enough to acclimatize so always take it easy the first couple of days (deep breathing etc). Altitude sickness is a real and miserable thing.
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