Warning: Your browser appears to have Javascript disabled. In order to use some features of Texas Hiking successfully, such as this one, you'll need to enable Javascript.

Parrie Haynes Ranch

Type: Trail

Length: 40.00 Miles

Elevation Gain: N/A

Cost: N/A

Rating:

(2.00)1

Difficulty: 2stars

(2.00)

Solitude:

(4.00)

ADA Accessible: No

Bikes Allowed: Yes

Dogs Allowed: Yes

Interpretive Guide: No

Address: 13816 North Maxdale Road

City: Killeen

County: Bell

More Information: More Info

Log Your Hike

Map

Topo maps provided by MyTopo.com (buy now!) Larger Map Order Map

Order a topo map

Getting there: Traveling from Austin I-35N, take Hwy 195 north (exit 266) & drive for 24 miles, go through Florence and cross the Lampasas River, then turn left on FM 2670 at the blue "Parrie Haynes Youth Ranch" sign. Go 3.7 miles and take right on Maxdale Road; the main entrance is the first left onto Gann Branch Rd. Travel on Gann Branch Rd for 2 miles until you cross the second cattle guard and are back on a blacktop road. Take a left at the 'T' in the road and follow this for about 1/2 mile. The Hilltop Complex office will be the first building on your right.

Parrie Haynes Ranch is a relatively new property that previously had been leased by the Texas State Parks system. It appears that the Boys and Girls Club will be taking on the lease in the future. The property's equestrian center has been subleased by Ona Trubee, who has put extensive efforts into maintaining and upgrading the property.

The ranch includes two land parcels and trails are present on each, though more work has been completed on the "east" parcel that contains the equestrian center facilities. Trails have been marked and cleared with more work expected in the future.

Log Entries

By Chinacareys on 1/9/2010
Rating: 2stars

Difficulty: 2stars

Solitude:

Distance: 6.00 Miles Duration: N/A

Parrie Haynes Ranch is composed of two parcels; the trails are on the East Side Parcel. The directions on the top of the page are to the west side group area which requires a group reservation and a code to open the gate farther down Gann Branch Road.

To get to the trail area (East Side Parcel) go past Gann Branch Road main entrance and go down Maxdale Road for about 2 miles and turn left at the Parrie Haynes Ranch sign. There is a self pay station on the left before the building on the left. There is a $10.00 per car usage fee. Be sure to print out a trail map before you go, since there were none provided at the self check-in. Trail map http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_mp_k0700_0159b.pdf

The trails are well marked with color coded flagging, so print the map in color.We hiked mostly the red trail but also parts of the blue and yellow trail.

The East Trail head is on the road before the self-pay station and the West Trail head is at the end of the road to the left.

Also, please be aware that this is mainly an Equestrian trail and there may be horses on the trail. Horses have the right-of-way. The low muddy areas were difficult to cross due to being plowed up by so many horse hooves. This time of year some creeks were impossible to cross without wadding, which we decided not to attempt due to the temperature.

It was a beautiful January day for our hike, temperature in the 30s and 40s. We did not encounter any horseback riders on our hike possibly due to the temperature. The terrain is typical central Texas with cedar, oak and grass land. I would not recommend traveling a great distance to hike here at Parrie Haynes, but if you are in the Killeen area you might want to try it.