Texans Are Building Their Own 1,500-Mile Trail, and It's Actually Happening

Texas is getting its own version of the Pacific Crest Trail, and it is being willed into existence almost entirely by volunteers. In late August, the nonprofit behind the Cross Texas Trail announced on xTexas.org that a new wave of Dallas–Fort Worth supporters had signed on to help build it — one more sign that a trail that started as one man's daydream is turning into something real.

What happened

The xTexas Trail Association put out word in late August that new talent from the DFW area is joining the effort. “The passion and support from Don and his friends and colleagues mean the world to us as a young non-profit establishing such a visionary goal for Texas,” said xTx founder Charlie Gandy. The goal is not small. The group is creating a 1,500-mile adventure trail through the heart of rural Texas for hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. The 1,505-mile xTx begins near the Texas/Louisiana border on the south end of Toledo Bend reservoir, travels through bayous and piney forests, the most remote part of the Hill Country, the Big Bend region, the Chihuahuan desert, the Davis Mountains, and the Guadalupe and Franklin Mountains before ending in El Paso on the New Mexico border.

And here's the part that makes it more than a nice idea on a map: Gandy completed his full inaugural thru-hike of the xTx with two friends on March 29, 2026, and trail supporter Rhea Wallace bikepacked the entire route in 2025, with Gandy joining him for the last 300 miles. Somebody has now walked the whole thing. It works.

Why it matters

Big trails usually take decades and a lot of committees. This one is moving because regular people keep showing up. More than 150 people have volunteered their time, talent, and treasure, and the project has been featured in 40-plus media stories, including CNN's 5 Good Things podcast and NPR's All Things Considered. The whole thing began recently, too — the xTx was launched as an idea in June of 2024, when Gandy was hiking in Lake Tahoe, kept encountering snow, and realized Texas was the perfect place for a long-distance trail without so many weather challenges. Two years from idea to a completed thru-hike is a remarkable pace for anything, let alone a trail longer than most states are wide.

A trail made of neighbors

The route is honest about what it is. In its current iteration, the xTx uses public paved, gravel, and dirt roads and singletrack. That means the trail passes through real places — small towns, ranch country, county roads — and depends on the goodwill of the people who live along it. The organization says it plainly: every mile will be built through relationships, with neighbors helping neighbors, towns welcoming travelers, and communities taking pride in their land. That's the version of Texas we like to print on shirts, and it's nice to see it out there swinging loppers. If that's your Texas too, our Texas collection was made with you in mind.

What you can do about it

You don't have to hike 1,505 miles to be part of this. The association has leaned on volunteers to "ground-proof" sections of the route from the start, and the late-August announcement shows they're still growing the crew — hikers, cyclists, equestrians, and folks who are just handy with a spreadsheet or a chainsaw. Even simply riding or walking a section near you and reporting back is useful work on a trail this young. One practical note: the route was designed to be traveled in the cooler months. Gandy's vision from the beginning was a cross-state trail to be traveled in late fall, winter, and early spring. Summer out there is no joke — which is roughly the entire premise of our Hot in Texas Tee.

Common questions

Is the Cross Texas Trail open yet?

It has been fully traveled — the founder finished the inaugural thru-hike in March 2026, and the plan has been to officially open the trail by publishing a final route later in the year. Check xTexas.org for current route info before you go.

Do I need to be a hardcore hiker to help?

No. The project runs on volunteers of all kinds — 150-plus people have already pitched in time, talent, and treasure, and much of the work is scouting sections, spreading the word, and building local relationships.

When's the best time to go see it?

Cooler months. The trail was conceived for late fall, winter, and early spring travel, when West Texas is glorious instead of punishing.

Reported by xTexas.org. Details as published at the time of writing.