Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in Path Finders, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can join the mailing list at the bottom of this article and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week.
The xTx Trail is a proposed 1,500-mile route stretching across Texas from the Louisiana border to El Paso. Designed for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians, the route weaves existing public paved, gravel, and dirt backroads together with trails, and travels through stat…
Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in Path Finders, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can join the mailing list at the bottom of this article and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week.
The xTx Trail is a proposed 1,500-mile route stretching across Texas from the Louisiana border to El Paso. Designed for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians, the route weaves existing public paved, gravel, and dirt backroads together with trails, and travels through state and national parks, crossing the state’s vast and varied landscapes. The xTx team plans to gradually move sections of the trail off public roads and onto private property via public access easements in the coming years.
Founded by Charlie Gandy and publicly announced in August 2024, the project has quickly gained momentum across Texas. Today, the xTx leadership team – Gandy, his wife and chief storytelling officer Melissa Balmer, and executive director in training Beckie Irvin – is charting the path forward, opening new possibilities for outdoor recreation and discovery.
Just over one year in, the team has rallied hundreds of volunteers to ground-proof the proposed route, built relationships with landowners across the state, and navigated challenges along the way.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
**The Daily Yonder: How did the vision of the xTx develop? Take me back to the beginning and what this project means to you. **
**Charlie Gandy: **I’m a native Texan. We go back several generations. I went to the University of Texas and served in the state legislature in my early 20s, which gave me a good sense of the state and its people. Later, I founded BikeTexas, an advocacy group for cycling. The idea for a cross-state trail – something like the Pacific Crest Trail – grew out of that work and my time with The Nature Conservancy, where I had the chance to see what’s behind the gates of the 96% of Texas land that’s privately owned. I started to imagine a trail that could begin by connecting existing public facilities and, over time, expand through partnerships with private ranches that have unique features and landscapes. With my political background, experience across the state, and network of relationships, I realized I might be in a good position to help make that vision happen.
Beckie Irvin: I’m very, very passionate about Texas biodiversity and protecting the state’s various ecological regions in the state. About 95-97% of Texas land is privately owned, which means the only way to truly preserve our biodiversity and natural ecosystems in the state is by partnering with private landowners. That’s something xTx is doing actively and with a lot of heart, and it’s become something I am really passionate about.
DY: Crossing 1,500 miles across Texas’s diverse ecosystems is no small feat. What does the trail’s infrastructure look like at this stage?
xTx Trail founder Charlie Gandy. (Photo courtesy of xTx)
**CG: **Right now, we are using as many dirt backroads in East Texas as possible. There is a whole network of quiet “ghost roads” that only see a few residents and the mailman. They make perfect, peaceful routes for the trail. We are also using county roads with wide shoulders where people already ride horses. In Coldspring, for example, we are designating routes that locals have used for generations.
From there, the trail moves through the Sam Houston National Forest, with about 30 miles of dirt forest roads, then continues along county roads past La Grange, Navasota, Smithville, and Lockhart before reaching the Hill Country. Out west, we follow more backroads and dirt routes where the terrain becomes tougher and more remote. It is a real challenge for hikers, cyclists, and riders heading toward Marfa and Guadalupe Peak.
DY: The public response has been strong across the state and I’ve seen first-hand how eager Texans are to be a part of this project. What has the dialogue been like with the ranchers, landowners, volunteers, and community representatives? What has organizing that energy across a 1,500-mile stretch looked like?
CG: There are a lot of people out there who have the three things we’re looking for: brains, brawn, and bucks. We’ve been tapping into all three. We’ve had lawyers and other professionals contribute their time and expertise, and we will continue to rely on volunteers because trail organizations always do. At the same time, many supporters want to see us move forward quickly but deliberately. Because this is a privately-led nonprofit effort, we do not have to wait on government approvals or lengthy processes, which allows us to make progress faster.
When we went public with this a year ago, several people came out of the woodwork saying, “I’ve hiked these trails, I’ve had this idea, and I never got around to doing it. How can I help?” Friends have jumped in and are excited to help, not only with designing the trail but also by talking to their neighbors along the route.
We have put together the trail, tested it, and ridden almost all of it, except for the last 300 miles. I have driven the route three and a half times, aside from the sections that are off-limits. It is a tough route and a serious challenge that will test the grit of even the most experienced hikers, mountain bikers, and riders.
Executive director in training Beckie Irvin. (Photo courtesy of xTx)
BI: Mobilizing hundreds of people is definitely a big task. Eventually, I imagine the xTx community will have thousands of trained volunteers across the state helping with trail maintenance. Right now, it’s more like “How do you eat an elephant one bite at a time?” To start, I created a volunteer menu on our website with specific opportunities and requests. My goal is to train volunteers to check the page regularly, stay updated on new opportunities, and get involved. From there, the network can grow organically. I also have ideas for organizing trail crews statewide, though we’re not ready to share those publicly yet. It’s a huge challenge, but it’s also an incredible honor to bring people together to make a project like this happen.
**DY: It sounds like there is already so much unfolding with xTx. What is on the horizon? **
**BI: **Over time, our goal is to slowly move sections of the xTx trail off public shoulders and onto private property via public access easements. We are feeling energized about the relationships we are building with land owners and their enthusiasm to share their corners of Texas with others.
CG: As we ground-proof the route, we’re identifying areas that pose challenges for horses. Our goal is to build the trail to a “horse-healthy” standard, because if a route is safe and comfortable for a horse, it will also work well for hikers and mountain bikers. In some spots, the trail might be fine for biking or hiking, but a bridge could be too narrow or a section too steep or uneven for horses. We’re mapping out those problem areas now.
When it comes to working with landowners, we’ve been having two types of conversations recently. The first is with those who can help us reroute around hazards or difficult sections. The second is with landowners who have unique natural features on their property, like a spring, cave, or other landmark, that could enhance the trail experience. In some cases, those landowners might want to offer camping spots or charge a small fee for access, which we’re open to discussing. The idea is to collaborate, highlight the special places along the route, and find solutions that benefit both the landowners and the trail community.
This interview first appeared in Path Finders, a weekly email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each Monday, Path Finders features a Q&A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Join the mailing list today, to have these illuminating conversations delivered straight to your inbox.
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