Bike Solitario?

[JeffB]

Has anyone biked the Solitario?   One of the outfitters offers a bike expedition for a mere $500 (no thanks).  I'm wondering if the solitario is reasonably accessible and were any trail maps could be found.  And is primitive bike camping allowed?  Any info is appreciated.

[SHANEA]

Good one.  

I'd never heard about biking the Solitario before nor even thought about it.

Cross country hiking/camping is not currently allowed out there.  With the new changes going on at BBRSP with opening up of areas, roads, trails, who knows.

10:1 since an outfitter is doing it, I'd be willing to lay odds that you have to be an outfitter or on a tour to have access to the area.

[JeffB]

Thanks, I'll keep looking into it.  The only thing I've done in the State Park is hike Closed Canyon and canoe Colorado Canyon.

A while back there was a thread about some state park land for sale and I naively said that I'd head out there and have a look to see what was for sale.  Boy was I wrong.  I have come to understand the the state park is mostly inaccessible and usually you have to arrange a guided tour to do much of anything.  

I'd sure love to take a GPS out to Solitario and bring back some mapable routes.  If they will allow us to bike without a guide then we're up for it.  Maybe I'm still too naive about the ruggedness of that area.

[JeffB]

Well apparently it is not the ruggedness of the area that will keep us from Solitario.  

In order to bike & hike the Solitario you must set up the tour with an outfitter.  They have an exclusive contract with the State Park for that. $500 per person.

The only other alternative is a guided tour conducted by the state park; they tour the area in a Suburban.

It kind of makes me mad that they restrict access to such a degree at one of our State Parks.  Unless you are commercial and have lots of money, then go right ahead.  I can't believe they won't even let anyone go out there on foot.

[SHANEA]

It kind of makes me mad

Nope, it makes me as mad as heck and I'm not going to take it anymore.  Hopefully things will "improve" when they open up the new areas, etc.  If access is going to remain restricted to all areas of the park, then maybe TPWD ought to just auction it off.   :shock:   What is the point of having all the land if there is no access to it, except by expensive commercial outfitters  :?:   Can you imagine what BIBE would be like if everything was restricted, no cross country hiking/backpacking.  Any time you wanted to go anywhere and see anything, for the most part, you have to be with an outfitter.

[presidio]

Can you imagine what BIBE would be like if everything was restricted, no cross country hiking/backpacking.  Any time you wanted to go anywhere and see anything, for the most part, you have to be with an outfitter.

They're probably working on that behind the scenes right now.

State or national park....doesn't matter. They both want to highly restrict your activities, thus letting you do only what THEY find acceptable on YOUR public land.

Your taxes (and ever-increasing use fees) pay for all this, but you get no voice in the process as all the restrictions are couched in terms of 'preservation' or 'safety', even when there is no demonstrable impact to the resources, nor any individual duty to any person to ensure their safety. The most perverse reason is 'lack of proper staffing' to manage you. If they can't staff it, you can't use it. You might hurt yourself if not constantly and fully supervised.

Since they charge you for your presence, they become fully liable for injury; unlike under the recreational-use law which shields landowners from liability as long as they allow you free access. Their contractors also are in the liability chain.