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Spider Mountain Bike Park, Texas: A First-Time Visitor’s Guide

ByBecky Timbers
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I’ve always been drawn to unique and one-of-a-kind experiences, so when I first learned about Spider Mountain Bike Park – the ONLY lift-served bike park in all of Texas – I knew I had to get there.

On a recent trip to Texas Hill Country, I finally made it happen. Spoiler alert – it’s awesome!

I was a little skeptical at first because [one] Spider Mountain has roughly 350 ft of vertical drop (compare that to 3,100 ft of vertical drop at Mammoth Mountain, one of my favorite parks in the west) and [two] there are a whopping 7 miles and a dozen trails to choose from (read that with an edge of sarcasm).

BUT, despite its short stature and finite run options, I had a blast at Spider Mountain. I spent a full day there and got my money’s worth by fitting in 23 laps and hitting all of the trails – many more than once.

If it’s your first time heading to Spider Mountain Bike Park, in this post I cover everything you need to know to make it a fun, memorable, and successful day.

Let’s ride!

Special thanks to Carey Kriger of Debcar.com for taking some of these photos and joining more for an awesome day at Spider!

Mountain biker in the air going over jump before wall ride at Spider Mountain Bike Park in Texas
The iconic Lone Star flag wall ride on Tarantula

FAQs & Facts about Spider Mountain

Here are a few quick things to know about mountain biking at Spider Mountain:

  • When is Spider Mountain open? The lifts at Spider Mountain run Friday through Monday 8am to 4pm.
  • Is Spider Mountain open year-round? Yep! Although they do close for bad weather.
  • How do I buy a ticket? You can buy them online or in person. See more about passes below.
  • Can I ride when the lifts aren’t running? Yes. Uphill access is allowed Tuesday – Thursday from dawn to dusk. You need to sign a waiver and pay a $15 land use fee.
  • Are e-bikes allowed? Yes, but you need to be able to lift it onto the rack.
  • How hard are the trails? There is something for everyone at Spider Mountain. There’s the beginner-friendly Itsy Bitsy flow line to the expert-only steep and raw Stinger.
  • Is there water available? Coolers of water with paper cups are available at the base and top of the lift (you can also leave a water bottle so you don’t waste cups). There are also beverages (including beer) available at the retail store/ticket window.
  • What about food? There are some snacks available for purchase at the ticket office. Spider Mountain also has a rotating selection of food trucks, however, there was no food truck when I rode on a Monday. Nearby Container City also has food trucks – see more about Container City in the ‘Where to stay’ section below.
Woman sitting on chairlift with mountain bike at Spider Mountain Bike Park in Texas
Spider Mountain overlooks Lake Buchanan – be sure to get a photo at the top!

Loading your bike onto the lifts at Spider Mountain

One of the biggest questions people have before visiting a new bike park is how bikes are loaded onto the lift.

Even I feel a bit of anxiety every time go to load my bike – will I be able to do it? What if my bike falls off? Am I going to the person who causes the whole lift to shut down?

Stop and take a breath – you got this! My advice is to ask the lift attendant to load your bike for you the first time so you can see how it’s done. After that, you can try it yourself or even have the liftie continue doing it for you – that’s their job.

At Spider Mountain, bikes are loaded by placing the front wheel on a hook at the back of the lift. It’s pretty simple, but you do need a bit of arm strength to lift it up. It’ll probably be awkward at first, but once you do it a few times it gets easier. Again, if you’re nervous, have someone do it for you.

Bikes loaded on the the back of a chairlift at Spider Mountain Bike Park in Texas
At Spider Mountain, bikes hang from the front wheel on hooks at the back of the lift

Getting to Spider Mountain Bike Park

Spider Mountain Bike Park is located in Burnet, Texas near Lake Buchanan. If you’re coming from one of the major cities nearby, Spider Mountain is:

  • Austin: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Dallas: 3 hours 15 minutes
  • San Antonio: 2 hours

The drive to the mountain is on winding back roads and you’ll probably be wondering whether your GPS is lost. It’s not – Spider Mountain is just a bit out there.

Here are the Google driving directions for Spider Mountain Bike Park.

For parking, there is free parking at the base of the lift. You might have to drive down the road a bit to find a spot, but there should be plenty of space. That being said, Spider Mountain gets really busy on weekends, so parking will probably be a bit more of a hassle.

Watch Dusty MTB explore Spider Mountain

Spider Mountain Passes, Hours, Rentals, & more

Passes

Passes are required to ride at Spider Mountain Bike Park, but there are a few things to know before you purchase your pass:

  • Buy online in advance to save money. Spider Mountain does ‘dynamic pricing’. That means if you buy ahead of time, you can get tickets for as little as $25. Purchase tickets here.
  • 12-month season passes are available: Spider Mountain offers several different season passes. You can just buy a Spider Mountain bike park pass or get a combo pass to partner ski resorts like Brian Head and Purgatory. Learn more about the different passes here.
  • Pedal uphill pass: If you want to access Spider Mountain during the week (Tuesday – Thursday), you don’t need a lift ticket, but you do need to sign a waiver and purchase a $15 land use fee. You can grab this at the Thunderbird Lodge office.
Mountain biker at Spider Mountain Bike Park riding under Cedar Fever trail sign

Hours

The lifts at Spider Mountain Bike Park run Friday through Monday from 8am to 4pm. The park is open year-round, but they do close for rain and bad weather. Spider Mountain also hosts races and other events, so it’s a good idea to check their Events page to see current conditions and happenings.

Rentals & Bike Shop

Spider Mountain has a fleet of rental mountain bikes ready to be ridden. I saw mainly Trek bikes, but they might have a few different brands. All are full suspension. Rentals are $99 per day and you can reserve your bike online as well as rent a helmet and protective gear if needed.

If you need something fixed on your own bike, there is a small bike shop staffed with mechanics who can try to help you out.

Shopping for a full face helmet?

Smith Mainline Full Face Mountain Bike Helmet

Protect your face and pearly whites. When I’m at the bike park, I always wear a full face helmet. Not only does it give me more peace of mind when I’m bombing downhill, but I also know that it’s going to do a lot more to protect my head and face in the event of a crash.

My favorite full face helmet is the Smith Mainline. It’s comfortable to wear, has decent ventilation, and is downhill-certified meaning it has been tested for safety.

This helmet also comes with three different cheek pad sizes, so you can get a snug fit.

Buy AT Backcounty Buy AT Smith Buy AT Competitive Cyclist
Fleet of rental mountain bikes at Spider Mountain Bike Park
Spider Mountain has a fleet of rental bikes

Lessons

New to bike parks and/or mountain biking? Spider Mountain offers FREE beginner lessons on select Saturdays starting at 9 am. You do need to register online. I’ve never heard of a bike park offering free lessons, so this is pretty cool. Bike rental and lift pass are not included, so you need to purchase those separately.

The layout of the park

Spider Mountain is a pretty easy park to figure out. There is one chairlift – the Texas Eagle – and all trails start at the top.

Here are a few stats about the park:

  • Miles of trail: 7 miles
  • Max elevation: 1,426 ft
  • Vertical drop: 350 ft
  • Number of trails: 16
Spider Mountain Bike Park trail map
Spider Mountain Bike Park trail map

An intro to the trails

So what are the trails like at Spider Mountain? They’re awesome! I thought Spider Mountain had a good mix of everything from beginner-friendly tracks to expert-only descents. There’s also a variety of terrain – there are machine-built trails as well as raw and rugged downhill ones.

  • Itsy Bitsy: A machine-built flow trail at its best! Great first run or for kids and beginners to get comfortable and practice skills.
  • Centipede: An alternative to Itsy Bitsy. It has a stretch of dirt rollers that look like a centipede.
  • Recluse: An intermediate jump line.
  • Cedar Fever: One of the newer trails at Spider Mountain. It’s a mix of flow and tech. One of my favorites.
  • Vipers Den: My favorite! A great trail with a little bit of everything from bermed turns to drops and rock gardens.
  • Tarantula: The ‘features’ trail at Spider Mountain. There are wooden ramps, a wall ride, and some jumps. Nothing is mandatory or you could go full send.
  • Sidewinder: Fast, tight, bermed turns. So fun!
  • Venom: A really fun intermediate jump line off the back side of the mountain.
  • Antidote: A slightly larger jump line that parallels Recluse, but nothing mandatory.
  • Sticky Icky: A raw and natural downhill trail. They reworked the upper part and it needs some burning in. Lower Sticky Icky is great, though.
  • Stinger: A steep, raw, and expert-only downhill trail. There are two crux sections, both of which feature steep rocky gardens.
  • Sleep tight: I didn’t ride the A-line on this trail because it ends with a massive drop that you can see from the lift. There is a B-line to the right side, though, that is very steep and loose.

Read More

New to Bike parks?

Mountain biker riding bike off rock ledge onto wooden ramp at Spider Mountain Bike Park in Texas
Stinger is the hardest trail at Spider Mountain with steep rock gardens and rugged terrain

My experience at Spider Mountain

I spent a full day at Spider Mountain and loved every second of it. While it is a small bike park compared to some of the massive DH parks out west, Spider has done an awesome job at creating a place where everyone can have fun.

I was really impressed with the quality of trails (for a year-round bike park, they are in great shape) and I really appreciated the variety of features and terrain. The builders packed a lot in on a small mountain!

My day at Spider didn’t start until about 10:30 am (lifts open at 8 am) but we rode lap after lap until the lifts closed down at 4 with only a short lunch break. I think if I’d had two days to ride, I wouldn’t have done such a long day since there are only so many laps you can do on a dozen trails.

One thing to note is that I visited on a Monday. I think the scene is very different on Saturdays and Sundays. Expect to wait in line longer and run into some trail traffic. Remember that everyone is there to have fun, so be kind and courteous.

Mountain biker standing next to bike wearing full face helmet at Spider Mountain Bike Park in Texas
I loved Spider Mountain!

Where to stay: Camping & Lodging

Sticking around for the weekend? Here are your options for camping and accommodations near Spider:

  • Thunderbird Lodge: These are the cabins and accommodations right at Spider Mountain. The suites and villas can sleep 4 – 20+ people. There’s a 2-night minimum stay and prices include bike park tickets.
  • VRBO: There are a number of great (and affordable) VRBOs around Burnet and Spider Mountain. Spider Mountain is just a minutes from this beautiful one!
  • Container City: This quirky little place is located on the backside of Spider Mountain. They have shipping container accommodations as well as a small campground with water and electric hookups. There’s also an open-air bar and food truck.
  • Inks Lake State Park: This is a nice little state park just south of Spider Mountain. They have a small campground for RVs and tents.
  • Reveille Peak Ranch: For more rustic camping, nearby Reveille Peak Ranch offers camping on their property. They do have a few hook-up sites, but no potable water is available. Reveille also has its share of awesome mountain bike trails! I camped here for 4 nights.

Booking a hotel? Check out these hotels near Burnet, TX.

Other things to do around Spider Mountain

Spider Mountain Bike Park is a destination in and of itself, but if you have more time to explore the area, here are a few more things to do around Burnet, TX:

  • Keep mountain biking! Check out my guide on mountain biking in Texas Hill Country for more information and inspiration. Station Mountain is another bike park just down the road from Spider.
  • Visit Longhorn Cavern State Park: I wish I’d had time to walk through these caverns because they look amazing. Next time!
  • Go wine tasting: I didn’t realize it until I got to Texas, but there are a ton of wineries in Hill Country including several near Spider Mountain. A few to visit are Torr Na Lochs, Perissos Vineyard, and 7 Creeks Vineyard.
  • Take a river tour or rent kayaks: Spider Mountain sits right next to Lake Buchanan and the Colorado River (not that Colorado River), so it’s a great place to get out on the water. Vanishing Texas River Cruises offers unique boat tours or you can rent a kayak and explore on your own.
  • Relax at Inks Lake State Park: Whether you’re camping there or not, Inks Lake State Park is a nice place to spend a day or afternoon. There’s a small lake for swimming or kayaking and there are also a number of hiking trails.

I hope this guide gives you all the info and details you need to head out to Spider Mountain Bike Park. It’s a really fun place to spend a day or weekend and I think you’ll enjoy it just as much as I did.

Read next

Looking for more lift or shuttle-accessed bike parks? Here are a few of my favorite close-ish to Spider:

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Have you been to Spider Mountain? What do you think? Did you love the riding as much as I did? What questions do you still have? Leave a comment below!

Becky is the creator and founder of the bike blog Two Wheeled Wanderer. She's been riding bikes and traveling the world since she was a kid and likes nothing more than enjoying some flowy singletrack or embarking on a multi-day bikepacking adventure. When she's not blogging, Becky is a Level 1 PMBIA-certified mountain bike coach and coaches with Ladies AllRide.

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