Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area
Barnwell Mountain Recreation Area is a 1,850-acre East Texas Pineywoods OHV park in Upshur County near Gilmer, operated by the Texas Motorized Trails Coalition (TMTC), a non-profit organization that manages several major Texas OHV destinations and issues the TMTC membership that covers access across its properties. The East Texas Pineywoods terrain at Barnwell Mountain is the defining characteristic: loblolly and longleaf pine forest on the red-clay and sandy-loam soils of the Sabine River watershed, with a topography that is hillier than the Gulf Coast properties and flatter than the Hill Country, the Upshur County ridgelines and creek drainages provide genuine grade changes without the limestone rock-crawl character of western Texas. The trail inventory is diverse: 27+ miles of motorcycle single-track specifically designed for the dirt bike market, a 16-mile dual-sport loop that spans the property at a faster pace, and additional multi-use OHV trails for ATVs, UTVs, and full-size 4x4s. Non-member day admission is $30/person per weekend stay; TMTC family memberships at $60/year provide the most cost-effective access for repeat visitors. Overnight infrastructure is full-service: six cabins at $65–95/night, bunkhouses for groups, primitive camping at $10/night, and electric RV sites at $25–35/night. Operating hours are Thursday noon through Sunday 6pm, with extended holiday hours (903-797-4066).