FM 170 between Study Butte and Presidio has been voted to the BEST IN TEXAS by readers is many categories including the #1 Best Road in Texas. It’s more than a little off the beaten path, but it’s so worth it.
Wildflower Season
Late winter rains, although rare, result in an incredible sight of the high desert in bloom. The other-worldly looking ocotillos shoot red spikes of blooms from the ends of their spiny branches. The prickly pears, echinocereus cactus, and all varieties of succulents that usually only display spikes and thorns, erupt in rich yellow, orange, and magenta hues. The Big Bend bluebonnets (Lupinus havardii), some at a foot tall, seem as if they could reach up and touch your feet as you ride by. This is a must-see for anyone who loves mountainous desert landscapes.
GO: FM 170 Between the mountains and the Rio Grande
View FM 170 in a larger map
This edition covers FM 170, along with other great river roads in Texas.
Vol 13 No 3 Rolling with the Rivers