TEXAS — Texas is one step closer to having its first border-to-border trail. The Cross Texas Trail, dubbed xTx, is a 1,500-mile, mixed-use route across Texas for hikers, bikers and horse riders.
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The idea started with fifth-generation Texan Charles Gandy, who wanted to create a trail that showcases the state’s diverse landscapes and supports local communities. Gandy was inspired by trails like the Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails. The xTx route is currently in its ground-proofing phase, with volunteers testing different sections. One ground-proofer has set out to complete the entire draft route.
Moondog Roop is a thru-skater documenting the journey by skating portions of the route, helping to identify potential improvements and challenges. Roop is no stranger to trekking across states with a board and a backpack. With 3,000 miles of thru skating and hiking experience under his belt, Roop says the challenge is what draws him to the journey.
“I like the that I’m out in the elements and the difficulty really has an appeal to it,” Roop says.
Roop has been documenting his travels through the Lone Star State on Instagram and YouTube, since he started on the xTx in March. He says one of the reasons he fell in love with thru-skating is because of how it takes you through towns.
“A lot of these towns have kind of that small-town feel which is a real benefit of going on this route in Texas,” He explains. “Going from small town to small town, you can see how people live both similarly and differently than you.”
The appreciation for small Texas towns is shared by Gandy, who hopes to see the trail support the communities it goes through.
“We are having property owners say we want that trail to go across our ranch. We have about a half a dozen people who want to buy property on the route, to be trail angels and trail heads to support people doing the xTx," said Gandy.
The xTx team is planning a grand opening in the fall after further route refinement, hoping to establish a long-distance trail that will become a significant recreational and cultural resource for the state.
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