Spider Mountain: Texas’ Only Lift-Served Downhill Mountain Bike Park
If there’s one outdoor activity our family loves the most, it’s biking. Hands down.
Whether we’re ripping through local trails and pump tracks in Austin, casually discovering new cities and park trails on two wheels, or tackling the thrill of downhill mountain biking, we love it all.
Every ride is an adventure, and we’re always chasing the next one.
BTW THIS POST WAS EDITED BY LOGAN.
Enter Spider Mountain Bike Park—Texas’ only lift-served downhill mountain biking park, offering year-round gravity-fed thrills in the heart of the Hill Country. With a high-speed chairlift that whisks you and your bike to the top, there’s no need to grind uphill—just pure downhill fun.
The park features a variety of trails, from flowy green runs for beginners to technical black diamond descents packed with berms, drops, and jumps. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly riding, adrenaline-pumping challenges, or a full day of progression, Spider Mountain delivers.
Getting To Spider Mountain
Located in Burnet, Texas, Spider Mountain Bike Park, making it an easy day trip from several major cities in Texas. From Austin, TX, it is roughly 72 miles or about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The nearest towns are Marble Falls, TX being just 25 miles and Llano, TX about 35 miles to Spider Mountain.
You’ll likely want to make it a weekend trip if you’re coming from Dallas or Houston area as you will be looking at a 3-4 hour drive. Coming from San Antonio, TX? Should take you about 2-hours.
Guests can also stay at their sister property, Thunderbird Resort, just minutes away. You can decide if an overnight stay is needed after you shred down the mountains!
As a bonus, the park sits right next to Lake Buchanan, making for an epic backdrop!
First Impressions On Arrival
The moment we arrived, Logan’s eyes locked onto the Texas Eagle Chairlift, carrying riders and their bikes up the mountain.
We saw clusters of riders scattered all around—some racing downhill, others gearing up, some hopping on the lift, and a few taking a break. The energy was contagious.
The adrenaline was already kicking in as we parked and walked up to the rental shop to get our lift tickets, safety gear, and bike.
At the lift station, staff members were super helpful, showing us how to load bikes properly. Each lift alternates—one for bikes, one for passengers—and if it’s your first time, don’t worry—the staff will guide you through it.
Hitting the Trails: Downhill Runs Progression
Spider Mountain is broken down into three levels, which means that some of the trails have combinations of upper, middle, or lower sections. Since it was our first time at Spider Mountain, and being relatively new to downhill mountain biking, we started with the green trails, getting comfortable before pushing our limits.
1. Itsy Bitsy (Green – Beginner)
Our first run was Itsy Bitsy Trail, the easiest gravity trail at the park and perfect for warming up. The Itsy Bitsy Trail is broken up into 3 parts, upper, middle, and lower. This flowy, wide beginner trail gave us just the right mix of confidence-building turns, challenging berms, and mild descents.
There are parts that are rockier than we’d like, so just take it slow and don’t slam your brakes. Logan handled it well for a first run. It’s okay to take it slow. By the time we reached the bottom, he was pumped to go again!
2. Cedar Fever and Recluse (Blue – Intermediate)
After building confidence on the green Itsy Bitsy Trail, we went on the hunt for an “easy” blue trail. We first tried Cedar Fever which has a dynamic mix of flows and technical sections, berms, and drops. While we made it all the way down, Logan wasn’t a fan of the rocky terrain and didn’t want to ride it again.
The staff suggested Recluse which turned out to be a very fun intermediate trail. Starting at Upper Recluse, it’s a fast flowy trail with some opportunities for small jumps. The berms felt more fun and smoother than Cedar Fever. There is a relatively steep descent on the entry for Middle Recluse. It might be intimidating at the start, but its worth the shot.
3. Antidote (Black – Advanced)
We initially did not consider going down Antidote, since it was a black trail.
But after asking around, the staff told us it used to be a blue trail. They assured us it wasn’t super technical—no rock gardens, gaps, or wall rides—just fun jumps and smooth flow.
We decided to go for it—and we’re so glad we did!
The trail immediately starts with a jump line—but the cool part? You can session the first jump without riding the whole trail. It’s the perfect spot to watch riders send it with an epic lake view in the background.
The rest of the trail’s layout encourages a rhythmical ride. It was pure fun—big berms, smooth descents, and multiple jump opportunities. You don’t have to go big, but keeping up speed helps clear the rolling slopes.
Antidote quickly became a favorite for both Logan and myself!
4. Creepy Crawly Skills Park
After all the adrenaline from the upper, middle, and lower trails, it was time to take it easy and visit the skills park at the base of Spider Mountain Bike Park. This short trail cater to riders of all ages and skill levels. It has some small technical features like ride-ons and small wooden ramp to practice jumps on.
Lift Ticket, Bike & Gear Rentals
Spider Mountain makes it super easy to rent everything you need. You can just show up and rent the full works. Bike rental, helmet, and armour package (knee pads, elbow pads, chest armor) are all available for rent. Add a lift ticket and you basically just show up and ride.
During our first visit to Spider Mountain, we did not have any bikes or gear, other then Logan’s full face helmet. We ended up renting a 26″ inch bike for Logan and a 29″ bike for myself. Both had full suspension. The friendly staff members there will help fit you with the right sized bike and ensure the fork and suspensions are tuned for you.
On our second visit, I still rented a bike from them. Logan brought his new Prevelo Zulu 5 26″ inch bike. He was super excited and apprehensive at the same time.
By the time our next visit comes, we should have essentially everything we need–bike, full face helmet, and armor.
Lift Ticket Cost
Daily lift tickets ranges from $29 to $49 with advance purchase. Occasionally, there are $19 lift tickets during special sales events.
All kids 12 and younger get a FREE Power Kids Pass.
There is also a $99 weekday package which gives you everything you need to give Spider Mountain a try! You get a lift ticket, bike rental, helmet, and armour package on select weekdays.
Bike and Armor Rental Cost
| Adult Bike | $99 Weekends (Sat/Sun) $79 Weekdays Includes full-day adult bike rental *Helmet & armor pads not included |
| Kids Bike | $49 Includes full-day kids bike rental *Helmet & armor pads not included |
| Helmet | $15 Includes full-day helmet rental |
| Armour Pads | $15 Includes full-day armor pad rental |
| Armour Package | $25 Includes full-day helmet & armor pad rental |
Park Amenties
Hiking Option
Do you have other members in your group who won’t be biking and would like to experience Spider Mountain’s beauty without riding? Spider Mountain’s Eagle View Trail is a hiker-only, 0.65-mile trail with a 330-foot elevation gain, offering stunning views of Lake Buchanan and the Texas Hill Country. Scenic lift passes are $20.
Food and Refreshments
As of our last visit late February 2025, Spider Bites is officially open! You can grab a gourmet sandwich, fresh wrap, or a tasty snack, and pair it with a cold drink or beer to recharge before hitting the trails again. We brought our own drinks and snacks so didn’t try out Spider Bites, but maybe next time.
Bathrooms and Water Stations
Available at the base & top of the mountain (bathrooms are porta-potties).
Parking
There is a gravel & dirt parking lot—not paved. It is a large area along the main paved road, although it could get crowded. Arrive early!
There is space for RV parking as well, although there is no overnight parking.
How To Plan Your Visit
Spider Mountain hours are 9 AM – 4 PM (Friday – Sunday; check seasonal hours).
Plan out which day you want to arrive and purchase lift tickets online at a discount, or on-site.
Are you a beginner and need an intro lesson to Spider Mountain bike park. It’s FREE. Designed for true beginners. They also have private lessons offer personalized coaching for those seeking one-on-one guidance.
Decide if you want to rent their bikes and armor. On busy days, inventory is limited, so advanced reservations are recommended, especially for adult bikes.
Children’s bike rentals (ages 12 & under) are only available on-site (and cannot be reserved online).
Plan your meals. Typical visit for us is 3-4-hours of riding with breaks in between.
Below is a sample schedule for us, factoring in how warm Texas can get so we try to be done by 1pm! On a cooler day, and as we build up stamina, I can see Logan and I doing a full 9-4pm there.
🕘 9:00 AM – Arrive, park, check in at rental shop, check bikes, gear up, go to the bathroom, etc.
🚠 9:30 AM – First chairlift ride up!
🟢 9:40 AM – 10:15 AM – Warm-up with a few rounds on Itsy Bitsy
🔵 10:30 – 12:00 PM – Ride Recluse, Antidote and Itsy Bitsy
🌅 1:00 PM – Return rentals, grab a last look at Lake Buchanan, and head home!
🍔 1:30PM – Lunch break (bring your own or visit Spider Bites Café).
Would We Come Back?
As we wrapped up the day, Logan turned to me and said, “Dad, that was fun.” That was all I needed to hear.
We’re both learning and progressing in downhill mountain biking adventures, and Spider Mountain is the perfect place to do it.
While it can’t compete with massive bike parks in other states, it’s the only lift-served park in Texas—and for that, we’re grateful.
As long as Logan is loving it, we’ll keep coming back! 🚵🔥
“Bye” -Logan
