A 1,500 mile trail Across Texas?
One Man Thinks It’s Time
By Anthony Collins
LPR Editor
Texas may soon have something it’s never had before: a true cross-state thru trail stretching from one side of the Lone Star State to the other.
The proposed Cross Texas Trail, or xTx, would run roughly 1,500 miles from Orange on the Louisiana border all the way to El Paso. Along the way, it would wind through forests, rivers, hills, deserts, and historic towns, climbing about 56,000 feet in elevation.
At the center of it all is Charlie Gandy, a Texas native, longtime hiker, and entrepreneur who’s turning a big idea into something that’s starting to look very real. Gandy didn’t always have his sights set on building a trail across Texas. The idea came to him while hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail in 2024.
A few days into that trip, something clicked. “I could see a route across Texas,” he said. “I just wasn’t sure how I was going to get it done at that point.” What stuck with him wasn’t just the scenery, it was the impact. Long-distance trails, he realized, connect people, boost small towns, and often change the lives of those who hike them. Now, he wants to bring that same experience home.
Technically, parts of the route already exist. But Gandy’s goal is to officially establish the xTx so it’s recognized, mapped, and ready for hikers, bikers, and even horseback riders.
Before that happens, there’s work to do. Right now, Gandy is calling on experienced adventurers to help “ground-proof” sections of the trail, testing routes, identifying gaps, and figuring out where resources like water and shelter are missing. Some stretches, he says, can go up to 80 miles without basic support.
That’s one reason he plans to hike the entire route himself in spring 2026, and he’s inviting others to join him. Gandy brings more than trail experience to the project. A University of Texas graduate, he’s worked in government, launched businesses, and founded BikeTexas, the state’s first statewide cycling advocacy nonprofit.
Now, through his nonprofit xTexas, he’s focused on making the trail official. The vision goes beyond outdoor recreation. Gandy believes the xTx could bring new energy, and new visitors, to the towns it passes through. “It’s a new opportunity to have a different type of customer in town,” he said.
The trail itself is as ambitious as it sounds. It starts in the piney woods of East Texas, weaving through bayous and small Cajun-influenced towns before heading toward the rolling hills north of Houston. From there, it cuts between major cities, dips into the Hill Country, and pushes west into rugged terrain.
Along the way, it passes through Sam Houston National Forest, winds near Canyon Lake and the Guadalupe River, and stretches toward Devil’s River State Natural Area before reaching Big Bend National Park. The route continues toward Guadalupe Mountains National Park, where hikers can take on Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas. At one point, the trail even crosses into New Mexico before returning to Texas and finishing in El Paso.
Building a trail in Texas isn’t simple. Unlike many western states, Texas has a high percentage of privately owned land, which means Gandy must work closely with landowners, towns, and counties to shape the route. Even now, it’s still evolving. “In some cases, it’s very attractive for hiking; in some cases, it’s not,” Gandy said. “Those are the kinks we’re working out.” The trail will likely be a mix of singletrack paths and about 40% gravel roads.
Gandy calls the xTx a “big, hairy goal,” but it’s one that’s gaining traction. Since announcing the idea publicly, he says feedback from hikers and locals has been overwhelmingly positive. And with more volunteers stepping in to help map and test the route, the trail is slowly becoming more defined. If all goes according to plan, 2026 could mark the first official thru hike across Texas. And if that happens, the Lone Star State might just earn a new kind of reputation, not just big in size, but big in adventure.
