A profile picture of a smiling woman with a waterfall in the background.

What’s up, mother-trekkers!

Welcome to This Fucking Trail, the Texas hiking blog where I swear too much and tell you how I really feel about parks, trails, gear, and how not to fuck up when you go outside in the Lonestar State.

Who Am I?

My name is Gabrielle, and I’m on a mission to hike and write about every damn trail in Texas. So why the fuck should you listen to me? Maybe you shouldn’t, but if you’re looking for a resume, I guess this is it:

  • Multiple-time Obstacle Course Racing World Championships competitor with 100% course completion across over a dozen events.
  • Podium finisher at the Spread Your Wings Adventure Race.
  • Finished 40k at Tough Mudder Infinity, then hiked 20 miles to do my first 14er ascent up Mount Elbert two days later, and I didn’t even cry (that much).
  • Tested the course for American Ninja Warrior (fell in the water)
  • Dead Fucking Last at The Franklin Mountains Trail Run 50k (but I did finish).
  • Completed 50 Miles at World’s Toughest Mudder 2023.
  • Currently studying for my Wilderness First Aid certification.
  • I read nonfiction hiking and survival books for fun.
Medal Hanger 2
If you’re like me, you’ve had a hell of a time finding detailed info on Texas trails and parks.

When I first set out to start hiking more, I spent loads of time on google asking questions.

  • Which trails are worth my time, and which are mediocre?
  • How do I get to the best views?
  • Are there any secret hikes or hidden gems that most people don’t know about?
  • What are the amenities really like at that park or trailhead?

Most descriptions of trails that you find online are full of vague, nice-sounding words that don’t actually tell you shit about what kind of trail it is, what your experience on it might be like, and whether you should actually bother. You won’t find that kind of fluff on my site.

A woman climbing up a craggy cliff face.
The level of effort required to find good information about Texas trails online.
Along the way, I’ll share what I learn about the best gear for hiking in Texas.

Because I’m going to be trying (and probably breaking) a butt-load of gear as I go. REI, here I come!

Seriously though, when I’m planning to trek 40 or 50 miles in a weekend, there’s no room for junk in my pack!

I am super picky when it comes to having gear and tools that work, and that I will actually use. I’m won’t recommend anything I haven’t tested personally, so when I say that a piece of gear is good you can know that I’ve done more read other people’s reviews online.

A woman in a black crop-top and jeans stands between a cliff and a stream, smiling at the camera.
More to come!

I’m planning to amass a killer collection of GPX map files, packing lists, hiking plans, and basically everything you need to crush your next Texas park visit. I’ll be giving it all away, because that’s what the internet is for, right?

Sign up for my very occasional emails below and I’ll drop you a line with all the free maps and more as soon as I can.

A woman wear an OCR World Championship jacket stands on an overlook, staring out across a forested valley.

This Fucking Email

Email signup form goes here, when I get around to that.