Quanah Loop – The Last Wild Frontier

If you have ever wondered about the last great Comanche Chief, well this approximately 300 mile ride gives you the opportunity to learn about Quanah Parker. You will see some beautiful farm and ranch country along the way with very little traffic. This is a great ride when the spring flowers are blooming. The wildflowers usually start coming up after Easter if the area has rain. Start at Crosbyton, Texas (about 35 miles North-east of Lubbock) and take Hwy 82/114 East for about 12 miles. Then turn left (or North) on FM 264.

The first town will be McAdoo, Texas. Turn right (East) at the stop sign in McAdoo on FM 193. Get ready for a series of great right angle turns marked at 35 mph (ha)! Be careful!

Several miles past McAdoo the scenery goes from flatland high plains farmland to low, rolling hills ranchland. Plenty of farming and cattle.

Continue east on FM 193 to Afton, East Afton, Dumont (with its general store where you may want to stop), and Finney. This is some of the prettiest country along the route. Be sure to watch for the road signs to stay on FM 193. You will have a number of turns, but they are all well marked.
When you come to Hwy 83, turn North (left), and go up Hwy 83 for only about two miles, and then turn East (right) on FM 1168 and go through Grow. Less than a mile past Grow, you will turn back to the North (left) on FM 1168. Go through Sneedville. FM 1168 will merge into FM 1038 north to Paducah.

From Paducah turn right and take Hwy 70 to the East for about four miles. Then you will turn left on FM 104 and follow FM 104 to the Northeast. At first you will run parallel to an abandoned railway right-of-way, and you will notice all the crossties scattered about on the West side of the road. Head to Quanah.

At Quanah, Texas take a lunch break at either Ken’s or Dutch’s restaurant for some pretty darned good country cooking. These two restaurants are on the Childress Highway (Hwy 287) that runs East and West through Quanah. Both places seem to like motorcyclists, and you can expect to be welcomed.

The City of Quanah is named after the last of the great Comanche Chiefs, Quanah Parker, son of Cynthia Ann Parker who was captured by the Indians in Limestone County when she was nine years old. Limestone County is East of Waco. She lived with the Comanches for 24 years, and became wife to Chief Nokoni, the father of Quanah Parker. The town has two interesting museums in the old downtown area that are worth stopping to visit: the Old Jail Museum and the Quanah, Acme & Pacific Railroad Depot Museum. Quanah is in Hardeman County and has lots of interesting history. Be sure to stop at the Courthouse downtown and see the Quanah Parker Monument. Quanah is also the final resting place for Texas Ranger Captain Bill McDonald who said, “No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that’s in the right and keep on a comin’.” You just have to read the stories about this Ranger Captain to appreciate his credo.

From Quanah, go back to the West on Hwy 287 to Childress, Texas. Maybe this easy ride will give you a chance to digest that chicken fried steak or whatever.

In Childress, turn left on Hwy 83/62. You will only go about a mile, then turn right back to the West on FM 2042. The right hand turn is at the top of a hill at the end of a turn, and you must watch for it.
Follow FM 2042 into Tell, Texas, and watch for the turn left to the South just before Tell. When you get to Tell, you will turn right on FM 94 and stay on FM 94 through Northfield, Texas, and on into Matador. Watch for the left turn just after Northfield.

This stretch from Tell into Matador is probably the best motorcycle road in this part of Texas. There is little traffic and lots of high-speed sweepers if you care for that kind of thing.

Be sure to stop at the overlook at the North Pease River Valley. It is a few miles before you get to Northfield and is worth a look. Watch also for deer on the side of the road on into Matador.

In Matador, turn left and go South on Hwy70 about 8 miles to Roaring Springs. In Roaring Springs, turn right on FM 684 to follow the Texas Plains Trail. At the next intersection, turn left to go South on FM 28. Continue South on FM 28 until you reach Hwy 82/114 where you will turn right and go West about seven miles into the starting point, Crosbyton.

About three miles after you turn back to the West toward Crosbyton, you will go down into a canyon where the Silver Falls roadside park is located, and where you will find attractive picnic sites and nice restrooms if you need them.