Southern Tier Bicycle Route #3

El Paso and its environs are hot and desert-like. Road surfaces are often rough and traffic is heavy; avoid riding during rush hours.

The land is flat and dry as you parallel the course of the Rio Grande, which snakes one to six miles away from the route to the south. I-10 parallels the route to the north and carries much of the high speed traffic, leaving primarily local traffic on SR 20, a two-lane road with good riding surfaces. You'll use frontage roads and do some riding on I-10 through flat, desert country to Kent. South of Kent, the country is desolate with a rollercoaster climb into the Davis Mountains. A steep climb up to the McDonald Observatory will reward you with a spectacular view of the surrounding area.

Services are extremely limited between Marathon and Comstock. At Langry the visitor center is a welcome diversion and a source for drinking water. The route is gently rolling from Comstock to Del Rio.

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