The Texas hill country has no shortage of low water crossings.  Rather than build a bridge over a creek or small river, road builders in central Texas often just run the road through the creek/river bed.  Most of the low water crossings have a concrete surface but a few utilize the natural rock bottom in those areas where a solid rock surface exists. The widest low water crossing in all of the hill country is found on the James River, southwest of the town of Mason.

The biggest challenge with any low water crossing is slickness.  Algae usually covers the surface, making the crossing unbelievably slick. Many a rider has been ambushed by an unexpected loss of traction and quickly found themselves and their bike lying on the ground wondering what the heck just happened.  Not only is the low water crossing on the James River the largest such crossing in the hill country, it is the most treacherous one too.  Every so often a group of riders get together to take on the challenge of riding a motorcycle across the James River. I last crossed organized a group crossing in 2009 during the Beyond Epic rally. Some riders needed help and several bikes were dropped but the entire group eventually made it across.