The Empty Backroads of Roberts County, Texas

[@JenniferAlexander-yd6kj]

Such a neat area. So open and a free feeling with no fences, hardly, not even trees. Just a real wild west feeling. Fun area.

[@paulross9287]

And private roads, and no trespassing signs everywhere. 😂

[@kimberlyhood4095]

We lived there for 15 years and it's not meant for a tourist attraction, he's lucky he didn't get to face a shotgun. I've met plenty of people that thought our land was a party place, they learned real quick to get back on the highway. Going across someone's cattle guard could get you shot.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

​@@paulross9287yeah, kind of pissed me off him going off the highway up into the land, meth heads come out and try to steal the chemicals to make drugs. He's lucky he wasn't chased out by a shotgun. We lived there for 15 years, it's not a tourist attraction.

[@dchall8]

Really brought back some memories for me. For 2 years I worked in Wheeler to the east but lived in Pampa to the west. I drove that road about 3 days per week gathering information about land and mineral owners and sending reports to the oil company we were working for. Due to the long straight roads, it's the little things that come back to you, like the airport and certain curves in the road. As you said, it's beautiful. At night Roberts County is a great place to watch meteor showers, the Milky Way, and so many stars you cannot make out the old familiar constellations. You know there's a lot of stars when you can't find the Big Dipper.

[@weirdshibainu]

Thanks for the video. I enjoy driving in wide open spaces. I spend a lot of time in Eastern Oregon and Nevada. The vistas are beautiful. Whenever I'm driving through these areas, I often wonder what the early pioneers must have thought as they journeyed to a better life.

[@CarolFelts-g9b]

Between you, Joe and Nicole I get to travel the USA and see almost every small town and big city and also go down roads I would never go down, all without leaving my couch. Really like both channels because I would love to be able to travel but can’t anymore. Thanks.

[@janfeuerborn2707]

So open and beautiful!!! Peace and quiet.

[@diannaa7462]

Makes me wish I could have a little house there…off the main road…plant a couple of hearty trees…have a little, sturdy greenhouse to grow food…just live where it’s very quiet, no crowds, no traffic…I could paint pictures and enjoy peace. An outhouse would be fine, lantern light, must have well water…maybe a generator or 2 for cooling and frig. Sorry…this video sent me dreaming away. 😊

[@artiglesias9317]

Dreams can come true ya'll.

[@BlueFisher22-y2u]

​@@artiglesias9317 yep

[@Londubh1]

It's much better as it is without you or anyone else.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

I lived up in there just like you're wanting to do for 15 years. It's some of hardest living you'll ever do especially in the winter. Our road to our house was 2.5 miles from the nearest neighbor or highway. It was the freedom I hold the dearest, we raised our three sons in Roberts county. It's not for the faint of heart or the weak.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

​@@Londubh1we lived there for 15 years and the people that owned the land was friends with the people we worked with. It's not a place that will ever be populated because the living is just too hard. We had a couple of blizzards deep enough that we had snow drifts as tall as the barn. People are friendly but weary of greenhorns.

[@UMtiger311]

Interesting video as always, John. Judging by your instagram stories, it looks like you’ve got some really good ones coming down the pipeline

[@artiglesias9317]

Thank you for an insight to the wide open spaces of the Texas pan handle area of Roberts County. Sure some rugged country wayout there.

[@Erinlogan-t4j]

The winding roads that you take remind me of my many trips from Windsor, Colorado to Greeley/Loveland, Colorado. Love the landscape there. I was born in Kaufman county (Terrell, Tx) Great video ❤❤

[@bradenkarber3352]

North river road is public road. Just don’t get off road is what the no trespassing is about. Quarter Horse road is one of the main oilfield roads in the county.

[@AtriumPrime]

Thanks for the information. From what Coach Wise could see and from what he was told from the closest law enforcement, the area still seems very intimidating. From what I'm reading from Dalbygriffis3611, there may be reasons why outsiders are discouraged from poking around. Personally, I'm surprised that Mr.Wise hasn't found more resistance in his explorations in the country.

[@philipkitchen3903]

How are the trespassing who owns all that land how do they buy it

[@AtriumPrime]

@@philipkitchen3903 I'm assuming its mostly ranchland which probably lets the oil companies drill for a share of the profits. Or maybe the oil companies just bought the land outright?

[@bgithens1]

I live 30 miles from there and yes when I worked in the oilfield down on south river road, a rancher would charge you $500 per tire track off of road.

[@AtriumPrime]

@@bgithens1 Sounds like an area you don't want to go "rambling" through.

[@onrycodger]

Don't blame you for turning back. That was undoubtedly the smart thing to do. Merry Christmas!🎅🎄

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks and same to you!

[@raazel3]

Thanks!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

So much appreciated! Wow thank you!

[@raazel3]

@TravelwithaWiseguy : what are the theme song used on your travels?

[@juliogonzales5441]

GREAT VIDEO COACH 😊

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks, appreciate that!

[@debbiestewart6756]

Loved the Coldfoot Camp shirt. This was a great video as always

[@lovedadonald.]

Oh hell no ! Quarter Horse road is a caliche topped road and when it's dry it's as hard as concrete, when it rains out there it's as slick as snot ! After it rains that road becomes rutted and bumpy as hell and you always hope to see a road grader on the Quarter Horse Road.

[@mosessupposes2571]

Fascinating place. Thank you!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kimberlyhood4095]

We used to live on a farm up in there, right before the canyons were forming a couple of miles away. We'd trek for hours and make some pretty morbid jokes about dead bodies. We lived in Roberts Co for almost 15 years. Don't go across anyone's cattle guard's, you'll be met with a shotgun. We had plenty of people thinking they could just go where they want and we could see them as soon as they pulled off the highway. They've watched you the whole drive you made.

[@robertodebeers2551]

I'm surprised to see such pretty country up in the panhandle. My long-ago trips across it years ago left me with memories of just brush and ugliness. Thanks!

[@jljordan1]

The mesas are beautiful

[@kimberlyhood4095]

It's the edge of the Capocks, we lived back in there just as the land was meeting the canyons. Cactus, coyotes and lots of rattlesnakes.

[@Scott.Newmaster]

The 'road signs ' identify the roads for semi's (grain, tankers, cattle, etc) in advance to use to keep from having a 80k truck trying to turn around on a dirt road. Many also identify the land owners in the area.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Interesting point about the signs - thanks!

[@justnerdystuff]

Roberts County looks like it would be really pretty late spring when the grass in green and there are leaves on the trees.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

It's buffalo grass, and a few trees. Unless there's a water source it stays pretty brown. It's the high desert and we lived there for 15 years.

[@caliopejade]

In the spring when there's rain and the clouds move east, and the eastern sky is black, the landscape colors just pop and will take your breath away with the beauty.

[@caliopejade]

It's fine. You might scare a cow. Watch for deer and other wildlife. If you encounter anybody (unlikely), their first instinct is to see if you're ok. They're usually very nice people. If you tell them you're just taking pictures or documenting the area, they'll usually give you permission to come there anytime you want. I'm an old lady in Pampa and I go take pictures of sunsets and such all the time. Btw, thank you for pronouncing "Miama" "correctly" haha.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I'll keep that in mind! And you're welcome on the pronunciation 😊

[@bglrj]

You are a good citizen!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😊

[@Gynelle-h2k]

Unfortunately I used to live there. Nightmare! Didn’t look back when I left. Never been back again. Everyone in Miami has their nose so far up in the air, they’ll never suffocate.

[@dalbygriffis3611]

I delivered alfalfa hay in the early seventies to a ranch in that area, I had a number to call on CB when I got in the area, and a ranch hand met me at the cattle guard. Escorted in and out paid in cash, never went back. I still wonder what they were hiding.

[@artiglesias9317]

He was doing you a favor, makn' sure you got in and out safely; also the hay was delivered as promised.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

Their privacy, we lived up in there for 15 years and didn't want the outside world in. We raised our family there, it started getting bad when meth heads would come up and try to steal the chemicals for making their drugs. We begin meeting people with shotguns trying to cross private property, it's not a tourist attraction.

[@thomaswayneward]

You will freeze there in the winter and burn up in the summer, plus the dust storms. So I would love it. What about snakes? Usually places like the are covered up with them. Where is the closest doctor? Grocery store, real grocery store?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I didn’t see any snakes. Maybe more in warmer weather? 🤷🏼‍♂️ they had a grocery/deli in Miami. Hospital in Pampa around 15-20 miles away.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

We lived there for 15 years, there's plenty of cactus coyotes and rattlesnakes. There's Miami with a small grocery store, the closest town is Pampa, population around 17k and that's where we went for supplies. We raised our family there and it was the toughest place to survive, winters are brutal, the winds coming off the Caprock never stops blowing. We loved it but it's not for the weak.

[@arailway8809]

I liked the people of Miami. I did not find a motel there. Had to go to Canadian.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Agreed - I stayed in Pampa.

[@sandiewilliams238]

Coach, you're an accomplished drone operator and it is a skill I have long admired. Have you recently been anywhere near New Jersey? Jus askin...🛸

[@justnerdystuff]

LOL, I heard that the drone operators there all had battery issues while trying to check those big "drones" out. I also heard it's just not New Jersey anymore, they also had some in California. Which make sense because they are near the ocean and a lot of military bases out there as well.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂😂

[@carlhunt6891]

Reminds me of parts of Wyoming, lol. This beautiful country. Thank you.

[@ronfullerton3162]

JñI find it amazing how much it resembles the western parts of Nebraska also. Seems like I have driven some of the same roads in Nebraska. Sure is fun to drive through the areas such as that. Especially when the roads are not any better!

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I think there's something magical about the wide-open spaces in the West, no matter which state you're in!

[@ronfullerton3162]

@@TravelwithaWiseguy I think you are on to something there! Going north and west from south central Nebraska is a treat for me when on two wheels. The wide open expansion just seems even larger when you are out there on the two wheels with nothing around you. Such a great feeling!

[@tinman7130]

Deep in the heart of Texas for sure John. A question, were you droning and driving? Asking for a friend

[@kd5inm]

Its not the heart of Texas, its actually about 7 hours from what is known as the heart of Texas. That area is more like the hat of Texas, like the brim of the hat.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

The heart is Amarillo, Texas. If he'd tried to use a drone out there somebody would've probably shot it down. It's people's land and homes and not a tourist attraction. We started having problems with meth heads coming out and stealing the chemicals to make their dope, they were met with shotguns. This guy was watched the minute he turned off the highway.

[@sittinknittinNlistenin]

Fun video. Thanks

[@GarrettKoval]

Pretty sure all the no trespassing signs were about the land on each side. As long as you stay in the right of way, you’re not trespassing. Any time you see a small cross on the side of the road, that’s where someone has died.

[@lobogary6990]

love the county

[@bigjimslade6250]

You were really close to Adobe Walls located a bit to the northwest

[@larryclark4791]

Wide open spaces

[@deborahross9974]

In the one area you mentioned a place called Parnell, Tx but a note that was on your video mentioned Parnell Ks not Tx. Evidently those no trespassing signs were put up by the landowners in the area. They own so much land they can't have people watching so they put up the no trespassing signs to keep people out. You mention being on highway 70. Did you know there's an interstate 70 in Kansas? It goes East to West across the state. Nice area to visit. That one road was probably washout by rain and it might not have been a safe place to cross especially since it seems to go downhill. Definitely a lot of empty land. But Miami was an interesting county seat. Thank you for the trip, John. Till next time. Happy trails to you and God bless.

[@artiglesias9317]

I figure they are doing folks a favor putting up those signs, keeps others where they belong, off of their ranch; they will also not make a wrong turn on to their roads.

[@Darkpassion79007]

Actually parnel was the original county seat of roberts county texas in the 1800s and was moved to Miami The remains of parnel is on a ranch out on the highway that borders the ranch of Bill taulbert and t boone pickens All that remains is the cemetery I lived on that ranch in the 70s truly beautiful place

[@justnerdystuff]

Parnell would make a great Western movie. lol🤠

[@paulross9287]

It's very frustrating when maps don't show that a road is private, and you've made a special trip to explore it.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Agreed 👍🏼

[@kimberlyhood4095]

Stay on the highway, it's people's land and homes. I lived there for 15 years and we'd chase meth heads off the land for trying to steal the chemicals to make their drugs. I've met plenty of them with a shotgun coming across the cattle guards. Trust me, you were watched the entire time you were driving around.

[@kristid9127]

Great video!! Robert’s County chose to give actual names to their county roadways instead of A,B,C…or 1,2,3…. Signs are erected by TxDot for the 911 systems. Enjoy your videos coach!

[@kimberlyhood4095]

We were living there when it was changed over, we'd get some wildfires coming close to the homestead and it was good to watch them actually go to the roads they needed to be on. We had one close enough that the ash was coming down on the house and barns, I directed them by phone to the roads they needed.

[@jamesgoforth5644]

If anyone is ever worried about the planet overcrowding, tell them to visit Roberts County and get back to you.

[@melodyhammond3296]

Do you ever run out of gas? These are some pretty remote areas…🚗

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

I haven’t- I always gas up in the morning and usually I explore 200 miles or so max.

[@williammatzek4660]

Wise guy , here in south central Kansas we figure 4 acres of good grass will carry a cow calf pair for the summer. I wonder what that number is in Roberts county? Your river road sounds like a legal road. I don't understand how they can block it.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Good question!

[@philipkitchen3903]

They can block it because they're white

[@artiglesias9317]

Rural Texas is challenging in many respects. If you great grand Father did not come there in a wangon train do not expect a welcome from anyone. High plains drifter individials will do just fine without anyone ever.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

Exactly, for some reason these people think it's a tourist attraction. We met people with shotguns trying to come on our land, we lived there for 15 years and respected it.

[@artiglesias9317]

@@kimberlyhood4095 Yes, you are correct, there those who do not believe in the golden rule, and can be on either side of the fence line, either land owners, or new persons; some learn the hard way when it is too late. When no one ever crosses your fence line you will know that the ones who are a problem have learned; one way or another. True Texas events.

[@stevehilliard1495]

Glad you went so I don’t have to

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

😂😂

[@Gynelle-h2k]

Lived there. You’re better off not going.

[@justnerdystuff]

Now I see why most Texans have a 4 wheel drive truck after seeing those dirt roads.

[@gazooberful]

very nice, if / when cletus gets the rambler put back together , we might visit here!

[@evanorthcliff2782]

I used to own a Rambler . My first car

[@gazooberful]

@@evanorthcliff2782 cletus spent all the money on new naugahyde seats and now theres no money to fix the timing chain 😡

[@kimberlyhood4095]

It's not a tourist attraction, it's people's homes and land.

[@madtrapper8301]

Hey you should come up to Roberts Co South Dakota and drive around and check it out also

[@tomneff7030]

You are in the area where T.Boone Pickens had his prop.and that huge house.Can you drjvr by it? Is that possible? Is there access? Thanks.

[@Darkpassion79007]

His property is 20 miles outside of Miami on highway 70 You can search for mesa Vista ranch it's for sale I lived on the ranch that bordered his and worked part time filling quail feeders

[@Agtech_314]

You can drive on north river road they are county owned and maintained signs there because last oil boom theft and land damages where frequent

[@MauriceTiberius-z2m]

And they say there is no room in this country for prisons....

[@couerleroi1]

Did you have cell service?

[@justnerdystuff]

Is that the same Hwy 70 that ultimately takes you into Las Cruces, NM?

[@rmr24]

No, that is US 70, he was on Texas State Highway 70.

[@robchit1]

Going north, it hooks up with US 83 into Liberal KS. South it merges into US 277 south of Sweetwater TX towards San Angelo.

[@Cbcw76]

Water rights. Tough issue, horrible consequences. This is part of those grasslands area, which is on a strip west of the Okie State Line. Every time you'd pass a washed-out creek-let bottom, I wanted to jump out with a bucket, shovel and sifter and see what minerals were there. Quartz... maybe not. I'd need to get the geology books first.

[@Cbcw76]

I'll bet those night skies are fantastic... for star-gazers. I'll bet the Moon is literally too bright in those skies.

[@RonaldDailey-z8b]

I realized that there was no power poles or cellphone towers. You might as well been on the moon. Have a great weekend.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

There's power, our lines were connected to the closets house 2.5 miles away and we had a satellite dish for TV. You have your own water well and truck in your own propane. We lived there for 15 years and it's one of the toughest places on earth to live, it'll make you humble, quick.

[@HadleyHelton]

Looks like some well maintained roads, for the most part. Bet no damn crackheads.

[@kathyscoppettuolo4203]

Speed limit 75? 😮😬

[@bigjimslade6250]

Yes. I was out there once & drove those roads. It’s pretty awesome

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Not too much traffic 😂

[@Jody-kt9ev]

Very interesting video. I have been on roads north of Amarillo while on the way to Colorado. Similar scenery. Another Texas county with only one "census designated place" as the county seat is Crockett County, Texas. However, the population of this county is 3098, much higher than Roberts county. I have been through Crockett County and the county seat (Ozona) several times on my way to Big Bend and California. Ozona is a neat town also. As to the wide dirt roads, this reminded me of the KZbin videos I have watched about the Australian Outback. They have wide dirt roads for hundreds of miles!

[@cynthiablagg3690]

I guess I'm the only one to notice that you called this town Parnell Kansas. I guess when you live in Kansas you automatically put Kansas instead of Texas. I lived in Texas for almost 51 years and never managed to go to Roberts county. Looks like there is not much there anyway.

[@kd5inm]

I noticed too

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Yeah I didn’t even realize it even after I watched it back a final time 😂

[@georgevan2589]

I lived in the Texas Panhandle for over 40 years and passed through Roberts county only twice that I recall; once to go to Canadian in the 1990s and once to Glazier in the 1960s. Most people don't have a reason to go there, but if you are looking for solitude or to live on a ranch, it should be perfect.

[@roberteshaw9520]

Hey Coach Good dinosaur territory out there. Drone is doing some good work,better than some over this way as of late.big landscape visible out there.That one badly eroded stretch of road you chose to avoid, could have changed up your suspension picture a bit, good choice.Keep on keeping on.

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Thanks for the comment! I was definitely worried about suspension damage!

[@zachpercival9464]

I was here back in the Summer of 2021. I remember taking that road that goes west out of Miami.

[@slydale]

Why don't they call west Texas the "Panhandle" and the northern section something else? Just makes sense. The Smokestack? The Top Hat? How bout "North Texas Plains"? Or just North Texas!?

[@Cbcw76]

I agree. Lubbock is not West Texas. San Angelo is. Ft Stockton, Van Horn - West Texas. Ft Worth is NOT West Texas. But the real issues show in Kermit, Lamesa, etc - that whole Permian Basin - West Texas or Panhandle? "No, it's the Permian Basin." Ahhh.

[@justnerdystuff]

It is 75 mph on a bumping back road???????

[@CourtneyKing-ln7kq]

My aim ee? Got it.

[@GabeGarrett-tcs]

Great video Wichita coach 🎉

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Appreciate you watching!

[@allenantonio4389]

Badlands of Texas

[@AtriumPrime]

When you go to these small counties (especially the one with 40 something people), I have to ask, who's staffing them? Are these just political shell entities for commercial interests? As you show, they can't even maintain a school system or sherrif's department (at least when you called). As for the no trespassing, I think the local land owners simply took the once public roads for themselves with no one to challenge or maintain them. It's probably like where I live where property owners will claim and fence off alleyways, adding it into their own properties by denying their neighbors access.

[@jljordan1]

It probably that honestly. I bet they don’t mind the township maintaining the road though.

[@diannaa7462]

Wow…do you live in a sparsely populated area?

[@AtriumPrime]

@@jljordan1 I imagine that they wouldn't have enough population to support individual township governments. It would be interesting to know who does contributes to the county budget. The county does have an independant town, unlike some of the other counties Coach Wise has covered, so there has to be some sort of public representation in government. However, as what he found, it seems that the county provides few if any services, and may only be a board. From what he was told by the Sheriff's office from the next county, it seems that the real government is the next county over, but they are reluctant to intrude as if its a semi-autonomous region. I guess only someone who actually lives there would truely know.

[@AtriumPrime]

@@diannaa7462 Not particularly. It's a town of about 16-20 thousand. But you can see alleyways where a resident has cut the road in two by extending his\her fence all the way to the neighbor behind him. Whether they bought the property from the city, or just claimed it without opposition, I don't know.

[@AtriumPrime]

@@jljordan1 I just read a post by a local called BradenKarber who says that the sign only referred to the property alongside of the road. However, as Coach Wise discovered and as a post called DalbyGriffis added, he still might not have been welcomed exploring in the area.

[@thoward4051]

I was expecting, at any moment, to see a large herd of buffalo storming over the horizon and heading your direction. It certainly looks to be the kind of landscape they once roamed. Thanks for sharing Coach!

[@philipkitchen3903]

Buffalo they were all killed

[@kevincollins9894]

Did you notice the small bodies of water early on in the video? Those were playa lakes, wallowed out by the bison herds seeking relief from biting insects. Often times they go dry but you can tell where they are because of the different vegetation from the area around it.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

There's a herd that's protected up by the river, about 60 head. We had our own herd of antelope and deer would come through. We lived there for 15 years, we raised our family there.

[@kimberlyhood4095]

​@@philipkitchen3903 Buffalo still exist, there's a protected herd not far from where he was, we'd ride out on the highway to see them. You didn't dare cross another person's cattle guards or fences or they'd meet you with a shotgun. This guy was observed the entire time he was driving around out there.

[@mikechance3138]

Those roads are public. Just don't get off of them.

[@JohnColie143]

I love seeing these areas, even if there is nothing really to see.

[@mikerocks56]

Looks like the Google Maps vehicle was able to drive on North River Rd east of 70 all the way to the eastern Roberts County border in September 2024. The didn’t drive on it west of 70.

[@melissah4515]

Thank you for that, just took a 'ride'. Another commenter said they were county roads with old signage from the last oil boom. That would make sense, but the wells look abandoned now so probably not an issue anymore. I don't blame John a bit for making the decision he did, that was a good call. Glad to be able to see what's down there anyway.🌵

[@empressvogt]

Government Canyon is the weirdest name of a canyon. What is the government hiding?! lol

[@monty2020-i5d]

1970 US population 170 million. 2024 US population half billion. Welcome to the United States of South America.

[@lostribe5130]

I wonder how they have the money to maintain those roads with so little population.

[@paulrutledge6818]

Property taxes and the state would maintain the state highways.

[@philipkitchen3903]

How can human beings on so much land and is homeless all over the United States why, where's everybody at

[@punktexas]

The sign didn't say "do not enter" , "private road" or gated so I might have traveled it.

[@lross]

Hello John. beautiful video. If you like empty routes you have to come to Patagonia in Argentina with thousands and thousands of kilometers of spectacular routes. Traveling Route 40 is a unique experience. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2LXlqKCe7aYsNUfeature=shared

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

Would love to someday!

[@rossbryan6102]

LOL, MAYBE SOME DAY, THEY WILL INVENT THE COMBINED AUTOMOBILE/ HELICOPTERS!!!

[@philipkitchen3903]

You claimed as least populated but it's so much bones under your feet dead indians that was murdered for that land, I didn't see that one for sale sign up who does all this land belong to your driving through you didn't mention that

[@philipkitchen3903]

I wish you would give us some real history about who owned the land before the white man came and destroyed them

[@carlosedwardos]

You need to equalize the volume on your video, it should not go from blasting loud when your face is on screen, to barely loud enough to hear when rolling video of the area. Volume must remain the same throughout the video, or else viewers get annoyed and flee and don't come back! - Watch the finished video yourself, to check for this, before uploading it.

[@rayfair9279]

it's pronounced miame not miama. and cod man not codeman. were you born in cana duh?

[@TravelwithaWiseguy]

LOL 😂 Actually it’s miama, not miami - that’s from people who actually live there. And you must’ve missed how I put *Codman on the screen acknowledging I misspoke.