Route Classified
REVEALS AFTER THE RUCK
January
Jan 13, 2027Escarpment climbs and cedar brake singletrack to open the year.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 6.5–7 mi
- Hard with ruck
TrailCedar Ridge Preserve
Map locked
MEN · FAITH · RUCK · BROTHERHOOD
Meet Me On
The Trail
Christian Ruck & Hiking Connect Group
Walk by faith.
Carry with purpose.
Psalm 119:133
Begin the journey- MEN ONLY
- ONCE A MONTH
- WEDNESDAYS
- 10AM → FINISH
- DFW TRAILS
- 4–10 MILES
- 25–50 LB RUCK
- FREE TO ATTEND
Order
My Steps.
“Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.”
Psalm 119:133 NKJV
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”
Psalm 37:23
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
The mission
More than a hike.
It's a journey of faith and brotherhood.
The trail strips life down to what matters: the next step, the weight on your back, the men beside you, and the God before you.
Some conversations happen better shoulder to shoulder than face to face. We walk to get stronger. We ruck to learn how to carry weight. We gather because men were never meant to carry every burden alone.
Carry the weight. Share the road. Follow His lead.
Led by Felipe Soares & Arron Jennings
Faith
Seeking God in every step.
Brotherhood
Real men. Real conversations.
Fortitude
Carry the weight. Build the strength.
Purpose
Walk deliberately. Live purposefully.
Annual Expedition
The big ruck
Eagle Rock Rise
3 Days · 29 Miles · Eagle Rock Loop, Arkansas
Once a year we trade the North Texas prairie for the Ouachita Mountains. Three days of backpacking, river crossings, ridge climbs and campfire brotherhood. This is the capstone experience that everything else prepares you for.
Eagle Rock Loop
Ouachita National Forest
3 Days / 2 Nights
Backcountry campsites
29 Miles
Rugged, rewarding, unforgettable
“I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from?”Psalm 121:1
The next ruck
January — Wednesday, January 13, 2027
- Date
- Jan 13, 2027
- Start
- 10:00 AM
- Duration
- Until ~2:00 PM
- Distance
- 6.5–7 mi
- Difficulty
- Hard with ruck
- Pack weight
- 25–50 lb
Escarpment climbs and cedar brake singletrack to open the year. Trail: Cedar Ridge Preserve.
Time on the clock
- days
- --
- hours
- --
- minutes
- --
We start at 10:00 AM and finish no later than approximately 2:00 PM. North Texas weather swings hard — check the forecast the morning of and dress in layers.
Come carrying weight. Don't carry life alone.
On the ground — Cedar Ridge Preserve
What the trail looks like
The Path Ahead
Psalm 119:133
The trail begins where pavement ends. Limestone, cedar roots and steady incline remind us that faith is walked out one deliberate step at a time.
A Higher View
Psalm 121:1
From the escarpment the lake opens below—proof that the climb was worth it, and a picture of the perspective we gain when we look up together.
Shoulder the Weight
Joshua 1:9
Stone steps cut into the hillside ask for effort. The pack gets lighter when brothers walk beside you, and strength rises under the load.
Expect rock, roots and steady elevation change. Trail shoes or boots strongly recommended.
The ledger
2027 Trail Rotation
12 Trails · 12 Journeys · 1 Purpose
Second Wednesday of each month, with one intentional exception: November falls on the 17th. Each route unlocks publicly after we've walked it, and is stamped SECURED once the recap is filed.
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Jan 13, 2:00 PM CT
February
Feb 10, 2027Short, steep and technical. Rock underfoot the whole way.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 5–6 mi
- Hard
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Feb 10, 2:00 PM CT
March
Mar 10, 2027Rolling prairie-edge loops with a turnaround configuration.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 7 mi
- Medium–Hard
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Mar 10, 2:00 PM CT
April
Apr 14, 2027Quiet creek-bottom hardwoods and a complete perimeter route.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 7 mi
- Medium–Hard
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Apr 14, 2:00 PM CT
May
May 12, 2027Our longest spring push along a technical lakeside configuration.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 9–10 mi
- Hard
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS May 12, 2:00 PM CT
June
Jun 9, 2027Shaded natural-surface river corridor before the heat sets in.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 6–8 mi
- Medium
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Jun 9, 2:00 PM CT
July
Jul 14, 2027A shorter July route. Bring the weight, respect the heat.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 4–5 mi
- Medium with ruck
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Jul 14, 2:00 PM CT
August
Aug 11, 2027Unpaved network plus a connector route through the canopy.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 5–6 mi
- Medium with ruck
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Aug 11, 2:00 PM CT
September
Sep 8, 2027Deep wooded sections and river-bottom dirt.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 7–8 mi
- Medium
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Sep 8, 2:00 PM CT
October
Oct 13, 2027Progressively harder loops as the weather finally breaks.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 8 mi
- Medium–Hard
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Oct 13, 2:00 PM CT
November
Nov 17, 2027Third-Wednesday exception. Configured loops plus an extension.
- Target
- Difficulty
- ~8 mi
- Hard
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
Route Classified
UNLOCKS Nov 17, 2:00 PM CT
December
Dec 8, 2027Close the year on the DORBA Medium Loop.
- Target
- Difficulty
- 8 mi
- Hard
Trail, address and route are released to registered men before the hike.
Map locked
How it works
Four steps
- 01
Pack Up
Ruck pack or backpack
25–50 lbs
- 02
Show Up
Second Wednesday
10 AM
- 03
Hike Together
4–10 miles
DFW trails
- 04
Grow Stronger
In faith, brotherhood
and purpose
Field checklist
Prepare your pack
Nothing here needs to be bought. Use the pack you own, the boots you've broken in and the weight you can honestly carry. This is preparation, not procurement.
Ruck or backpack
A dedicated ruck or any sturdy pack you already own.
25–50 lb carried weight
Plates, sandbags, water jugs, books — your call, your ability.
Your own water
Bring more than you think. There is no aid station.
Trail shoes or boots
Natural-surface trails, rock and roots. No slick soles.
Weather-appropriate clothing
North Texas swings hard. Layer for the forecast.
Bible, journal, essentials
Snacks, electrolytes, small first-aid kit, sun protection.
The archive
Trails Secured
Every completed ruck is filed here — the real route, the actual mileage, the men who walked it and the Scripture we carried. A trail is only stamped SECURED after we have walked it.
Secured
The archive opens after the first ruck
Recaps, mileage, elevation, maps and group photographs are published here once a trail is behind us.
Invite a brother
Campaign kit
Print-ready sheets for January — Wednesday, January 13, 2027. Every download carries a scannable QR code that brings men straight to the RSVP form.
Event flyer
One-page, photo-forward flyer for the next ruck. Print it, pin it on the board, or text it to a brother.
Group one-pager
Who we are, what to carry, the full 2027 ledger and the scripture we walk on — everything in one sheet.
Share captionJanuary ruck — Wednesday, January 13, 2027, 10:00 AM CT. Cedar Ridge Preserve. Men only, free. Scan the QR code or RSVP at meetmeonthetrail.net/rsvp.
Safety & trail conditions
- Trail conditions change. What was dry last week may not be dry on ruck day.
- Natural-surface trails may close after rain, and we honor those closures.
- Events may be modified, shortened, relocated or postponed.
- Each participant is responsible for choosing a carried weight appropriate to his current ability.
- This is not a race. Nobody gets left behind and nobody has to prove anything.
- Follow all trail rules and direction from park authorities.
Questions
Before you come
It's not just a hike.
It's a journey of faith.
Come carrying weight. Don't carry life alone.
The next step is yours.