July 22, 2007 12:42 am
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By Tommy Mann Jr.
The Orange Leader
DEWEYVILLE — Four-wheel all-terrain vehicles and four-wheel drive pick-up trucks now have another location to consider besides back roads or wooded trails.
Texas Hog Wallow, located 1.5 miles north of the State Highway 87 and State Highway 12 intersection in Deweyville, is now open for business and is continuing to build for the future.
The 3,500-acre facility will serve as a site for local off-road enthusiasts, as well as hosting official competitions once per month.
According to owner Artie Longren, Texas Hog Wallow is a work in progress for more than eight months, but a grand opening celebration has been scheduled for Aug. 11.
“I decided to build Texas Hog Wallow because there is a need for a place like this in Southeast Texas,” Longren said. “Everyone can come here to ride four-wheelers or drive their trucks and go muddin’. It’s a way to get the kids off the streets too. There has been too much about ATV’s in the news lately.”
Besides riding ATV’s or driving trucks through courses or trails, Longren’s vision includes concession stands, bathrooms and showers, and 700 recreational vehicle connections.
Texas Hog Wallow will also include a competition-size paintball field, plus a small entertainment facility, a “waterin’ hole for swimming,” remote-control vehicle area, and eventually a full scale “Western” town.
“Texas Hog Wallow is going to basically be a 4x4 theme park based on outdoor activities,” Longren said. “One of our goals is to have some of the big national ATV or four-wheel truck competitions out here bringing in several thousand people.”
During the monthly competition for local enthusiasts, Longren said contestants will be able to compete in a variety of events such as obstacle courses, barrel races, mud drags and dirt drags just to name a few.
Prizes will possibly include vehicle or ATV giveaways, plus high-performance motor giveaways.
Longren said more than 250 ATV’s and trucks were at Texas Hog Wallow last weekend, and he expects to double that attendance figure this weekend since beginning a radio advertising blitz.
Hours of operation are noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. During national competition weekends, the facility will be open 24 hours to accommodate late arrivals and patrons.
Admission for non-competition weekends is $25 per driver and four-wheeled vehicle, but the admission price is good for the entire weekend. Admission for spectators is $10.
“We just feel like people who like these kind of activities need a place to go,” Longren said. “And this is it.”
For more information visit the official Web site at www.TexasHogWallow.com.
Reach this reporter at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or tmann@orangeleader.com
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