Winter in the south means hiking time for us!  Eric and I usually plan at least one weekend getaway in January for hiking in Texas, and this year we fit TWO weekends in.  Here’s what we did and where we stayed…

TRIP #1

Where we Stayed:  Burnet, TX

Where we Hiked:  Inks Lake State Park & Longhorn Cavern State Park

More Hiking Options:  Colorado Bend State Park

Where to Eat:  Cafe Twenty-Three Hundred

This was a return trip for us, only this time we brought my sister, her husband, and their 6-month baby.  We found a great split level AirBnB on the Colorado River, which gave us just enough privacy for two couples and it included kayaks and a private dock.  This was my first time to kayak and I was happy to discover that it didn’t wear on my joints like I feared — it was MUCH easier than canoeing, which I used to enjoy before Rheumatoid Arthritis.

This was baby Ada’s first hiking trip, so we took it easy.  We explored Longhorn Cavern State Park, where I discovered that my sister is claustrophobic and I’m a lot more flexible than I thought.  The cavern tour was great and worth the $18 ticket price, especially on a rainy day when we couldn’t hike the park’s trails.  There are short nature trails available for free at this park, so it’s a good choice for families with small children.

Inks Lake State Park is just 6 mi up the road from the caverns, so you could easily visit both in one day.  With baby in tow, we walked the Lower Fisherman’s Trail, Lake Trail, Woodland Trail and part of Pecan Flats — a grand total of over 5.5 mi which is pretty darn impressive for this cute munchkin…

Eric and I hiked Inks Lake in 2018 and enjoyed it just as much this second time.  It’s the kind of park where you can wander off trail, seeing new things each time.  For a more detailed post about hiking Inks Lake and Colorado Bend, read Texas Hiking Weekend Getaway.

For a little extra leg stretching combined with some shopping, we drove down to Marble Falls which is about 19 mi south of Longhorn Caverns.  I wasn’t impressed by the food scene there, but the boutique shops were great and it had a nice city park along the river.

outdoor music instrument garden in Marble Falls

TRIP #2

Where we Stayed:  Granbury, TX

Where we Hiked:  Lake Mineral Wells State Park

More Hiking Options:  Dinosaur Valley State Park, Cleburne State Park

Where to Eat:  The Fillin’ Station, Linda’s Southern Kitchen, 1890 Grill & Lounge, Paradise Bistro & Coffee, Christina’s American Table, Pearl Street Station, Farina’s Winery & Cafe, the options are ABUNDANT in this tiny TX town!

This was our first time hiking in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and it was well worth the 6 hr drive.  We stayed at an AirBnB in Granbury, because it was strategically placed between three state parks:  Dinosaur Valley, Cleburne, and Mineral Wells.  Granbury has a great historic downtown, with fabulous dining options, good local shopping, and a really nice walking park.  There are plenty of AirBnB options along Lake Granbury and the Brazos River, so it’s easy to get a nice water view like we did.  We will definitely be returning, because Granbury has enough to keep us busy for at least a week!

Dinosaur Valley State Park is just 20 miles from Granbury, and it offers a unique experience because you can literally walk in the footprints of dinosaurs.  We had planned to hike the Cedar Break Outer Loop (7.5 mi) trail then meander through the shorter trails, but the park was closed due to heavy rain the day before.  We also planned to hike the trails at Cleburne State Park, which is 30 miles from Granbury.  This park caters mostly to mountain bikers but has plenty of short trails that can be combined.  Alas, these trails were also closed due to rain.  But it all worked out, because we took the extra 41 mile drive to Mineral Wells State Park and LOVED it!

The trails at Lake Mineral Wells can be very challenging in terms of footwork, which is why we liked it so much.  We walked the Red Waterfront Trail which is just under 2 miles round trip but feels like a much longer hike.  The terrain is very rocky and includes a walk through a small rock canyon called Penitentiary Hollow, which gets its name from the fact that cattle thieves were rumored to hide their stolen cattle in these rocks.  Anyone found in the area was likely to end up in the local prison.

For those who like to bike, check out the Lake Mineral Wells Trailway, a 20 mi route that takes you from Mineral Wells to Weatherford, with a spur trail into the park along the way.

The town of Mineral Wells is worth a visit once the long-awaited Baker Hotel and Spa reopens in 2022.  The town itself is spread out along a highway and feels like it has been forgotten, but when you spot the giant building looming ahead in the downtown area you realize something special is afoot.  The old hotel, which opened two weeks after the stock market crash of 1929, was a destination for the rich and famous at one time.  When it closed in 1972, it took the town’s heart and soul with it.  A $65 million renovation is currently underway to restore the Baker to its former glory, and we plan to be there when it opens!