Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway is a
state park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...
located in
Mineral Wells,
Parker County, Texas. It includes
Lake Mineral Wells
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway is a state park located in Mineral Wells, Parker County, Texas. It includes Lake Mineral Wells, and is the only state park in Texas which protects part of the Western Cross Timbers and Mineral Wells T ...
, and is the only state park in Texas which protects part of the Western Cross Timbers and
Mineral Wells Trailway. Also within the park is Penitentiary Hollow, a somewhat unusual geological feature which resembles a small
canyon
A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''caƱon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosion, erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tenden ...
. It is a popular site for
rock climbing
Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...
, though the only type of climbing allowed is top-rope. The park also features over of hiking trails, of which are open to bicycles and horses. Campsites can be found by the small lake, and up on the higher areas of the park, as well.
History
The Lake Mineral Wells Trailway follows the route of the former Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern Railway that closed entirely in 1992. The railroad was opened in 1891. Some of the line was abandoned in sections, and the rest was subsequently merged into the
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad ...
in 1988. The following year, the line changed ownership again to the town of Mineral Wells, who purchased the line from MP and operated it as the Mineral Wells and Eastern until 1992 when the remainder of the line was abandoned. It was subsequently converted to a trailway.
Part of the park currently pass through the testing range of the former
Fort Wolters Military Reservation.
[ Fort Wolters]
Area Attractions
Close by attractions include:
*
*
Possum Kingdom State Park
Possum Kingdom State Park is a state park in Palo Pinto County, Texas, USA, that was built in the 1940s by Civilian Conservation Corps Company 2888 and opened to the public in 1950. It covers approximately , and lies in the Palo Pinto Mountains ...
*
Cleburne State Park
Cleburne State Park is a Texas state park in Johnson County, Texas operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The park includes the , spring-fed Cedar Lake that was created by construction of an earthen dam by the Civilian Conservati ...
*Clark Gardens
References
Lake Mineral Wells State Park and Trailwayfrom the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website. December 10, 2005.
External links
*
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway* from the
USGS
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...
website. December 10, 2005.
State parks of Texas
Protected areas of Parker County, Texas
Protected areas established in 1981
1981 establishments in Texas
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