Life is hard - you're dealing with school, work, kids, etc. and sometimes "getting out of the house" doesn't quite do it. Sometimes you need to get a little bit further away from your everyday life. A lot of times this means flying somewhere or driving a few hours to a neighboring city, but most of us overlook the fact that we have state and national parks all around us. Take the DFW area for example, we have a handful of state parks within an hour drive of the metroplex including Lake Mineral Wells, Dinosaur Valley, Ray Roberts, Cleburne, and Cedar Hill. Trust me - nothing makes you forget about 5 straight days of meetings, calls, and staring into a computer screen quite like sweet nature views, fresh air, and outdoor activities. Have you ever thought that a night out on the town would reset you from your long week at work, only to wake up the next day feeling even worse? There is something about sitting around a campfire chatting with framily (friends & family) that hits this ever-so-elusive "reset button" that a night out doesn't always accomplish. This is exactly why we booked a campsite at Lake Mineral Wells State Park with some of our friends.
The park is about 45 minutes west of Fort Worth, which gives you that "out of town" feel, but still within arm's reach of the city. We all got off of work about 5p on Friday and hit I-20 towards Mineral Wells, which took about an hour with Friday traffic. This is a neat drive because you go from the flat city highway into rolling tree-covered hills in a matter of minutes.
Outdoor activities
Lake Mineral Wells State Park has plenty of things to do including camping, hiking, biking, riding your horse (if you have one), geocaching, rock climbing, fishing, boating, and swimming.
Go camping! - The park includes 117 total reservable sites including campsites with or without electricity ($14-$26 per night), screened shelter sites with picnic tables ($36 per night), and an amphitheater or group hall for larger gatherings. You can view availability and book for any of these sites on the Texas State Parks website (Note: You may have to book weeks in advance if you want a specific site). We stayed at campsite #30 in the Live Oak camping area because it was a little bit further from other sites and was right on the water - it was awesome!
Hiking - Within the park, there are 9 well-marked hiking trails that range from 0.6 miles (30 minutes) and 2.3 miles (2 hours). We took the moderate "Red Waterfront Trail" which is roughly 0.8 miles each way and runs alongside of the lake with some nice elevation changes. I don't think anyone liked this hike as much as our dog, Maui, who had her backpack and was ready to lead us along! This trail ends at the Penitentiary Hollow Overlook where you'll see some beautiful rock formations and lots of rock climbers. Texas Parks and Wildlife does a great job of explaining the trails, what to expect, and how to prepare for your hike on their trail map.
Biking - Unfortunately, we ran out of time to do any bike riding, but there is a 20-mile-long railway that connects Mineral Wells and Weatherford. From the park, you can bike 6 miles west to Mineral Wells or 14 miles east to Weatherford. This will absolutely be on our agenda for next time!
Rock climbing - If you're into rock climbing or bouldering, there is a great area at the Penitentiary Hollow Overlook where you can do so for only $3 (with your own gear). When we were hiking, we took a break in the shade between the rocks to watch the climbers work these steep 40 ft rocks - it was very impressive!
Fishing, boating, and swimming - The best part of fishing in a Texas State Park is that there is no fishing license required (although, fish length and limits still apply). At Lake Mineral Wells you can fish for largemouth bass, channel catfish, sunfish, and crappie on the bank, on the dam, or on the multiple docks around the lake. Near the dam, there is a large lighted fishing pier for day or night fishing (but it can get packed with fishermen). Also in the area near the dam is a swimming beach, bathrooms with showers, a camp store, and boat/canoe rentals.
At the campsite
Other than the afternoon where it got up into the 70's, the majority of the weekend was down in the 30-40 degree range. Since it was chilly, we spent a lot of the time huddled around the fire, laughing, cooking, and having some drinks.
When prepping for a little weekend camping trip, making a list is a great idea so that you bring the necessities and don't over do it. Necessities would include cooking gear, tent, sleeping bag, ice chest, drinks, food, lanterns, and of course GAMES! It was fairly easy for us to pack up the Prado Cat (my '94 Land Cruiser Prado) with the camping tote and bike on the roof rack, a tire bag full of sleeping gear, and then put everything else inside the back of the cruiser.
When it comes to food to bring, keep it simple and plan to make food that everyone can pitch in with and participate, such as s'mores and hot dogs on skewers. It would also be smart to pre-make some stuff at home if you have the time (such as snacks, homemade dip, or even meat). One of the girls was smart and pre-cooked some taco meat at home which made putting together the walking tacos pretty easy! I had never heard of a "walking taco" but it made for a delicious and easy meal (add it to your camping menu). Other things you might consider for your weekend menu would be hamburgers, breakfast tacos, chips/dip, sandwiches, and canned beans - all which make for simple cooking over the campfire or charcoal grill. If you happen to bring a propane or electric stove, then your food options expand exponentially.
Wrap-Up
Whether you go for a day trip, one night, or three nights - just go! Stop overlooking the outdoors, embrace your inner wildling, and enjoy some time disconnected from the world. Not only is it good for your soul, but it's also a cheaper alternative than what you were probably going to do this weekend anyway.
Below are some products I'd recommend that we used during our camping weekend:
Here is a night-lapse I took from our campsite near the lake.
Travelingo 3x3
What to eat:
Breakfast tacos
S'mores
Hot dogs
BONUS: Or you can "cheat" and drive 8 minutes to El Paseo Mexican Restaurant)
What to drink:
Water
Sodas
Mixed drinks (Keep in mind that it is against park rules to drink or display an alcoholic beverage in a public place at any time - so be careful)
What to do:
Hike
Fish
Sit around the campfire
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