Hello, road trippers! Your weekend adventure from Austin to Dallas/Fort Worth has arrived. Set aside a three-day weekend, pack your bags, and hit the road! 

Friday

On a cooler day you make way to skip the swim, but the scenery is still beautiful for a photo op. The park has restrooms, but as pit toilets they aren’t the most luxurious. You may want to hold off until you reach Bucc-ee’s 20 minutes up the road in Belton or, if you are ready for lunch, hit up a restaurant on the historic Bell County Courthouse Square.

After Belton, continue another 40 minutes north on I-35 to reach Waco Mammoth National Monument – one of two National Monuments in Texas. The park is open daily from 9am-5pm except for major holidays. The park admission fees are $5 for adults, $4 for students, $3 for children pre-k to 6^th grade, and free for infants and toddlers. The park contains the fossilized bones of a camel, antelope, alligator, giant tortoise, and several Colombian mammoths. In fact, this site has the largest known concentration of Colombian mammoths to have died from a single catastrophic event.

When you’ve satisfied the Ice Age science buff in you, hit the road again, driving two hours northwest to Lake Mineral Wells State Park, where you’ll spend the night. Be sure to book a campsite well in advance – they book quickly, especially during peak seasons. Set up your tent and rest up for a big adventure tomorrow!

Saturday

Lake Mineral Wells offers something for every nature lover – a lake, rock climbing, and miles of trails. If you’re in the market for a relaxing nature day or kid-friendly activities, check out Penitentiary Hollow in the southeast corner of the park. From the Penitentiary Hollow trailhead, walk a short way to the scenic overlook over Lake Mineral Wells and then follow the rocky stairs down to the huge sandstone formations that make up a small canyon. This spot is filled with cool rocks to climb and boulder, so take some time exploring. This is one of the few natural rock-climbing destinations in North Texas, so it’s a fun place to watch climbers in action or join them yourself if you’ve got the knowledge and gear.

The canyon at Lake Mineral Wells 

The canyon also connects to a trail along the lake with fishing piers along the way. Once you’re done hiking and exploring, head to the park’s swimming area (a short drive away) to play in the sand and water. The Trailway Trading Post near the swimming area offers popsicles, ice cream, and other delicious treats to enjoy during your beach day.

Lake Mineral Wells

For biking and serious hiking enthusiasts, a highlight of this park is the 20-mile reclaimed railroad bed-turned-trailway that runs from historic downtown Mineral Wells (about 5 miles west of the park) to Cartwright Park in Weatherford (about 15 miles east of the park), perfect for hiking and biking. A 0.6-mile trail connects the state park with the trailway. This part has some steep switch switchbacks, so watch out for your fellow trail users, especially if you’re on bike. The next five mile stretch to downtown Mineral Wells is easy and flat, consisting of a crushed limestone path and a two-mile paved stretch close to downtown. After biking west along the trailway for about 30 minutes, park your bike downtown, admire the historic buildings, shop for unique treasures, and enjoy patio dining in one of the many restaurants. When you’re ready, bike the five miles back to the park. For a longer adventure, you can continue east to pedal through the countryside to the next trailhead at Garner. Each of the four trailheads on the trailway (Mineral Wells, the state park, Garner, and Weatherford) offers restrooms, water fountains, trail information, and parking. There are also self-pay stations for the $7 day use fee (free with a Texas State Parks pass).

Sunday

Get your big city fix today as you head to Dallas. Your first stop will be Klyde Warren Park, which offers food trucks, a huge children’s playground with a climbing tower, water feature, spinning elements, and a soon – a climbing wall. Food trucks are available from 11am-2pm weekdays and longer stretches on weekends. They rotate days, so depending on your arrival, you may find yourself grabbing some Italian street food, Cuban fare, ice cream, a fruit bowl – or bring your own picnic and relax on the big green lawn of this oasis in the city.

Klyde Warren Park

The park is located at 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway between Pearl Street and St. Paul. Metered parking is available on surrounding streets. If you’re brought a four-legged family member, there is also a dog park on the East Lawn. It’s on the small side, but has fountains for water-loving dogs to play and splash in.

When you’re ready to leave the city for another nature immersion experience, check out the 600 acres and 10 miles of trails at Cedar Ridge Preserve, just 20 minutes southwest of Klyde Warren Park. (The park is open Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays). The preserve is run by Audubon Dallas and asks for a suggested donation of $3 per visit and features a butterfly garden along with plenty of space for picnics. Leave your bikes or anything with wheels behind for this visit – the hiking trails are designed to be traversed on foot. A great hike for all ages is from the main trailhead to the Cattail Pond, where you can stop for a picnic at the pavilion overlooking the pond and then turn back around.

Now it’s time to hop back on I-35 to head south toward Austin. You’ll drive another 2 hours and 20 minutes for your final stop on this trip – Inner Space Cavern in Georgetown. Tickets are required, but no reservations are necessary. Tours depart every 20 to 30 minutes, with a guide leading you on an hourlong tour on a paved and lit trail through the underground cavern. The cavern is open 10am-5pm on weekends and weekend pricing for adventure tours runs $21.95 for adults & $15.95 for kids. Children 3 and under are free. For adults and big kids, the park now offers a zip ride ($10 per person with the purchase of a cave tour) that lifts you 130 feet into the air and pauses for you to take in the views, then zips you back down at 30 miles per hour. When you’ve recovered, make your way back to home, sweet, home and start planning your next trip!

This article was written by WanderWheels trusted travel guide Nina Palmo. You can find more helpful adventure tips and tricks on Nina’s Instagram (@raisingwildflowerkids)