Month: October 2020

14 Texas State Parks near Dallas Fort Worth

Stunning nature preserves up to 1h30 from DFW to enjoy the outdoors

Discover the closest Texas State Parks to Dallas for hiking, camping and everything in between!

“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.”

― Henry David Thoreau

Texas State Parks: the best places for a nature fix in the Lone Star State

Texas is home to over 80 State Parks! 

Amazing natural preserves with unique landscapes and features, perfect to enjoy the outdoors and contemplate nature and wildlife. 

Texas State Parks are protected areas managed by the government, with controlled access, and feel safe, clean, and well-maintained. They are my first choice whenever I feel like getting a breath of fresh air and using my hiking boots!

At Texas State Parks you can hike, camp, stargaze, fish, swim. And engage in more specific activities, such as rock climbing, paddling, cycling and even horseback riding. 

Each Texas State Park offers a distinctive set of activities, and the best way to discover your favorite ones is by simply start exploring them! 

Texas State Parks around Dallas

No need to travel far to enjoy Texas nature. The Dallas surroundings are home to 14 of the Texas State Parks, only a short drive away from the city.

Here I share with you all the State Parks within a 1h30 driving distance from Dallas. I’ve included the relative location to Dallas, as well as the driving distance, so you can find the ones closest to you and start exploring from there.

While each Texas State Park near Dallas has its own beauty and offers something different, I do have my favorites! So, if you’re looking for specific recommendations on the best State Parks in Dallas and surroundings, look for the ones marked with throughout this article. Or check the recommended ones (and the reasons why) at the end of it.

I’ve also included some insider tips below, so you can make the most of your visits and hopefully avoid some headaches – such as being turned away by lack of reservations , yep, you need them. 

Read this post, click on the links to see what each State Park near Dallas offers, choose your favorites, and go enjoy the outdoors!

More outdoor things to do in and around Dallas?

Check this post, with 60 fun outdoor activities in Dallas and surroundings!

Texas State Parks up to 1h30 from Dallas

State Parks North of Dallas

Ray Roberts Lake State Park (1h00)
Eisenhower State Park (1h15)
Bonham State Park (1h15)

Right by Lake Texoma, Eisenhower State Park is stunning and has an amazing beach area - among the most scenic in the DFW surroundings.

State Parks South of Dallas

📍Cedar Hill State Park (0h25)
📍Purtis Creek State Park (1h00)
📍Cleburne State Park (1h10)
📍Lake Whitney State Park (1h15)
📍Dinosaur Valley State Park (1h20)
📍Fort Parker State Park (1h25)
📍Fairfield Lake State Park (1h25)

Beautiful Dinosaur Valley, home to real dinosaur footprints and to crystal-clear Paluxy River.

State Parks West of Dallas

Lake Mineral Wells State Park (1h15)
Fort Richardson State Park (1h30)

Lake Mineral Wells State Park, a top-rated State Park near Dallas, home to famous Penitentiary Hollow (photo by Texas Park & Wildlife).

State Parks East of Dallas

Lake Tawakoni State Park (1h00)
Tyler State Park (1h30)

Beautiful Tyler State Park, in the Piney Woods region of Texas and only a short driving distance from Dallas. Fall foliage in autumn, water activities in summer and bald eagles in winter.

Insider Tips

Make online reservations

Reservations to visit the Texas State Parks are required and should be made in advance through their online reservation system.

Plan ahead

For the most sought-after State Parks in Texas, reservations need to be made weeks in advance for day passes. And months in advance for camping spots.

Score last minute reservations

Getting last-minute reservations to visit Texas State Parks can be trick but is not impossible. Leave the “location” field blank in the Texas State Parks reservation system and search to see all State Parks with available passes for the date you wish to visit. 

While you probably won’t find spots available in the most popular parks this way, you can end up scoring a last-minute reservation in a hidden gem soon to become your favorite camping or hiking spot in Texas! (I discovered some of my favorite State Parks around this way).

Check for current conditions before hitting the road

Trails, swimming areas and other State Parks facilities can close unexpectedly due to weather increment, water levels or other reasons. Other more specific limitations can be found – dinosaur footprints are not always visible at Dinosaur Valley, for example (it depends on the water levels). 

It’s always a clever idea to check on current conditions before hitting the road to avoid disappointments. Along this post you find the links to each State Park website. Click on it and check the alerts in effect (at the top of the page) prior to your visit. 

Get a Texas State Park Pass

 If you are planning to visit State Parks frequently, getting a Texas State Park Pass just makes sense. 

For USD 70.00 you (and whoever is in the car with you) gets free entrance in all Texas State Parks for one year. And you also get camping and State Park stores discounts.

Summing Up

Looking for the best places to camp, hike, and paddle around Dallas?

Try Texas State Parks!

You have 14 options to choose from up to 1h30 driving from Dallas. Each one of them with its own set of features and activities, and special in their own way.

Here we listed all of them, with the distances from the city and relative location to DFW. Use the links along to post to check what each of these amazing Texas State Parks offer and start exploring!

My favorite Texas State Parks near Dallas

Yes, they are all very cool and worth the drive. But I do have my favorite State Parks near Dallas lol! They are marked with starts along the post, but for a quick glimpse these are the ones I would highly recommend you visit and why:

Eisenhower State Park
Has a stunning lake beach (really, impressive) and an amazing camping area overlooking lake Texoma.

Dinosaur Valley State Park
Real dinosaur footprints along the riverbed! Oh, and a gorgeous crystal-clear river framed by sandy beaches. And a great trail system as well.

Lake Whitney State Park
Crystal-clear lake, with beautiful beach areas. The lake bottom is made of limestone, what prevents it from being muddy as other lakes – under the right weather conditions, of course.

Lake Mineral Wells State Parks
Top-rated trails, rock climbing and unique Penitentiary Hollow rock formation.

Tyler State Park
Tall pine trees! It’s a landscape you wouldn’t expect to find in Texas, specially so close to Dallas. The fall foliage reflecting in the lake there is beautiful. Shady trails and water activities, such as swimming and paddling, make Tyler a local favorite under the Texas heat as well.

Go enjoy the outdoors!

Enjoy nature to the fullest without going too far! In this post you discovered the 14 best places in the Dallas surroundings to do that. 

Now go check them out and get back here to let me know how it was.

Have you been to any of these State Parks before? Has any of them surprised you? What are your favorite places to go for hiking, camping, swimming and other outdoor activities near Dallas?

Leave a comment below.

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Hidden Gems in Dallas and Surroundings

Out of ordinary things to do in Dallas and surroundings to include in your bucket list. Discover surprising hidden-gems you wouldn’t expect to find in Texas!

These 13 hidden gems and unique things to do in Dallas and surroundings will surprise you!

Discover amazing offbeat attractions to include NOW in your Texas bucket list.

Go beyond the preconceived ideas of Dallas Fort Worth and get amazed by cool and unique stuff you can experience around. Hidden gems in or near Dallas about to change your perception on the Big D.

The following 13 out-of-ordinary ideas to enjoy your time in Dallas and surroundings are nothing short of mind-blowing!  

From prehistoric sites you would guess to be thousands of miles away from Dallas to activities that wouldn’t even cross your mind when thinking of Texas, here you’ll find unexpected things to do in and around the city. 

Check them out and make your plans to uncover these unique hidden gems in Dallas and neighboring towns. Enrich your Texas experience and prepare for a change of heart on the Lonely Star State.

Beyond the hidden gems in Dallas: must-visit popular attractions

If you are new to Dallas or a first-time visitor, and wants to go over DFW (outstanding) basics as well, check our post with the top 15 things to do in Dallas.

Popular but superb attractions you’ll only find in the Big D!

1. Bonnie and Clyde

Visit Bonnie and Clyde graves right in Dallas and follow the infamous couple footsteps.

Bonnie Grave (Bonnie and Clyde) in Dallas, Texas. Photo by Jack Gray/ Flickr

Did you know the infamous criminal couple Bonnie & Clyde, glamorized in the 60’s movie classic of the same name, have Texan roots?  That Bonnie was once a waitress in Dallas and both Bonnie and Clyde spent their teenager years in DFW? Accounts claim they first meet in the 30’s in a friend’s house at 105 Herbert Street, West Dallas.

The rest is a mix of history and legend, but the fact is that in Dallas you can follow Bonnie and Clyde footsteps. And visit their grave sites, currently historic landmarks. Bonnie (Bonnie Parker) is buried at Crown Hill Memorial Park.  Clyde (Clyde Barrow) at Western Heights Cemetery. Have in mind these are not touristic spots at their core but resting places. So, don’t expect anything fancy or pristine. Go for the history and curiosity and you’ll enjoy it.  

2. Fossil Park

Unleash your inner paleontologist and dig for over 300 million old fossils - for free!

Brachiopod fossil, one of the over 20 type of fossils you can dig for at Mineral Wells Fossil Park.

And when you think Texas can’t surprise you anymore, you discover that only 1h30 driving from Dallas you can dig for real million years old fossils! Looking for something out of ordinary to do around DFW? Go fossil hunting at Mineral Wells Fossil Park.

The fossil park is open to the public year-round, with free admission. You can bring small tools and dig for the tons of well preserved ‘Pennsylvanian Period’ fossils around – and even find a prehistoric shark tooth if you’re lucky! It’s a primitive site with no facilities, so bring tons of water, pack a picnic and have fun.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park is only 15 minutes away from the fossil park and one of the best places around Dallas for hiking, in case you’re looking for more things to do in the area (if hiking is your thing, take a peek into this article and discover the 9 best hiking spots near Dallas – topic #2)

3. Scuba-Diving

Dive into a beautiful blue hole and explore a sunken airplane and bus!

Scuba diving in Athens, Texas. Photo by Pixabay for illustrative purposes only.

And the Dallas surroundings keep surprising me! Not a long time ago I found out that one of Texas most impressive scuba-diving centers is only 90 minutes away from Dallas, the Athens Scuba Park. And no pool or tank: we are talking about an actual blue hole, with turquoise water and interesting sunken things to explore such an airplane and a bus!

I haven’t been there yet, but it’s definitively on my list of things to try in Dallas as soon as the weather cooperates LOL.

4. U.S. Treasury Money Factory

Tour one of the only two money printing facilities in the United States.

US Treasure's money printing and engraving facility in Fort Worth, Texas

The U.S. Treasury has only 2 money printing and engraving facilities in the country and one of them is right in DFW!

The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, in Fort Worth, is open to the public and can be toured for free (weekdays only). Take advantage of your visit and check on other Forth Worth must-see attractions (destination # 3).

5. Real Dinosaur Tracks

Step onto real fossilized dinosaur footprints along a crystal-clear riverbed.

Dinosaur track at Dinosaur Valley State Park, Texas, 1h30 from Dallas.

Dinosaur Valley State Park is a must for all ages. Only 1h30 from Dallas, it’s a beautiful nature setting where you can step onto real fossilized dinosaur tracks along the riverbed! – how cool is that?

Plan a day in the outdoors exploring Dinosaur Valley State Park trails. Or, for an amazing and easy weekend trip, spend the night camping in the park or in a lodge inside nearby Fossil Rim. Check details in this post, destination # 1 – Glen Rose.  

6. Surf

Ride great waves year-round without paying a trip to the beach.

Lake Surf at Lake Ray Hubbard near Dallas, Texas

Who would imagine you could surf near Dallas? We are far from the ocean, it is -sadly – true. But it does not mean you have to wait until your next trip to the coast to ride some great waves!

You can do that as close as 30 minutes away from Dallas, in Lakes Grapevine and Lewisville. Head there, try wakesurfing and be wowed by the experience.

Or if you want things to get real, head to BSR Surf Resort, in Waco. A state-of-art surf facility only 1h30 from Dallas, which attracts attention from surfers all over the country (check here other things to do in Waco (destination # 6)

7. Real Mammoth Excavation Site

Only place in the world with an entire herd of Colombian Mammoth fossils on display.

Mammoth Fossil in Waco, Texas.

How cool it is that we can drive 90 minutes and visit a real excavation site? And one of worldwide importance?

The Waco Mammoth National Monument is an under-the-radar must-see attraction for those in the Dallas area. Plan to make a stop there in a day trip to Waco (destination #6), a fun destination made famous by the HGTV Fixer Upper show, offering other interesting things to do.

8. Drive-In Theater

Enjoy an old-fashioned movie session under the stars from the comfort of your trunk.

Coyote Drive-In in Fort Worth, Texas. Old-style movie session and one of the cool things to do in Dallas off the beaten path.

If you haven’t watched a movie from the trunk of your car, you’re missing out. You can do it right in Fort Worth and it is SO cool!

Indulge in nostalgia at Coyote Drive-In. An old-style movie theater with cool old-fashioned vibe. Bring your chairs, blankets and park your car right in front of the screen to watch your favorite movie bundle – each entrance is valid for 2 different movie sessions, played in sequence with a 15-minute interval.

It is recommended that you arrive early (at least 90 minutes in advance) to avoid potential long lines and grab a good spot. But don’t worry: there is a super nice lounge area where you can grab a bite and have some beers while you wait. And, on selected weekend nights, you can even enjoy live music. All of that under the stars and with beautiful views of downtown Fort Worth. It’s one of DFW best-kept secrets hands down.

For other things to do in Fort Worth and make the most of your visit, check this post (destination # 3).

9. Hare Krishna and Buddhist Temples and Culinary

Immerse in other cultures without hoping on a plane.

Beautiful Kalachandjis, a Hare Krishna Temple and Indian-vegetarian restaurant right in the middle of Dallas.

Pay a trip to the orient without leaving Dallas. Kalachandji’s and the Buddhist Temple of Dallas are must-visit attractions off the beaten path for those in love with other cultures and looking for an immersive experience. True and authentic hidden gems in Dallas, not to be missed.

For a quick trip to India, go to Kalachandji’s. Right in the city, it’s a stunning Hare-Krishna temple and restaurant serving the best Indian-vegetarian food in Dallas. The temple is open to the public as well as the services, and they are really welcoming. You can even take cooking and Ayurveda classes for free in specific days of the week.

Or if you prefer Thailand as your destination for the day, head to the Buddhist Temple of Dallas, one of Dallas best kept secrets. Make sure to go on a Sunday, when they usually have a Thai Street Food Market behind the temple – check their Facebook page to confirm the dates and times.

10. Gas Monkey Garage

Visit the filming set of the famous Fast'n Loud TV Show.

Gas Monkey Garage in Dallas, Texas, the filming set of the famous TV show.
 

Fast’n Loud fans cannot miss this one. Dallas in home to the Gas Monkey Garage, where the automotive relics hunter Richard Rawlings performs his miracles and restore decrepit classic cars back into glory, as seen in the Fast’n Loud TV show. 

Visit the filming set and follow with a live concert at Gas Monkey Live! Music Venue, right next door.

11. Cattle Drive and Herd Lesson

Be a cowboy for one day in an authentic Dude Ranch.

Cattle drive and herding classes at Beaumont Ranch, near Dallas, Texas. Photo by skeeze from Pixabay

Ok, the cowboy thing is something totally expected from Texas. But what about becoming a cowboy yourself and learning how to guide and lace those giant longhorn bulls? 

If it sounds cool enough, take a short day trip to nearby Beaumont Ranch – 1h15 from Dallas – and unleash your inner cattleman. 

Make sure to make reservations in advance. The Dude Ranch also offers other activities such as horseback riding, ATV tours and archery.

12. Kimbell Museum

Visit America's best small museum and check on Michelangelo's first painting

Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo by Andreas Praefcke [Public domain]

DFW is home to “America’s Best Small Museum”, Kimbell Art Museum, in the Fort Worth Cultural District. It has an impressive collection, including Michelangelo’s first known painting. A must-visit place for art buffs or anyone who appreciates fine arts and modern architecture.

Stop by as part of a cool day trip to Fort Worth. While the Stockyards is the city’s most famous attraction, there are other amazing underrated things to do in Fort Worth you should definitively check out. Read this post for must-sees and hidden gems in Fort Worth beyond the Stockyards (destination # 3)

13. Giant Eyeball Sculpture

"I'm watching you" - one of a kind art-installation in the heart of Downtown Dallas.

A unique sculpture in the heart of Dallas, the Giant Eyeball is a true Dallas hidden gem.

Odd, to say the least. The Giant Eyeball sculpture, an authentic hidden gem in Dallas, stands in the heart of Downtown and is one of the cool landmarks you can see exploring the area. It’s in a private garden visible from the street, and part of The Joule Hotel’s impressive art-collection.

Find here a complete one-day itinerary to explore Downtown Dallas like a pro, including a stop at this curious offbeat attraction and things not to be missed in its surroundings.

Summing Up

Dallas rocks! While the city offers amazing well-known things to do, the wow factor lies on the hidden gems awaiting to be discovered by you.

Go beyond the obvious and experience the astonishing things to do in and around the Big D explored in this post. 

Must uncover hidden gems in Dallas Fort Worth

Unleash your inner Indiana Jones at Mineral Wells Fossil Park, Dinosaur Valley State Park and Waco Mammoth National Monument – where else in the world can you see a real mammoth excavation site, step onto real dinosaur tracks and dig for 3+ million years old fossils in a 1h30 radius?

Go quirk. Follow Bonnie and Clyde steps and visit their graves. Pay a visit to the only Giant Eyeball sculpture in the world. Be cowboy for a day at Beaumont Ranch.

Save some miles. Surf without the long drive to the beach at Grapevine and Lewisville lakes or Waco’s BSR Cable Park. Get scuba-diving certified in an amazing blue hole less than 90 minutes away from Dallas. Immerse into oriental culture and cuisine without hoping on a plane at Kalachandji’s Hare Krishna Temple and Buddhist Temple of Dallas.

And as if this list wasn’t already long and exciting enough, why not adding to it the opportunity of seeing first Michelangelo’s known painting at the Kimbell Museum and American dollars being printed in one of the only two facilities of this kind in the whole country?

Now go explore Dallas in a new and unique way!

Add some spicy to your Dallas experience. 

Choose your favorite ideas throughout this post and go try something unique in DFW. Then get back here and share your impressions.

Do you know any other offbeat thing to do and hidden gems in Dallas and surroundings? Leave a comment below!

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