Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway

Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
	Lake Mineral Wells State Park
	Location of Lake Mineral Wells State Park in Texas Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway (the United States)
Location	Palo Pinto County, Texas
Nearest city	Mineral Wells, TX
Coordinates	32°51′03″N 98°01′36″W / 32.85083°N 98.02667°W
Area	3,282.5 acres (13.284 km2)
Established	July, 1981
Visitors	165,211 (in 2022)
Governing body	Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

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 Trailway. Also within the park is Penitentiary Hollow, a somewhat unusual geological feature which resembles a small canyon. It is a popular site for rock climbing, though the only type of climbing allowed is top-rope. The park also features over 31 miles (50 km) of hiking trails, 25 miles (40 km) 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 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.^[2]