Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway
State park in Parker County, in the Prairies and Lakes region. Established 1981. 3,071 acres by TPWD boundary data.
Lake Mineral Wells is about 45 minutes west of Fort Worth. It has a 640-acre lake for swimming, fishing and paddling, 12.8 miles of park trails, and the 20-mile Trailway. It's also home to Penitentiary Hollow, one of the few natural rock climbing areas in North Texas. Climbers must check in at headquarters.
Things to do
Climb Penitentiary Hollow
Climbers and rappellers check in at headquarters. Bouldering and free-climbing are not allowed.
Paddle and fish
The park store rents canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. Fish from six piers for catfish, crappie, sunfish and largemouth bass. You don't need a fishing license here, and the park loans tackle. No skiing, tubing or jet skis.
Trailway
The 20-mile Trailway has flat grades and gentle curves and is open to hikers, bikers and horses, as are most park trails. Trails may close in wet weather.
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Trails
Trails listed by TPWD, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Waterfront Trail (hiking only) | 0.8 mi | Moderate | 45 min. |
| Upper Red Trail (hiking only) | 0.6 mi | Moderate | 30 min. |
| Blue Waterfront Trail (hiking only) | 1.5 mi | Moderate | 1 hr. |
| Primitive Camping Trail (hiking only) | 2 mi | Moderate | 1.5 hrs. |
| Cross Timbers Black Trail (multiuse) | 2.3 mi | Easy | 2 hrs. |
| Cross Timbers Green Trail (multiuse) | 1.5 mi | Easy | 1 hr. |
| Cross Timbers Orange Trail (multiuse) | 1.3 mi | Easy | 1 hr. |
| Cross Timbers Yellow Trail (multiuse) | 1.6 mi | Easy | 1.25 hrs. |
| Cross Timbers Maroon Trail (multiuse) | 2.2 mi | Moderate | 1.75 hrs. |
| Trailway Spur (multiuse) | 0.6 mi | Moderate | 30 min. |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
Choose campsites with electricity or water, hike-in primitive sites, 15 screened shelters, or 20 equestrian sites.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites with Electricity (50-amp)Water and electric | 47 | 8 | $30 |
| Campsites with Electricity (30-amp)Water and electric | 30 | 8 | $24 |
| Campsites with WaterTent sites with water | 11 | $16 | |
| Campsites with Water (Equestrian)Equestrian | 20 | 4 | $16 |
| Primitive Campsites (Hike-in)Primitive | 4 | $10 | |
| Screened SheltersScreened shelters | 15 | 8 | $36 |
Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.
Visiting with dogs
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.
Swimming
Swimming is allowed in designated areas. There are no lifeguards at Texas state parks.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- Mid-March through mid-November
- Night sky
- Bortle 4.5
TPWD lists mid-March through mid-November as the busy season and says the park often reaches capacity. April and May are the wettest months, and the July average high is 98°F.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Mineral Wells, TX 76067
(940) 328-1171
Open in OpenStreetMap (32.8127, -98.0434)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Worth | 1 hr | 40 mi |
| Dallas | 1 hr 37 min | 74 mi |
| Waco | 2 hr 33 min | 100 mi |
| Tyler | 3 hr 15 min | 163 mi |
| Austin | 3 hr 48 min | 175 mi |
| Midland | 4 hr 44 min | 244 mi |
Nearby parks
Questions people ask
Can you rock climb at Lake Mineral Wells?
Yes, at Penitentiary Hollow. Check in at headquarters first. Bouldering and free-climbing aren't allowed.
Can you swim at Lake Mineral Wells State Park?
Yes, in the lake. There are no lifeguards.
How far is Lake Mineral Wells from Fort Worth?
About an hour by car, based on OpenStreetMap routing.
Photo credits
- Lake Mineral Wells State Park View.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway September 2020 03 (Lake Mineral Wells).jpg by Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway September 2020 01 (Penitentiary Hollow trail).jpg by Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Lake Mineral Wells from State Park.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Lake Mineral Wells has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026