🥾 ActiveWeekend · from Dallas, TX
Dinosaur Trails & Mineral Waters
Discover ancient dinosaur footprints and soak in rejuvenating mineral waters on an unforgettable Texas escape.
Day 1 — Dinosaur Valley State ParkDay 2 — Lake Mineral Wells State Park
Day 1 — Dinosaur Valley State Park
Day 1 — Dinosaur Valley State Park
🚗 2 hr 30 min driving📍 6 stops
🌅
Morning
🚗
Drive
Dallas, TX → Dinosaur Valley State Park
2 hr 5 min8:00 AM → 10:05 AM
Dinosaur Valley State Park
★ 4.7Cross the Paluxy River to walk alongside 113-million-year-old footprints pressed into limestone bedrock. Both sauropod and theropod trackways are preserved on opposite banks — bring water shoes for the crossings, which are part of the experience. Some of the most extensive dinosaur tracks on earth, and you can touch them.
10:05 AM📍 See location
🍽️
Lunch
🚗
Drive
Dinosaur Valley State Park → Grumps Burgers Glen Rose
10 min11:05 AM → 11:15 AM
Grumps Burgers Glen Rose
★ 4.8Glen Rose's most beloved burger joint — hand-pressed patties, fresh fixings, and zero pretension. Perfect fuel after a morning tracking dinosaurs through the Paluxy River.
11:15 AM📍 See location
☀️
Afternoon
🚗
Drive
Grumps Burgers Glen Rose → Dinosaur Valley State Park
10 min12:15 PM → 12:25 PM
Continue at Dinosaur Valley State Park
★ 4.7Use the afternoon to explore a different trail, cool off at a swimming hole, or find a scenic spot to watch the sunset.
12:25 PM📍 See location
🌙
Evening
🚗
Drive
Dinosaur Valley State Park → Big Cup Eatery
5 min5:00 PM → 5:05 PM
Big Cup Eatery
★ 4.3Fuel your adventure with artisanal coffee and locally-sourced breakfast fare in a charming, community-focused café atmosphere.
5:05 PM📍 See location
Snyder's Tavern
★ 4.5A well-regarded dinner spot near La Palmilla Texas Hotel.
6:05 PM📍 See location
🛏️
La Palmilla Texas Hotel
A 4.9-rated boutique hotel in Glen Rose, the Hill Country gateway to Dinosaur Valley — the kind of polished small-town stay you'd be surprised to find outside a major city. Excellent rooms and a staff that knows the Paluxy River valley inside out.
Day 2 — Lake Mineral Wells State Park
Day 2 — Lake Mineral Wells State Park
🚗 3 hr 36 min driving📍 4 stops
🌅
Morning
🚗
Drive
Dinosaur Valley State Park → Lake Mineral Wells State Park
1 hr 16 min8:00 AM → 9:16 AM
Lake Mineral Wells State Park
★ 4.7Escape into nature with pristine hiking trails, crystal-clear lake waters for swimming and paddling, and scenic overlooks perfect for weekend relaxation.
9:16 AM📍 See location
🍽️
Lunch
Woody's Bar & Grill
★ 4.6A casual local bar and grill in Mineral Wells serving hearty burgers and Texas comfort food with cold beer. No-frills and reliable — exactly what you want after a morning on the trailway.
10:16 AM📍 See location
☀️
Afternoon
🚗
Drive
Lake Mineral Wells State Park → Lake Mineral Wells Trailway
3 min12:00 PM → 12:03 PM
📍
Lake Mineral Wells Trailway
The 20-mile Cross Timbers Trailway follows a converted rail line alongside Mineral Wells Lake through rolling mesquite and cedar terrain — flat and scenic, ideal for a long afternoon hike or bike ride through quintessential North Texas cross-timbers landscape.
12:03 PM📍 See location
🌙
Evening
🚗
Drive
Lake Mineral Wells Trailway → Mesquite Pit - Mineral Wells
3 min5:00 PM → 5:03 PM
Mesquite Pit - Mineral Wells
★ 4.4Savor authentic Texas barbecue slow-smoked over mesquite wood in a rustic pit setting that captures the true spirit of Texas hill country cuisine.
5:03 PM📍 See location
🚗
Drive
Mesquite Pit - Mineral Wells → Dallas, TX
2 hr 14 min6:03 PM → 8:17 PM
Plan your own escapeExplore more trips →