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🥾 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 1Dinosaur Valley State Park

Day 1Dinosaur Valley State Park

🚗 2 hr 30 min driving📍 6 stops
🌅
Morning
🚗
Drive
Dallas, TXDinosaur Valley State Park
2 hr 5 min8:00 AM10:05 AM
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Dinosaur Valley State Park
4.7
Cross 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.
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Lunch
🚗
Drive
Dinosaur Valley State ParkGrumps Burgers Glen Rose
10 min11:05 AM11:15 AM
Grumps Burgers Glen Rose
Grumps Burgers Glen Rose
4.8
Glen 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.
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Afternoon
🚗
Drive
Grumps Burgers Glen RoseDinosaur Valley State Park
10 min12:15 PM12:25 PM
Continue at Dinosaur Valley State Park
Continue at Dinosaur Valley State Park
4.7
Use the afternoon to explore a different trail, cool off at a swimming hole, or find a scenic spot to watch the sunset.
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Evening
🚗
Drive
Dinosaur Valley State ParkBig Cup Eatery
5 min5:00 PM5:05 PM
Big Cup Eatery
Big Cup Eatery
4.3
Fuel your adventure with artisanal coffee and locally-sourced breakfast fare in a charming, community-focused café atmosphere.
Snyder's Tavern
Snyder's Tavern
4.5
A well-regarded dinner spot near La Palmilla Texas Hotel.
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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 2Lake Mineral Wells State Park

Day 2Lake Mineral Wells State Park

🚗 3 hr 36 min driving📍 4 stops
🌅
Morning
🚗
Drive
Dinosaur Valley State ParkLake Mineral Wells State Park
1 hr 16 min8:00 AM9:16 AM
Lake Mineral Wells State Park
Lake Mineral Wells State Park
4.7
Escape into nature with pristine hiking trails, crystal-clear lake waters for swimming and paddling, and scenic overlooks perfect for weekend relaxation.
🍽️
Lunch
Woody's Bar & Grill
Woody's Bar & Grill
4.6
A 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.
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Afternoon
🚗
Drive
Lake Mineral Wells State ParkLake Mineral Wells Trailway
3 min12:00 PM12:03 PM
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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.
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Evening
🚗
Drive
Lake Mineral Wells TrailwayMesquite Pit - Mineral Wells
3 min5:00 PM5:03 PM
Mesquite Pit - Mineral Wells
Mesquite Pit - Mineral Wells
4.4
Savor 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 WellsDallas, TX
2 hr 14 min6:03 PM8:17 PM
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