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    On the Road

    Outdoor enthusiasts can get their fill of nature in Mineral Wells

    CultureMap Create
    Jul 25, 2022 | 12:05 pm
    Mineral Wells is an outdoor adventure lover's dream.
    Mineral Wells is an outdoor adventure lover's dream.
    Photo courtesy of Visit Mineral Wells

    A dream for active outdoorsy types and rest-and-rechargers alike, Mineral Wells is the perfect place to reconnect with nature.

    With three state parks, four lakes, and the Brazos River all close at hand, there’s no shortage of ways to get outdoors. From hiking and biking to horseback riding, paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing, and rock climbing, you can choose your own adventure.

    Here are a few ways to fully explore Mineral Wells’ naturescapes.

    Hit the trails
    From easy, crushed-rock trails to challenging, gravity-defying climbs and everything in between, there are lots of options for hiking and biking.

    The Texas Frontier Trails Heritage Park not only hosts outdoor concerts and events, it’s also a great place for rugged biking and some basic hiking with several trails forged into the hills — plus a few history lessons along the way via informational panels.

    For a little hidden gem, look for the Bridal Pathway Bridge that extends just beyond the trail and crosses over Pollard Creek.

    More hiking and biking can be found at Lake Mineral Wells State Park. Trails clock in at a half-mile to just over two miles and boast both waterfront and backcountry views and wildlife-spotting.

    The Lake Mineral Wells Trailway runs along the old historic tracks of the Weatherford, Mineral Wells, and Northwestern Railroad, and has 20 miles of hike, bike, and equestrian trails that venture through the sites of the Western Cross Timbers from Mineral Wells to Weatherford.

    Insider tip: Don’t miss the West City Park Hiking Trails in the city’s largest park: West City Park. The humble little trailhead is tucked away on the west side and leads to hilltop hiking trails with incredible views at the top.

    About 15 minutes outside of Mineral Wells in Graford, Possum Kingdom Lake has more than 15 miles of trails winding through the surrounding hills. Close by, Possum Kingdom Lake State Park has easy access to 2.5 miles of trails, from scenic woodland and prairie hikes to ones that lead to lake overlooks.

    Set up camp
    For a more immersive day-to-night experience, pack up the tent, bring the marshmallows, and make camp. Lake Mineral Wells State Park has a number of fully equipped campsites, including equestrian sites. Over atPossum Kingdom Lake State Park, you have options, from primitive camping to sites with water and electricity. The park also hosts glamping cabins with air conditioning.

    Rock on
    There are very few natural places for rock-climbing in North Texas — and Mineral Wells is one of them! Penitentiary Hollow at Lake Mineral Wells State Park has 20-to-40-foot sandstone walls for climbing and rappelling.

    Head for the H2O
    For the water lovers, you can have it all — canoeing, kayaking, fishing, paddle boarding, and more— in and around Mineral Wells. At Lake Mineral Wells State Park, these are all on offer and Trailway Trading Post has the rental craft and gear for it. Over in nearby Graford and the Brazos River, Rochelle’s Canoe Rentals has you covered for a day of rowing about.

    For the most water-powered options, Possum Kingdom Lake State Park has more than 300 miles of shoreline and many scenic coves that make it perfect for swimming, boating, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, jet-skiing, and more, with plenty of rental options available.

    Stop and smell the flowers
    For a more relaxed pace in nature, head to Clark Gardens with its 35-acres of beautiful gardens, soothing water features, and serene walkways.

    Get crazy!
    After a day (or days) of being outside, recharge at Crazy Water and see why health-seekers have been coming to the area from across the globe since 1881. The historic property has incredible all-natural mineral water where you can fill up your owns bottles with the good stuff, and even custom-blend your own water. Then, head over to the Crazy Water Bath House for a massage and a soak in the mineral baths.

    Learn more about what to do — indoors and out — at Visit Mineral Wells and start planning your weekend of adventure here.

    Penitentiary Hollow at Lake Mineral Wells State Park is one of the few natural rock-climbing destinations in Texas.

    rock climbing in mineral wells
      
    Photo courtesy of Visit Mineral Wells
    Penitentiary Hollow at Lake Mineral Wells State Park is one of the few natural rock-climbing destinations in Texas.
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    Your Expert Guide

    Oak Cliff: The underestimated historic and culturally rich 'hood

    Lindsey Wilson
    Oct 8, 2021 | 7:41 am
    Kay Wood
    Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman
    Kay Wood

    There are so many great places to live in Dallas that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.

    ---

    Bishop Arts is a huge attraction, but Realtor Kay Wood wants people to know that Oak Cliff is a lot more than just Bishop Arts.

    "Oak Cliff has a really rich and complex history," the Briggs Freeman agent says. "I think it's one of the most underestimated neighborhoods in Dallas."

    Wood has lived in Oak Cliff with her high school sweetheart-husband since 2008, but she's been helping people buy and sell homes there for the past 15 years, currently with her business partner Brian Davis.

    "The neighborhoods here are close to everything but still relatively affordable compared to other areas of DFW," she says. "I love all the historic homes with their architectural interest and variety, the strong sense of community engagement, and how there's so much to explore. Whether you're looking for the best new restaurant, the most authentic taco, film festivals, the zoo, the best public high school in Texas, parks, nature preserves — I could go on all day!"

    Wood offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in "the Cliff." Here's her guide to the area:

    Where to eat & drink
    The list is long: Nova ("you have to get the hummus," Wood says), Encina (pro tip: don't skip the blue cornbread), Cibo Divino for pizza and wine on the patio, coffee from Peaberry ("my husband swears their Vietnamese coffee is the best in town"), oysters at Boulevardier, the Perfect Picnic at Eno's Pizza Tavern, tio's elotes next to El Si Hay, the pistachio ice cream at Joy Macarons, and the spicy lobster ramen at Ten Ramen.

    Wood advises picking up a great bottle of wine from Neighborhood Cellars and some steaks from Cooper's Meat Market. And, of course, there are tons of taco options in the neighborhood: "We can't get enough of Maskaras, Trompo, and Taco y Vino," she says.

    Where to play
    Marvel at the best skyline views in town while playing a round at Stevens Park Golf Course, take a walk through Twelve Hills Nature Preserve, bike along the Trinity River, or play disc golf at Founders Park.

    The Kessler Theater is "such a great and intimate venue" for concerts, while the Texas Theater adds a touch of history to movie-watching. Escape to The Wild Detectives for books, music, and poetry, or head to the Dallas Zoo for a wild day out — "our whole family loves to feed the giraffes," Wood says.

    What to see
    Oak Cliff is home to the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial at Kiest Park and the La Reunion Monument at Stevens Park Golf Course that honors some of Dallas' earliest settlers.

    On Jefferson Boulevard, you can pop into the Oak Cliff Cultural Center for regular art shows, and "my daughters love to walk down the street and look at all the quinceañera dresses in the shop windows," she says.

    Where to live
    A few years ago, Wood helped her buyers purchase 626 Rainbow Dr., a rare, two-acre midcentury modern estate that's wrapped on three sides by a babbling creek.

    "When you're there, it's really hard to believe you're less than four miles from downtown Dallas," she says. The buyers hired local architect Eddie Maestri to update some aspects of the house while carefully preserving its midcentury style. There was an original barn that had been previously converted to a studio, but the buyers reinvented it as a guest house and added a pool and outdoor kitchen.

    "It's hard to say what a 'typical' Oak Cliff house would be, because we have some of the very best examples of almost every architectural style in town," Wood says.

    "In Winnetka Heights, you'll find Craftsman architecture (four squares, bungalows, Sears catalog, etc). Kessler Park has Tudors and Colonials and Texas eclectics from notable local architects like Charles Dilbeck and David R Williams. Stevens Park has all of these, as well as Spanish Revival and Dutch colonials. Wynnewood, North Kiestwood, and Wynnewood Hills have some of the best midcentury moderns in Dallas, as well as wonderful ranches. East Kessler has cutting-edge contemporaries that take advantage of the rare-to-DFW hilly terrain. You could teach a pretty comprehensive architectural history of Dallas without ever leaving Oak Cliff."

    ---

    Kay Wood lives, works, and plays in Oak Cliff. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email kwood@briggsfreeman.com, or call 214-908-5442.

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