TX – Lake Mineral Wells State Park

Website: Lake Mineral Wells State Park, Mineral Wells, TX
Phone: 512-389-8900
Visited: March 2016

Online Reservations Available
Amenities:
50 Amp
Dump Station – No Sewer Connections
Fairly Level Asphalt Sites
Picnic Tables are provided with each site
Grills are provided at each site
Fire Rings are provided at each site
A Pole for hanging a lantern
Pedestals are well maintained and organized.
Tent Pad available on each site
Pet friendly – Pets must be leashed. No dog park.
Tent camping is available
No WIFI
No Cable

Thoughts:

We selected a 3-day weekend to visit this park because it is a bit of a drive.  The extra day allowed us to leave earlier in the morning, than our typical 1 pm departure.  All state parks seem to assigned on a first come first servce basis.  Check-in is allowed as early as the office opens for sites that are available at that time.  As people leave, additional sites are available.  For this holiday weekend, it should be noted that all sites, including tent camping were reserved, so reservations are definitely recommended.  The park does have a later than usual check-out time of 2 p.m.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park is a nice park. The roads are smooth and well-maintained. The sites are asphalt and all RV sites are back-in. Our site was reasonably level, but did require the front wheels to be off the ground with the jacks.  Some other sites appeared to be more level and none were too unlevel to work with. The overall grounds around the sites are maintained. There is a swimming area and kayak rental is available.  There are also trails for walking.

The area we camped in is Live Oak Loop.  All sites in this area do offer 50 Amp power.  None offered a sewer connection.

The Park Rangers at the Headquarters were friendly and helpful.

There is a camp store located at the swimming area.

You are not allowed to bring in firewood or collect your own firewood,

For satellite dish users, we could not pick up all three satellites, but were able to pick up partial coverage for some our stay. Not sure if there were obstructions or weather conditions that were the problem.

What to do once you get there:

Mineral Wells is a small town with a downtown district that features some restaurants and antique stores.  It is only a quick trip from the State Park.  We also visited downtown Weatherford which is approximately 20 minutes away off Hwy 180.  There were a few more shops and restaurants.

Mineral Wells also has the Mineral Wells Fossil Park.  It is a neat place to collect some small, but interesting fossils.  There is no admission fee and you are allowed to meep what you find, so it is a good way to spend a couple of hours.  As stated on their website, there is a small covered picnic area and a porta-potty.  No other amenities.  Since we visted in the Spring, the heat wasn’t a factor, but I am sure that in the summer, it would be extremely hot.  Note that the Fossil Park is open from through Monday, so plan your visit accordingly.

At the State Park, there are lots of trails that are easy to walk and make a nice walk for your dogs.

TIP:
The Texas State Parks have a daily fee associated with the use of the parks. This is in addition to the fee paid for your camp site or cabin. The annual membership charge of $70 can quickly pay for itself in the savings. There are several benefits to the membership. The most useful is that is allows daily use fee to be waived for everyone in the car with the cardholder. It is valid at all state parks. It also allows half-off your second night of camping for 4 times per year. SInce we have stayed at other state parks during the year, we have certainly saved more than the membership cost. You can purchase the membership at the time of check-in and use it on the visit that you purchase it.

Also, be sure to check the Texas State Parks website before leaving to be sure that there are no advisories that might affect your stay.