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Scenic Drives

Explore the North Texas Hill Country

Immerse yourself in the stunning naturescapes of the North Texas Hill Country. Unpolluted by the noise and traffic of urban life, the sloping hills and sweeping views captivate many a motorist seeking a quiet escape. In fact, during our peak color seasons, it's common to see a caravan of jeeps, motorcycles or classic cars traversing the county byways.

While anytime is a good time to enjoy a scenic drive here, Fall and Spring are especially spectacular.

Fall Drives: Mid-October to early December is the best time to take in the brilliant colors of fall.
Spring Drives: The wildflowers really show off from mid-March to late May.

Ready to head out on your own tour? Here are some of our most scenic routes.

Map of the Brazos River South Scenic Route from Mineral Wells south on US 281 to Santo

Brazos River South

SCENIC ROUTE  |  14½ miles one way, about 17 minutes

HIGHLIGHTS

  • US 281 Bridge at the Brazos River
    Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
  • American Legion Memorial Park
    (a.k.a. 7-Mile Park) Natural rock formations and trails behind the roadside picnic area
  • Castle Rock Mountain
  • Big Bobbers
    Included in our 15 Crazy, Weird, and Unusual Things to See in Mineral Wells tour
Map of the Cherry Pie Hill Scenic Loop from Mineral Wells through Palo Pinto and Santo

Cherry Pie Hill

SCENIC LOOP  |  50½ miles, about 68 minutes

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Mountain Scenery
  • Cherry Pie Hill
    A winding 1.9-mile climb with a 5% grade, just south of Palo Pinto
  • Palo Pinto Creek
Map of the Strawn Scenic Loop from Mineral Wells through Strawn and Gordon

Strawn

SCENIC LOOP  |  76½ miles, about 76 minutes

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Mountain Scenery
  • Historic Water Tower and Bridge
    Spanning Palo Pinto Creek
  • Historic Bankhead Hotel and Downtown Strawn
Map of the Graford-Brad Scenic Loop from Mineral Wells through Graford and Brad

Graford-Brad

SCENIC LOOP  |  63 miles, about 67 minutes

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Mountain Scenery
  • Historic Water Tower and Bridge
    Spanning Palo Pinto Creek
  • Historic Bankhead Hotel
Map of the Lake Mineral Wells State Park Scenic Drive east of Mineral Wells on US 180

Lake Mineral Wells

STATE PARK SCENIC DRIVE  |  17.6 miles, about 46 minutes

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Penitentiary Hollow (accessible by foot)
  • Views of Lake Mineral Wells
  • Spillway
  • Wildlife