Take a Hike!!

Top 5 Hiking Trails Near Possum Kingdom Lake

Story by Bob Kasper

Photos by Diane Davis, PK Lake Ranger

The Possum Kingdom Lake community is internationally renowned for its natural beauty, and though most people appreciate this natural splendor from a boat, the area also aboundswithincrediblehikingopportunities

Withthatinmind,here(innoparticularorder)arefiveofthe topdayhikesinthearea,allwithinanhour’sdriveofthelake

PKPhotoOp

Johnson’sPeak,SouthD&DWestPark,Graford https://brazosorg/About-Us/Reservoirs/Possum-KingdomLake/Amenities/Public-Use-Areas

The Possum Kingdom Hike and Bike Trail is a system of 16 miles of trails that wind through the hills surrounding Possum Kingdom Lake. For a panoramic view of the lake, Johnson’s Peak is hard to beat, and visitors should park in the South D&D parking lot. There are two trailheads in this park, so makesuretotakethewesterntrailhead Therockytrailwinds itswayupintothehillsthroughdenseoakandcedarthickets. It’s about one mile to Johnson’s Peak, and hikers can retrace their steps from there or continue the loop for another four miles

DownintheHollow

RedWaterfrontTrail,LakeMineralWellsStatePark http://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2021/jan/scout2 takeahi ke/

With its hiking and biking options and an entire lake within its boundaries, Lake Mineral Wells State Park has something for everyone Foratrulymagicalexperience,trytrekkingtheRed Waterfront Trail to Penitentiary Hollow From the trailhead, visitors can follow the path through a verdant grove of ancient oaks and weave between massive sandstone boulders as they descend the hillside The trail briefly traces the rocky shores of Lake Mineral Wells before creeping into Penitentiary Hollow, a closely cloistered canyon that is a world unto itself. Hikers can follow the stone staircase out of thehollowandfinishtheirexcursionwithascenicoverlookof LakeMineralWells.

ATripwithaDip

BrazosRiverTrailtotheDam,Graford https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/texas/brazos-river-trailto-the-dam

This 25-mile trail is one of the many hidden gems around Possum Kingdom, with an easy hike offering access to the Brazos River Visitors should take Red Bluff Road to find a parking area at the base of Morris Sheppard Dam. The trail parallels the banks of the Brazos River through meadows of spring wildflowers and towering pecan trees. About 1.5 miles into their adventure, hikers will find a boat ramp tucked into thesideofthetrail,andfollowingitleadstoapopularfishing spotandswimmingholeflankedbytoweringbluffs

HikeandBike

WesternHeritagePark,MineralWells https://www.trailforks.com/region/western-heritage-park/

This park on the northern edge of Mineral Wells boasts miles of mountain biking trails to suit all skill levels The Green Trail provides a leisurely cruise through the park, while the rock gardens of both the Red Trail and Blue Trail are extremely challenging. These trails also cater to hikers seeking to explore the park at a slower pace Interpretive signage throughout the park tells the story of Palo Pinto County and some of the colorful characters, who now are legends of Texashistory,thatoncecalledthecountyhome.

GoingtheDistance

Cross Timbers Maroon Trail, Lake Mineral Wells State Park&Trailway https://tpwdtexasgov/state-parks/lake-mineralwells/trails-info

Those ready to cover some serious distance need to look no further than the Cross Timbers trail system in the backcountry ofLakeMineralWellsStatePark.Visitorsshouldmakesureto get a map from the park’s headquarters, as there’s plenty to explore–butforalittletasteofeverything,adventuroussouls are encouraged to try the Cross Timbers Maroon Trail at the farthestreachesofthepark’sbackcountry.Justgettingtothe trailisquiteatrek Alongtheway,hikerswillencounterrolling oakforests,pecan-studdedriparianwoodlandsandabounty oflocalwildlife Oncethere,theycanclimbtherockyascent, lookoutacrosstheparkandenjoythepeaceandsolitudeof this secluded trail The trip to the trail is about a seven-mile roundtrip,andthere’snorunningwaterinthebackcountry,so make sure to bring plenty of water It’s an arduous trail, but incrediblyrewarding,too.

Those lucky enough to call Possum Kingdom home know that it’s a beautiful place to live, and this list is by no means exhaustive,sogetoutthereandexplore!

Possum Kingdom Lake can be a great place to have a good time and enjoy our beautiful lake, but every year accidents happen. We encourage everyone to be careful, have a designated driver, and know the lake and your surroundings The lake is down several feet this year and areas you think you know are different, BE AWARE! Todd Burns shared just a few pictures of the boats he has had to retrieve in recent years. The good news is no one was hurt in any of these accidents Just some bruised egos and undue stress

Story by Steve Nussbaum

Photos Contributed by Todd Burns of Todd Burn's Dock Repair and Dive Service

See more starting on page 67

This boat hit some debris in the lake It knocked the plug out and the boat started sinking

A big storm came in and a large Chris Craft boat came unplugged and lost power The boat sank and it took three days to recover the damaged boat

The driver of this boat was pulling kids on a tube The driver was looking back and ran up on top of a dock