Texas Lakes Trail
State: Texas
Length: 1008.0 mi / 1622.2 km
Time to Allow: Plan for a few hours to enjoy sections or a week to enjoy the region.
The Texas Lakes Trails spans the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex up to the border of Oklahoma. Covering 31 counties in Northern Texas, including two major cities, you can find everything from massive lakes, historic downtowns, and western culture. Go rural or urban without leaving the area without abandoning the search for history or museums. Give authentic Texas a try and take your time as this area offers so much!
Make the Stockyards in Forth Worth first and enjoy an authentic and historic downtown with a cattle drive a few times a day. Stay for shopping, a ride on a vintage train, and excellent BBQ. Take a couple of days for your trip to tour several museums before heading to the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Next, head east to Dallas for the best of urban life. Not only does the city offer tons of architecture and museums but food too with options in every cuisine. Stop and visit the Dallas Aquarium and the Arboretum, especially in the fall, for unique displays. Follow JFK’s legacy with a trip to the Dealey Plaza museum and catch a show or concert at one of several venues.
A trip to Texas would not be complete without visiting Paris, Texas, to see their very own Eiffel Tower replete with a bold red cowboy hat. After visit the gorgeous downtown with antique shops and a copper-domed church at the edge of downtown. Eat lunch at the Cozy Cappuccino, a little mom-and-pop shop with the best Reuben sandwich in the world.
In the spring, visit Waxahachie for the Scarborough Renaissance Fair. The town also offers the Munster Mansion and even a Ghost and Vampire Tour for fans of the mystical. Next, head west to spend time with dinosaurs in Glen Rose. Visit Dinosaur World, Dinosaur Valley State Park, and Fossil Rim Wildlife to dig for fossils, see dinosaur footprints, and see endangered animals.
Fill your craving for shopping in Grapevine at a mall with an Aquarium and Legoland. After visit the 8,000 acres Lake Grapevine for camping, boating, water-skiing, and windsurfing. Catch some nightlife with a comedy murder mystery or an escape room, or find your favorite music, including western, bluegrass, modern funk, and much more, at the annual Grapefest in September.
Stop in McKinney for a beautiful historic town square filled with shopping, cafes, and antique shops. Visit the Heard Natural Science Museum or go to the National Video Game museum one town over in Frisco. Stay to see the Frisco Heritage Museum for authentic Texas history, including a steam locomotive from 1910. Detour to Canton or McKinney for huge outdoor flea markets on the weekends and find anything you love or collect. Make sure to catch a race in Mesquite at the Devil’s Bowl or a rodeo for a little western life. The metroplex offers something for everyone and so much more to see.
Local Information
Texas Heritage Trails – Lakes Trail – Visit this site for itineraries, photos, maps, history, and more. You can order a free brochure, or follow the Texas Lakes Trail on twitter.
More Texas Byways
You can check out additional Byways in Texas by clicking on the list of byways below, or by going to the Texas Byways home section. To find even more of scenic byways in the United States, visit our scenic byways map.