- NARRATOR: Lake Mineral Wells State Park,
west of Dallas-Fort Worth,
is known for a few things--
camping in the shade,
fun in the water,
and some scenic terrain.
It is also known for its wealth of trails,
but one trail in particular sets this place apart.
- We have a trailway,
and this was an old railroad corridor from Weatherford.
They have abandoned that line
and they have made it into a trail.
- NIKKI ELMS: The rails-to-trails project
is a 20-mile trailway from Weatherford to Mineral Wells.
- DAVID: Now people can go that whole 20 miles
biking and walking and even horseback.
- NARRATOR: The pathway is a unique avenue for exploring
some pretty crazy Texas history.
- RIDER: A little water tower here.
- DAVID: The town is historic.
[train whistle]
They came to it in droves because of the mineral water.
[fast folk music]
In the 1920s it was considered
the South's greatest health resort.
[fast folk music]
- RADIO ANNOUNCER: How do you do, ladies and gentlemen?
That was the Sunshine Special
bringing you to Mineral Wells, Texas.
This broadcast is coming to you right from the lobby
of the beautiful Crazy Hotel.
- NARRATOR: Mineral water turned Mineral Wells
into a destination,
and the railroad brought visitors by the thousands,
including a few notable names.
- DAVID: Being a resort town, they had entertainment
while they were here and so you had people like Will Rogers,
there's photos of Judy Garland here,
the Three Stooges that were here.
That trail is a different way to experience history
because you are traveling the same route that the people
coming in on train came in to Mineral Wells.
You're on that same route.
- RIDER: That's neat.
- NIKKI: The Mineral Wells trailhead was the point where
it came into town and the train depot is not very far
from there, the original train depot.
And there was a spur line that went from that trailhead
up to the Crazy Water bottling company.
And so a lot of history there.
- DAVID: Crazy Water was most famous,
and it was even dehydrated into crystals,
boxed up and shipped all over to rehydrate,
and they could have Crazy Water all over the country.
- NARRATOR: Dehydrated water may be a thing of the past,
but you can still buy fully-hydrated Crazy Water
in town.
And you'll need some water if you plan to take the trailway
all the way to Weatherford.
- JOSEPH RUSSELL: It's great for our area.
I own Flying Tire Bicycle.
And it's good for not only our business
but all the businesses in Weatherford.
[upbeat music]
Since it was a railway, it's graded for trains,
so for the everyday rider or for the family,
you're not going to encounter any steep hills.
Great trail.
[upbeat music]
- BRANDON WALTON: Slow and steady.
[upbeat music]
It's very well marked, it's safe,
it's good for the whole family.
Good way to utilize an old railway.
Is it hot today?
- Yes.
- Are you having fun still?
- Yeah.
- Alright, good deal.
[laughs]
[upbeat music]
- DAVID: That trail is a good one for biking and walking
and even horseback.
[upbeat music]
- NARRATOR: However you hit the trail,
you'll probably learn a few things about the area's past.
And maybe even something about it's future.
[pipe organ plays]
- DAVID: The Baker Hotel, built in 1929.
- NIKKI: It opened two weeks after the stock market crash.
It's been closed since the early 1970s,
but they just announced it will be reopening.
- DAVID: With the rejuvenation of some of these old hotels,
hoping we'll be at the top of that roller coaster
instead of the bottom.
- NIKKI: Very exciting time right now in Mineral Wells.
[folk music]
- NARRATOR: So if you're looking for a getaway that is
about the destination as well as the journey,
a place to both soak up the scenery and get active,
consider a trip through time
on the Lake Mineral Wells State Park Trailway.
- RADIO ANNOUNCER: Thank you for listening to our program,
which originated in Mineral Wells, Texas.
[wheels on gravel, staticy folk music]