Just a quick post. In mid-March, I went on a drive out to Mineral Wells State Park, west of Fort Worth. I had heard good things about the hiking trails there, so I hiked on the Cross Timbers trail. Honestly, I didn’t really find the scenery to be anything that special (although it is interesting how different it is from the Metroplex, almost a northern extension of the Hill Country). I probably would have more enjoyed hiking on the adjacent Trailway, an abandoned railroad right-of-way converted to a walking trail. I actually did hike on another converted old rail bed earlier in March, from Farmersville to Merit and back. That was a lot of fun, but a LOT of walking!
Anyway, you might know from other blog posts that I’m a bit of a geek about views, certainly of the scenic variety, but also specifically sightlines – what can you see from a certain point and how far away is it? When I’m planning trips, I enjoy combing the area in advance for spots with potential significantly long or notable sightlines, and, if the view warrants it, incorporating those spots into my trip plan. So on the way back from Mineral Wells, I drove on Old Springtown Road and found this view.
Now, I can’t overstate how rural the area from which I took those pictures is. It was only 23 miles as the crow flies to downtown Fort Worth, but it felt like it could have been 230. It was incredible to me that you could see the skyline of a major American city (13th largest in the country) from truly the middle of nowhere. To give you an idea, this picture was literally taken from the exact same spot as the skyline pictures, just turned 180 degrees around:
That sightline spot, by the way, was taken from an elevation of about 1240 feet (378 m), considerably higher than most of the Metroplex (which ranges from about 500-800 ft/152-244 m). West and northwest of Fort Worth, elevation starts rising relatively quickly, and this is the closest spot of such elevation to the Metroplex; in fact, there is not another point of equal elevation to the east until eastern Alabama. I’m certain it is the highest natural point from which you can see a Metroplex skyline.
Finally, I mentioned this spot was on Old Springtown Road. I LOVE driving on old roads – back roads, yes, but specifically old roads, as in “the historic way to get from point A to point B.” I love seeing the land and the towns the way the travelers of yesteryear would have; I think what you see that way has a lot more beauty, character, and history.
That’s all for now. Take care!
Rob the Traveler 