4 & 5. Canoe or Camp
The Sundancer
For smaller groups of four people
or less, the Sundancer Tent is perfect,
but also it makes a wonderful roman-
tic retreat for mom and dad, but that’s
another article for another issue.
The Sundancer Tent was hand-
crafted in Africa and is one of the
most distinctive overnight accom-
modations in Texas. The three-
room safari-tent is nestled next to
Comanche Creek but don’t let its
rugged exterior fool you, the tent is
equipped with central air and heat
and is appointed as beautifully as
most high-end hotels. The Sundancer
has an expansive deck area, fire pit
and wood-burning hot tub. The back
outdoor gallery overlooks a pictur-
esque waterfall.
Both the Sundancer and
Grandpa’s Farmhouse are located
inside the 350-acre Double F River
Ranch—a working cattle ranch with
both a longhorn and Angus herd.
Notable amenities at the ranch
include:
• Central air and heat
• Full bathrooms with over-sized
shower
• Kitchenette with microwave, refrig-
erator, and coffee maker! Fabulous
grill on the deck
• Fire pits
• Kayaks and inner tubes (summer)
included (our new shuttle service up
to the bridge gives you a one-hour
float trip back to the ranch)
• Has the only fairy forest in all of
Parker County! (Build a house for the
fairies out of twigs, which keeps them
coming back
• Hiking trails
• Much more…!
Water fun can also be found along
the Brazos River in areas such as
Hillbilly Haven in Millsap and
Rochelle’s Canoe Rental near Mineral
Wells. Hillbilly Haven offers inner-
tube, kayak, canoe and airboat trips
along a seven-mile stretch of pristine
Texas scenery. For $35, you can rent
a canoe and canoe the river. For
$17 a person, you can also tube the
Brazos (price does include the tube
to ride on). Bring your tent, or R.V.
and enjoy the rural and scenic Brazos
River.
6. Peddle Your Family
Around the County
Places to going bicycling with your
kids are plentiful around Parker
County.
Town Creek Hike & Bike Trail in
Weatherford is our favorite. It’s 3.15
miles long and most of that is tree-
lined.
Hillbilly Haven
Mineral Wells State Park is another
perfect place to enjoy our luscious
Texas scenery by hiking or biking,
camping, horseback riding or even
glamping. Stay at one of the park’s
campsites or screen shelters, or stay
at one of the 20 equestrian camp-
sites. Swim in the lake, fish or boat,
or bring a chair and enjoy the tran-
quility of the 640-acre Lake Mineral
Wells. If you don’t have a boat, the
park rents flat-bottom boats, canoes,
kayaks, paddle boats and rowboats.
No skiing, tubing or jet skis allowed.
Fishing: Fish Mineral Wells State Park
for catfish, crappie, sunfish and large-
mouth bass. Choose from six fishing
piers scattered around the lake. The
park loans rods, reels, and tackle
boxes through the Tackle Loaner
Program. Note: You do not need a
fishing license at Lake Mineral Wells.
Lake Mineral Wells State Park
overlook
No bike. No problem. Visit the
Unspoken Bike Shop.
This summer, the Unspoken Bike
Shop, operated by partners Josh
Porter and Montanna McMasters, will
be offering safety clinics for the chil-
dren of Parker County.
“We are planning to do one or
two safety clinics to teach children
road safety and awareness to keep
them safe both on the road and on
the Town Creek Trail,” Porter said.
“We hope to educate children about
the importance of safety when riding
on the road or trails. Also, we hope
that this program will encourage
younger riders to get out and ride
more since there is so much our
community has to offer for riding,
with more coming in the future.”
Unspoken Bikes is a full-service
bike shop that was created with the
needs of citizens of Parker County
in mind. “In 2015, Montanna and
I were discussing the lack of any
bicycle shops in Weatherford and
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