Having just returned from riding the Katy Trail in MO from Clinton to Machens, my buddy (Jim, 67, primarily road cyclist) and I (49, started cycling Fall '21) were still geared up for some bikepacking. Overnight cycle trips of any length without riding highways are difficult to come by in the area. We decided to give this a shot, as we had heard it was a pretty nice trail and we could camp at the state park in Mineral Wells. We are your average, run of the mill riders that aren't in great shape or with super expensive gear. We had no idea how great this would be!

We used the Cartwright trailhead in W'fd, heading West toward Mineral Wells. To say this trail would have been perfect for prepping for the Katy is an understatement. With the exception of a handful of short spots (100 yds or so each), this trail is a fantastic ride. There are some washouts and a few soft gravel/sandy spots that prevent you from riding on mental "auto pilot". Be careful, or you might find yourself spread eagle beneath your rig.

The first four to five miles heading West are very shaded, climbing to the highest point of the ride at 1,263'. After that, it is a lengthy stretch of fast, slight decline riding for what feels like several miles. Just remember what goes downhill must come back uphill :)

12 or so miles in you will pass through Garner. If you need water, soda, beer, or a meal, stop at the Garner Cafe, about 30 yds off the trail. You can't miss it. We ate breakfast here on the return leg, and it was fantastic. And interestingly enough, Garner, Tx is where the domino game of "42" was invented. No joke. So there's a little neat local history of that town...

Four miles west of Garner you will come to the split where you may either continue the mail trail into Mineral Wells or take the state park spur. We initially continued riding the main trail toward the Vietnam Memorial, just beyond the elevated riding bridge over Hwy 80. There are some great view of the Caprock from the riding bridge oddly enough. At any rate, just as we came down the other side of the bridge, we saw the "Bridge Out" sign on the trail. Not being familiar enough to know where the park access road is in relation to the bridge, we opted to bike back over the bridge (ugh) and the to spur (about 1 mile back).

The spur to the state park says "2/3 mile to trail head". This is where it gets good. The majority of that 2/3 mile is a 5% grade up singletrack, switchback with some 6"+ deep washouts and mixture of loose rock, gravel, and sand. We were each carrying about 20# of gear in our pannier/rack. It wasn't hike-a-bike, but it was close. It's a great burn at the end of the ride, and the resulting views from the park are more than worth the work to get there.

You will come out in the amphitheater in the park. When you cycle out of the parking lot, GO LEFT. We added 2 more miles of cycle wandering trying to get out of this back area of the park. Easy riding and we enjoyed it, but the extra ride might not be for everyone after that hill climb :)

Riding through the park you will see the lake, swimming beach, and some great views of town. We camped in the Equestrian part of the park, which ended up being one of the best places we've camped in a long time. Very nice restroom/showers, views, and space. Worth the $14 for sure.

If you are thinking of riding the Katy, this is your training trail. Everything you will experience on the Katy, you will experience here, just for another 240 miles. You could easily ride out and back from Weatherford in a day. Heck, get started by 7am and you could out and back twice with a short break for lunch back in Wfd. That would give you about a 72 mile trip, great prep for Katy.

Enjoy the ride!