3 Mini Roads Trips from Ft. Hood, TX

Texas overflows with all kinds of adventures that range from visiting stunning waterfalls, soaking up small Texas towns ambiance and jumping back in time to the Lone Star State’s Wild West history.

During our two times stationed at Ft. Hood, my husband and I explored as much as we could.  Going on adventures makes a huge difference in how you feel about a duty station.  So I present three small towns packed with fun activities.  Bonus, they’re all 40 minutes or less from Ft. Hood.

Lampasas

In Texas, water steals the show.  Surviving the hot Texas summers requires frequent dips in cool waters. Lampasas gets mega points because of its numerous springs that bubble up all over this town along the Sulphur Creek branch of the Lampasas River.

In fact during the 1880s people traveled from all over Texas to bath in and drink the mineral waters that were supposed to cure all sorts of ailments.  This tourism spawned lots of growth for Lampasas. To get the full history of the area, visit the Lampasas County Museum while you’re in town.

Naturally my first stop involved the springs at Hannah Springs Sculpture Garden a place that showcases art and the springs. A short walking trail takes visitors to sculptures on display throughout the garden.

Nestled in the middle of the park, one of the famous springs bubbles to the surface and slides down the hill, crystal clear and cool. There’s also a swimming pool and skate park within the grounds.

The Cooper Springs Nature Park sits just across the street from the sculpture garden. A newer addition to the Lampasas scene, it offers walking trails, a natural spring, Burleson Creek and a small butterfly garden near the entrance. If you’re looking for a peaceful stroll, this is the place to go.

If you want to see more springs, head across town to Hancock Springs Park . In fact, you can swim at this spring because they built a pool around it in 1886! It maintains a water temperature of 69 degrees year round. Some of the buildings around the pool constructed during the park’s heyday have been restored.

Each July, the city hosts a special festival called Spring Ho. Events take place all over the city including the park and downtown. The festival celebrates the abundance of springs in the area and includes a parade, carnival, music, a BBQ cookoff, kids fishing derby and the “Toughest 10K” race.

Town squares with county courthouses make many small towns across Texas special. In fact, Texas has more historic courthouses than any other state. Many of the courthouses have stunning architecture, are on the national historic preservation list and still function as law centers just like the Lampasas courthouse. Shops, restaurants and law offices usually pop up in the square of buildings around the courthouse.

While you’re out and about town, keep your eye peeled for murals. Vision Lampasas, a local non-profit, sends volunteers out around town to spruce up the buildings with paintings of all sorts.

All that walking can stir up a bit of hunger. Head over to Storms Drive-In and get a burger and fries just like Elvis Presley did when he was stationed at Ft. Hood. Then treat yourself to dessert at Cherry on Top before heading east for our next road trip town, Belton.

Belton

Just like Lampasas, settlers built Belton along the waters of a creek in 1850. Nolan Creek starts on Fort Hood and is fed by several springs. Founders called the town Nolanville but, according to the Texas State Historical Commission, the Texas state legislature changed the name to Belton after Bell County in 1851.

Belton once served as a stop on the famous Chisholm Trail and the town still celebrates that heritage each year with the Legends of the Chisholm Trail festival at The Landing at Creekside Park. To learn even more about Belton’s history, you can visit the Bell County Museum while in town.

Just up the hill from the creek, get a bite to eat at The Gin at Nolan Creek.  The 1928 building used to house the Farmer’s Co-Op Gin Company that processed cotton. 

Strolling around downtown you’ll find plenty of shops and restaurants as well as the Bell County Farmers Market on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Since Belton is the county seat for Bell County, the impressive Bell County Courthouse dominates downtown.  Much like Lampasas, the historic downtown forms a square around the courthouse.

Belton’s also a college town, home to one of the longest operating colleges in Texas, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.  The school moved to Belton in 1886.

During the hot summer months Belton offers several ways to cool off.  You can launch a kayak or tube on Nolan Creek.  Just don’t swallow the water (harmful bacteria).  You can also load up the family for a day on the waterslides and lazy river at Summer Fun Waterpark.

But Belton also sits smack dab between the large Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Lake where you can fish, boat and hike.  One of our favorite hikes is the Chalk Ridge Falls trail at Stillhouse Hollow. It’s free, pet-friendly and involves a fun swinging bridge to reach the reward at the end, the waterfall.

Salado

Head east of Belton and down 1-35 to reach our final town of Salado.  I grew up in Texas and distinctly remember the first time I visited Salado.  I was probably nine years old.  We ate dinner at the Stagecoach Inn, a real historic stagecoach stop back in the day.  Famous visitors included Sam Houston, Robert E. Lee and Jesse James.

From the white pillared porches to the waitresses who recited the menu from memory, the Stagecoach Inn really impressed this history-loving kid.

Since my childhood, the restaurant changed hands, the menu’s different and the whole establishment recently got a make over.  But the mystic and those white pillared porches still remain.  I make a stop for lunch any time I’m in the area. 

Much like Lampasas and Belton, Salado founders built the town near a creek, aptly named Salado Creek, in the 1850s.  Five groups of springs also drew people to the area.  About the same time Salado College was started for higher education in Bell County.  Then in the 1860s, the famous Chisholm Trail took cattle right down Main Street.

In one of the more unusual stories I’ve heard, part of Salado’s early history hid inside a modern house.  When crews started demolition of the house, they were shocked to find this 1850’s log cabin inside the house!  Today you can see the Bole-Aiken cabin for yourself at the Salado Historical Society’s cabin park on the grounds of the Salado Civic Center.

Salado grew into a thriving town until the railroad bypassed it for Belton.  Gradually residents left and the town shrank. You can delve into all of that great history and see the ruins of the college for free at the Salado Museum & College Park .

Salado’s definitely made a comeback since then with cozy businesses, lots of art and delicious food.  It’s a great place to stop for some boutique shopping, stroll along the creek or visit one of the many gardens like the Salado Sculpture Gardens.