This Thanksgiving holiday we spent some time rooftop tent camping and exploring the backroads around our home area in Central Texas. Not being fans of interstate highways, we thought we’d try driving from Austin to Dallas on unpaved roads. None of this route – under normal weather conditions – is very challenging, but it is a fun way to travel between these two major Texas cities, and see some beautiful countryside in the process.
We often use the OnX Offroad mapping app, which comes with hundreds of user-added routes, such as the Chisholm Trail Byway, added by user Laud Maroney. This easy route consists of about 120 miles of gravel and another thirty or so of paved road. It was named after the historic Chisholm Trail cattle drive route, which it roughly follows. (Note: because of county road closures due to flood damage, we deviated a bit from the route below.)
Driving the Chisholm Trail Byway
If you’re heading North, the route begins just outside of Burnet, then winds its way up along the foothills of the Edwards Plateau, past Lampassas and on toward Evant, through Cranfills Gap to Meridian. There we camped at Meridian State Park before continuing on toward Cleburne the following day.
If you have some time to spare and don’t mind taking the long road to Dallas-Ft. Worth, we highly recommend that you check out this scenic and laid-back way.
Camping At Lake Meridian State Park
The town of Meridian, Texas (named after the 98th meridian that runs nearby,) is home to Lake Meridian State Park. This scenic park features a 72 acre lake and several nice tent and RV camping sites. You’ll find that most sites offer ample privacy and have easy access to the lake for fishing. Firewood is available for sale at the park office and you’ll find hot showers next to the main RV area. As with quite a few of the state parks in Texas, many of the structures, including the dam that creates Lake Meridian, were made by workers serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.
(Two other nice state parks worth mentioning – located just off this route – are Dinosaur Valley State Park and Lake Whitney State Park. Both offer spacious RV and tent camping sites and hot showers.)
Chisholm Trail Byway Cautions and Tips
Be sure to check the OnX Offroad app for user-submitted route updates. Avoid this route after heavy rains, as it features many low-water crossings. Always heed any warning signs, use common sense and “turn around – don’t drown.” Plan to spend some extra time waiting for things like cattle and sheep drives going down the middle of the road, slow moving farm machinery and road grading equipment.
