Quick Stops Between Fort Worth and Fredericksburg Texas

I always think back road is the best choice to take from Fort Worth to Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country, rather than the highway (I-35W). Less traffic and more scenic, and what’s better than finding Texas’ small towns gems between North Texas and the Hill Country?

When I mentioned a quick stop, it means the stop you will make at these places is less than an hour. These are places where you can learn a piece of local history, taste the local’s pride, or where can pose for, of course, Instagram. Most of their locations are by the highway, and you only need to drive a block or two (or a bit farther) from the road for a few of them. It’s like a roadside attraction.

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Driving directions from Fort Worth to Fredericksburg

When you googled driving directions from Fort Worth to Fredericksburg, Google will give you three choices of major routes. They are only 4 minutes different from each other. 

Route 1 (toll road from Ft. Worth): Ft. Worth – Cleburne – Glen Rose – Hico – Hamilton – Goldthwaite – San Saba – Llano – Willow City – Fredericksburg.

Route 2 (toll road from Ft. Worth): Ft. Worth – Cleburne – Glen Rose – Hico – Hamilton – Evant – Lampasas – Burnet – Llano – Willow City – Fredericksburg. 

Route 3 (toll road from Ft. Worth): Ft. Worth – Cleburne – Glen Rose – Hico – Hamilton – Evant – Lampasas – Marble Falls – Johnson City – Hye – Stonewall – Fredericksburg.

Our family likes to take Route 1 or Route 2 and Route 3 on the way back for a change of scenery. I’ve been driving the roads from Fort Worth to Fredericksburg several times with my family and friends and even just going by myself. Here I’m sharing with you things to do or see along the way based on our experiences.

Quick Stops Between Fort Worth and Fredericksburg, Texas.

CLEBURNE

Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum

The museum depicts life along the cattle drive in the late 19th century in and around Johnson County. You will see Johnson County’s original courthouse, Nolan River one-room school, a stagecoach station, a blacksmith shop, and a few others. Teepees and life-size cattle drive silhouettes will greet you as you enter the museum. It’s free, but you must pay to enter The Big Bear Native American Museum inside the complex. 

Address: 101 Chisholm Trail, Cleburne, TX 76033. (right by US-67 S, on the left side, after you get off the toll road).

Hours: Thursday – Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm; Sunday, 1-5 pm.

GLEN ROSE

Old Rock Gas Station

During prohibition days, they distributed the moonshine in the back area. Rumored is that Bonnie & Clyde were regular customers here. But don’t expect to buy anything when you stop because what’s left is the ruins of the gas station, made out of petrified wood.

Address: Old US Highway 67, Glen Rose, TX 76043. (behind Exxon, the second gas station in town you will see when entering the city from Cleburne. It’s on the left side.)

Glen Rose, Texas Mural

Just a block from the Courthouse, you will see this mural on a wall of Glen Rose Auto Parts.

Address: corner of Pecan St. and NE Barnard St.

Historic Somervell County Courthouse

Completed in 1894, Somervell County Courthouse is a simple two-story structure featuring Romanesque Revival architecture styles. Right in the middle of the town square, you will not miss it at all.

Address: 101 NE Barnard St., Glen Rose, TX 76043. (on the same side of the road as the Old Rock Gas Station. If you stay on Old US Hwy 67, it will eventually turn to Barnard St.)

Dinosaur Tracks at Dinosaur Valley State Park

I don’t want to include this on the list because the park requires a full day and is more than 4 miles from the highway. However, head right to the Main Track Site if you only want to view the dinosaur footprints. If you visit this location, you must cross the river. If the river is dry, you can go to the Ballroom Track Site to view thousands of tracks that move in all directions as though dancing dinosaurs once lived there. You should call the park before visiting if there has been a lot of rain because the tracks frequently become invisible.

Address: 1629 Park Road 59, Glen Rose, TX 76043.

Hours: 7 am – 10 pm unless camping overnight.

Entrance Fees: Adult day use: $7 daily, child 12 years and under: FREE.

Note: There are so many awesome things to do in Glen Rose, Texas that I suggest you make a one-day or even two days trip to this town on a different trip.

HICO

Koffee Kup Family Restaurant

Our must-stop on the way to Fredericksburg from Fort Worth. My son always got their giant donut, and I went for a slice of homemade pie for snacks on the road. Their donut is just like I remember my mother used to make when we were little. And this place is one of the best places to go for homemade pies in Texas. Yum! 

Address: 300 2nd St., Hico, TX 76457. (It will be on the right-hand side once you enter downtown Hico.)

Hours: Monday – Sunday, 6 am – 9.30 pm.

Wiseman Chocolate House

From Koffee Kup, walk across the street to get your fine handmade chocolate from Wiseman Chocolate House. There are so many choices that include dark chocolate truffles, ganache, and almond toffees. They taste really good, and you can even sample some of them. My favorite is Almond Toffee Crunch.

Address: 406 West Grubbs St., Hico, TX 76457.

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm. Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm.

Billy the Kid Statue

Remember Billy the Kid? A man named Ollie “Brushy Bill” Roberts died in Hico on December 27, 1950, claiming he was 91-year-old Billy the Kid and that his supposed death in 1881 had been a hoax to collect the reward money. “We believe his story,” declares a plaque in front of the statue, sculpted by James Rice in 1987.

Address: at the corner of N Pecan and 2nd Street. (first right turn after you enter downtown Hico.)

Hico Sign & Murals

You just have to stop and take pictures of the Hico sign and the murals around downtown Hico. They are located close to each other.

Address: around S Pecan and W 1st St. (left side of the road.)

Hico Popcorn Works

If you like popcorn, head to Hico Popcorn Works at the corner of South Pecan Street. They have everything you need for a snack on the road. I love their caramel jalapeno popcorn.

Address: 117 S Pecan St.

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm. Sunday, 1-5 pm.

HAMILTON

Dutchman’s Hidden Valley

Just a few miles before you enter the city of Hamilton, you will see another place for snacks, treats, and souvenirs right by the highway. Someone said walking to Dutchman’s Hidden Valley is like walking into candy heaven. They also have lots of jerkies, and their cinnamon rolls are fantastic. But we prefer to stop here on our way home and leave with all kinds of saltwater taffy to enjoy for the rest of the week.

Address: 3408 US-281, Hamilton, TX 76531.

Hours: 9 am – 6 pm daily, closed on Wednesdays.

Hamilton County Courthouse

Snap a picture of Hamilton County Courthouse from your car. Of course, you can always park your car around the courthouse if that’s what you want to do. I think the front part of the courthouse looks like a fort.

Address: US Highway 36 and US Highway 281 intersection. You hardly miss it.

If you like visiting historic churches, turn west on 120 W Main St. You will see St. Mary’s Anglican Church which was established in 1886, a block away on the left corner. It is a white church with a red door that you hardly miss.

GOLDTHWAITE

Mills County Courthouse

Originally built in 1890 and destroyed by fire in 1912, the county hired noted San Antonio architect Henry T. Phelps to rebuild Mill County Courthouse. He chose the Classical Revival architecture style for the new courthouse that was completed in 1913. Goldthwaite is a small town and no traffic at all. You can always snap a picture of the courthouse from your car.

Pecans.com

Who doesn’t like pecans? At Pecans.com, you can find everything pecans, gifts, jams/honey/salsas, and more. My favorite is their Pecan Sandies Cookies.

You will get to Pecans.com before the courthouse if you come from Hamilton direction. It will be on your left side, after the train tracks.

Address: 1020 W Front St.

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 8 am – 6 pm. Sunday, 12-5 pm.

SAN SABA

Pecan Shopping

As the Pecan Capital of the World, the first thing you do when driving past the town is to stop at one of the pecan shops in the city. We stopped at Bagley Pecans Gifts & More, and I wanted to buy everything pecan from that store. Be wise when you stop! Hehe.

Address: 412 E Commerce St., San Saba, TX 76877. (left side.)

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm. Sunday, 1-5 pm.

A little to the east is the Millican Pecan Company which has been harvesting and selling pecans since 1888. Here are some of their customers’ favorites that you can buy now.

San Saba Courthouse

One block east of the main intersection in town is the San Saba County Courthouse. It is one of the few Texas courthouses with a statement imprint over its entrance. It says, “From The People To The People.”

Address: 500 E Wallace St.

Note: San Saba is also the location of Colorado Bend State Park, which is famous for its Gorman Falls. You will need at least a day to spend in this park. Here’s another article on things to do in San Saba.

LLANO

Baby Head Cemetery

Approximately 10 miles north of Llano, there lies Baby Head Cemetery. It sounded horrible, but no one knew the true story behind the name. I will let you find out the truth yourself. Visitors like to put flowers around the fence, but sometimes people leave gory items like a skull.

Railyard Depot

If someone in the family like trains, you must stop here. You can walk onto the train and visit the Train Museum in the Depot, which also serves as a Visitor Center.

Address: 100 Train Station Dr., Llano, TX 78643. (left side.)

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 am. to 4 pm. Free.

Inks Bridge

Let the driver drop you on one side and meet you on the other side of the river. Enjoy the view of the river while crossing the bridge on foot.

Llano County “Red Top” Jail

I found it interesting to visit an old county jail in Texas. Imagine if your father was the jailor and the prisoners lived on the second or third floor of your ‘house’. This “Red Top” jail was constructed in a Romanesque Revival architecture style and built with Llano County granite. 

Address: 400 Oatman St., Llano, TX 78643.

Llano County Courthouse

The fourth courthouse for Llano County after the previous ones burned. Don’t forget to check the tower. You can park or snap a picture from your car.

Address: 801 Ford St., Llano, TX 78643. (right side.)

Note: This article on things to do in Llano will give you deeper information about Llano.

WILLOW CITY

Willow City Loop

One of the most scenic drives in the Texas Hill Country is Willow City Loop. The 13-mile drive is filled with rolling hills and charming creeks and valleys. It is so beautiful in the Spring when Bluebonnets are blooming. It will be on your left-hand side on your way to Fredericksburg. Remember! Private properties are on both sides of the road, so you cannot park anywhere on this road.  

EVANT

So far, I haven’t found anything in this town every time we drove passed it.

LAMPASAS

Hanna Springs Sculpture Garden

Turn to Campbell Park to see sculptures dotted in one of the parks in town. There are permanent collections, and there are rotating collections. The rotating sculptures are for sale. Texas artists made all of these sculptures.

Address: 501 East North Avenue, Lampasas, TX 76550. (a few blocks from the highway, on your left-hand side.)

Hours: 24 hours daily, Free.

Lampasas County Courthouse

Do you know it is the third oldest continuously operating courthouse in Texas? It is open for a tour during the week.

Address: 501 E. 4th St.

Lampasas County Museum

It is a place to learn about Lampasas’ past, including the history of the natural springs and their healing power.

Also known as the Keystone Square Museum, you will find interesting artifacts in this museum. A wicker body basket, a cannonball safe, and a Sanders permanent wave machine are a few of the artifacts that bring you back to early Lampasas County.

Address: 303 S. Western St.

World’s Largest Spur

Stop and see the world’s giant spur when heading south on US Highway 281 toward Burnet/Fredericksburg. It is 8 feet, 8.5 inches broad, more than 21 feet long, and 33 feet, 10.75 inches tall.

On February 3, 2017, Guinness World Records certified the enormous metal sculpture as the largest.

Address: 1902 S Highway 281 Ste A.

Note: If you have extra time, eat at Eve’s Cafe, and find out more about things to do in Lampasas in this article.

BURNET

Just like Evant, I haven’t found things to do or see in Burnet for less than an hour. We enjoyed Longhorn Cavern State Park and Inks Lake State Park, but you will need more than an hour to explore both places.

MARBLE FALLS

Sculpture on Main

Strolling around downtown looking for sculptures is a fun thing to do when you drive through Marble Falls. No matter what season you stop there, the businesses along the street look beautiful from one end to another.

Address: Historic Downtown Marble Falls. (right-hand side.)

   

JOHNSON CITY

Pedernales Falls State Park, LBJ National Historical Park, and Science Mill are a few places that you must visit in Johnson City. They all require more than one hour of visits, though. And we all know the Lights Spectacular during the holidays. It started Friday after Thanksgiving and ended the first Sunday in January. If you’re in the area around those dates, make sure to stop around the Courthouse, City Park, and Pedernales Electric Co-op headquarters.

Address: 101 E Pecan St., Johnson City, TX 78636. 

HYE & STONEWALL

I don’t think one hour is enough for wine tasting. On the way to Fredericksburg, you can always stop at one of the wineries, vineyards, or distilleries on US-290 between Hye and Stonewall for their pretty signs and entrances.

Address: US-290

So far, these are the things I found after many trips from Fort Worth to Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country. Some things are still missing from our sights, and I am grateful if you tell me by leaving a comment below. I will check them next time I go to the Texas Hill Country.

Enjoy your next drive from Fort Worth to Fredericksburg. Don’t forget to take the back road!