Recently we decided to take a day trip in the Jeep to Fort Richardson in Jacksboro, TX. We also decided not to take any main roads to get there. This made for some great driving and scenery along the way. We started our On-Road Adventure in Granbury, TX and drove FM4 all the way to Jacksboro, TX.
The Path We Took- FM4
FM4 is a very unique road. If your looking for a variety of driving experiences this road has it all. There are long straight stretches of road that have views stretching to the horizon of farmland and plains. There is a extensive stretch of twisting curves and hills that make for some fun driving. The curvy section is a popular motorcycle route so please be aware of riders! You will see rivers, windfarms, and small towns with surprises as well. One section of FM4 is also part the Texas Forts Trail which if followed would take you to all the Historic Forts in Texas if you had many days to do so.
Towns Along The Way
Beginning in Granbury, TX gives you a nice start to the day in the Historic Town Square. There are breakfast places and coffee shops to start your day at. After sightseeing the beautiful town square and visiting the shops you begin the journey following the FM4 signs. Shortly after leaving there is a historic train station that makes for a great photo opportunity.
After driving some long beautiful roads we came into Lipan, TX where there was an estate sale going on. We couldn't pass at the fun of looking through all the stuff. To our surprise, one of the people managing the sale came out and said everything off the porch was only $1. You just never know what your going to find on these trips.
If you have some extra time Palo Pinto, TX will make for a good stop as well. They have the Old Jail Museum Complex you can visit. We started our day late and opted not to visit this time. Well go back in the near future though because we've visited before and its worth seeing again.
Graford, TX had a restaurant that seemed to be the place to go in the area for lunch. Cars and motorcycles were parked in neighboring parking lots, along the street, and around the corner. Finding it wont be an issue, you'll know by the cars when you get close!
Fort Richardson
As with most state parks Fort Richardson has camping, fishing, swimming, biking, etc. It also has some beautifully restored fort buildings. The main building was the forts hospital. Inside you will discover how medicine and health services were administered in the mid 1800's. We were fortunate to have met a park ranger who not only gave us a personal tour but was very knowledgeable about medical practices of the time. There were some tough people living in that time period to go through the procedures they were subjected to.
Depending on your interests and time allowance it would be easy to spend an entire day at the Fort. If you are following along our Jeep route the drive from Granbury, TX to Fort Richardson is 85 miles. With the sites along the way you can easily take a few hours just to enjoy the drive. Below is a map of the route we took if you want to follow our path.
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