Caldwell Zoo

The large animals - elephants, giraffes, a rhino, and big cats - are well represented in this zoo along with small primates, birds, fish, and reptiles. The animals have roomy enclosures and are well cared for. The landscaping is beautiful both in the enclosures and along the pathways. 

 

It was nap time for many of the animals when we visited.

But the giraffes were wide awake. This one is a bit too curious about what's on the other side of its enclosure. 

The zoo is on the small side but hilly so most wheelchair visitors will need assistance. Walkways are smooth concrete or wooden boardwalks. A few of the enclosures have railings that block an eye level view. 

We were directed to the lower parking lot. The pathway to the entrance goes up a fairly steep hill. Zoo 32.36978, -95.3233

 

Bear Creek Campground

We camped in site 19 which is supposed to accessible. It's not, in fact it's less accessible than most of the other sites, but it's a great site. It sits below the road on its own little loop with a partial view of the lake. Its designation should be switched to a regular site so that everyone can enjoy it. 

Campground amenities include tables under shelters, restrooms, showers, a dump station, a boat ramp, and water and electric hookups. There's a day use area with a swimming beach about three miles away by car or one mile by walking east on Peninsula Road. The road has a gate to block traffic but not pedestrians. Wheelchairs can not go past the barrier.  Campground  32.60788, -97.49003

Doss Heritage and Culture Center

The history and culture of Parker County, Texas is covered in this small museum. Native Americans, cattle drives, pioneer life, and local celebrities are included in the permanent exhibits. Temporary exhibits, when we visited, featured female pilots in WWII, local celebrities, archeology, and amazing pictures made by weaving beads on a small loom.

Four cabins have been relocated to the grounds and are open to the public during special events or by scheduled tours. The paved pathways are open during museum hours. We did not visit the cabins due to rainy weather.

The museum is accessible. The pathways at the cabins are accessible but I don't think the cabins themselves are. 

The parking lot is large enough for any vehicle. It's horseshoe shaped. only 55' wide, and has one entrance/exit. This may be problematic for long vehicles towed or towing.  Museum  32.7418, -97.78376

Vintage Car Museum

Tom Moncrief, a Texas oil man, collects unique cars and cars of historic significant and exhibits a small number of them in his museum. Fewer than two dozen cars are on display and Moncrief rotates his collection. When we visited the Continental that Lyndon Johnson used to drive visitors around his ranch, a Packard used in the movie The Godfather, a Russian limousine, and a taxi cab that was in the movie Pearl Harbor were among the cars on display.  

 

The museum is accessible with a ramp outside and another inside to access a second level.

RVs can be parked on Elm Street. We parked on North Elm across on the opposite side of Forth Worth Highway. The curb cuts are in good condition. Museum  32.75875, -97.79586

 

Museum of the Americas

 Anyone with an interest in indigenous art or folk art should visit this museum! Thousands of pieces fill cases and cover the walls. There are over 115 folk art nativity scenes. Everything has been personally collected by Elizabeth and Harold Lawrence while traveling in North America, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Most of the items are of recent vintage but there are a few 1000 year old Native American pots, arrowheads, and grinding stones.

   

The entrance to the museum is not accessible. The sidewalk slopes up to the door where there's a short step up to a narrow strip of concrete. Entry is possible with assistance but it's awkward. The interior rooms are small and seem a bit crowded but there's plenty of room to maneuver and see everything. 

 The parking lot on is on the left side of the museum. It's too small for RVs and the sidewalk is blocked by a fire hydrant, an electric pole, and several road signs. We parked a block west on North Elm Street. The curb cuts are in fair condition. Museum  32.75876, -97.7949

 

Clark Gardens

 Clark Gardens is the result of years of work by Max and Bobbi Clack who owned a company that specialized in burying fiber optic cables. Max also designed a rock saw that could cut trenches for the cables. The saw is on display at the far west end of the gardens.

The gardens cover 50 acres and includes roses, azaleas, lilies, irises, wildflowers, fountains, lakes, streams, and many paths.  Model trains run through a miniature garden and into a little town. A Historic Tree Trail features 86 trees grown from seeds or cutting from trees located at places of historic importance. This sycamore tree doesn't look very impressive but it was grown from a cutting of a tree that was grown from a cutting of the tree that Hippocrates sat under in Greece when he taught his students. 

 

Many areas of the gardens have facilities that can be rented. Chairs and tables were set up for an evening wedding when we visited. This was near the entrance of the gardens and was much more manicured than the rest of the gardens. Other areas looked slightly neglected with weeds growing in the flowerbeds and paths that needed repairs. This was especially noticeable at the Rose Garden and the Historic Tree Trail which look like they don't get many visitors perhaps because they're at the far end of the gardens. 

 

The gardens are large so most wheelchair users will need assistance. Paths vary - hard packed dirt, rough flagstone, broken paver brick, rough gravel, and lumpy grass. Obstacles include steps and uneven transitions between surfaces. 

 

The parking lot is large enough for any vehicle. Gardens  32.80376, -98.02306