Recreation
In the Cowboy Capital, more than just horsing around
Naturally, a serenely gorgeous setting along the North Bosque River assures an endless supply of endlessly fun outdoor activities in and around Stephenville. The hunting and fishing here are outstanding, and five lakes within an hour’s drive—Squaw Creek Reservoir, Proctor Lake, Palo Pinto Reservoir, Lake Granbury and the Leon Reservoir—all together create nearly 48,000 acres of beautifully refreshing water recreation. And naturally, in a cowboy town the equine opportunities are terrific, too.
However, Stephenville doesn’t leave it all up to Mother Nature to provide great recreation. Careful planning and commitment to helping Stephenville residents live and celebrate life to the fullest, mean that no matter how you like to play, Stephenville has a winning way, with multiple public parks, swimming pools, golf courses, tennis courts, and ball fields including six football stadiums, and two rodeo arenas. An indoor archery range helps hunters and enthusiasts sharpen skills, while the excitement at the quarter-mile, semi-banked oval clay track at 281 Speedway keeps pulses pounding. Families with children will love spending the day at the Splashville Water Park, Lone Star Family Farm, or exploring over a century of history at the three-acre Stephenville Historical House Museum, where 12 nineteenth century structures including a rock cottage, ranch house, chapel, and two-story Victorian manse, give an up-close experience of days gone by.
And speaking of days gone by, Bygone Days on the Bosque is just one of the highlights of our year-round calendar of festivals and events, including:
- Bygone Days on the Bosque: This heritage-rich festival features everything from recreated gun fights and Civil War battles to live music and entertainment, arts and crafts, and even baking and canning competitions.
- Sundown on the Square: Rodeo with a distinctly cosmopolitan flair, Sundown on the Square combines the cultural delights of wine and cheese tastings and a fine arts auction with the excitement of world-champion cowboys, Western craft vendors, music and even a mechanical bull.
- World Pro Rodeo: 500 of the world’s best rodeo contestants come from across the nation and around the globe, from Canada, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand, to compete in this spectacular 10-day event that combines rodeo excitement with charity fundraising, including the annual Hero’s Night in honor of Stephenville’s local hero, the late Chris Kyle, the much-decorated Navy Seal and author of American Sniper.
So whether you like “horsing around” or not, great natural advantages plus intelligent planning and a zest for celebrating life make Stephenville’s brand of recreation exceptionally rewarding.
Stephenville Tourism and Visitors Bureau
Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council