Why visit Clifton
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 8 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cliftex Theatre, Clifton Whipple Truss Bridge, Bosque Museum and Bosque Arts Center.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 96°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Clifton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Clifton
Clifton is the largest city in Bosque County, Texas, United States. The city's population was 3,465 at the 2020 census. Clifton and the surrounding area were settled by Norwegian settlers in the mid 1800s. Today, this area is in the National Register of Historic Places as the Norse Historic District.
From the Wikipedia article Clifton, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Clifton Whipple Truss Bridge
Bridge · 1.0 mi
No longer usable as a bridge since roadbed has been removed.
Museums and landmarks10
Bosque Museum
Museum · 0.4 mi
Admission for children under 10 and members is free.
301 South Avenue Q, Clifton
Th-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-17:00
Bosque Arts Center
Museum · 0.5 mi
215 South College Hill Drive, Clifton
Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-17:00
Clifton Classic Chassis Auto Museum & Golden Age Gallery of Art
Museum · 0.5 mi
406 West 5th Street, Clifton
Fr 13:00-16:00; Sa 12:00-17:00
219 Artisan Market
Museum · 0.6 mi
329 West 5th Street, Clifton
We-Sa 10:00-17:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes8
Olaf's Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
121 North Avenue D, Clifton
We 17:00-21:00; Th-Sa 17:00-23:00; Su 11:00-14:00
Red Caboose Winery and Distillery
Brewery and winery · 0.9 mi
903 South Avenue G, Clifton
We-Su 12:00-17:00
DQ Grill & Chill
Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger · 0.4 mi
311 North Avenue G, Clifton
Su-Th 10:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00
History
Clifton was founded in the winter of 1852–1853, when the families of Frank Kell, Joseph A. Kemp, Samuel and Monroe Locker, and T. A. McSpadden settled in the vicinity. The town was named Cliff Town after the surrounding limestone cliffs. Over the years, the name was altered to Clifton. The site was originally on the banks of Clear Branch. The Masonic Lodge hall and a log schoolhouse were the first public buildings. The post office was established in 1859. The First Presbyterian Church of Clifton was organized in 1861 and is the county's oldest church in continuous service. The Baptists built the first church building in Clifton in 1884–1885. After the Civil War, Joel Martin Stinnett, the grandfather of Joseph Kemp, built a flour mill powered by the Bosque River. In 1868, this mill was replaced by a limestone mill, which was converted to the electric power plant that provided the first electricity for Clifton homes and businesses. A three-story school known as Rock School was built around 1870 and served the community for more than 20 years. In 1893, a new building was constructed on property donated to the Clifton school system.
From the History section of Clifton, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship14
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare3
Brookshire's Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 mi
900 Farm-to-Market Road 3220, Clifton
Map of Clifton
59 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 34°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 38°F | 2.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 46°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 76°F | 53°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 84°F | 62°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 70°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 95°F | 72°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 96°F | 72°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 89°F | 66°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 79°F | 54°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 68°F | 44°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 59°F | 37°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Whitney Dam (13 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Bosque County has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-09-15: Hydra Fire (Fire)
- 2024-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2022-07-07: Hard Castle Fire (Fire)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Waco Regional Airport (ACT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 24 miles away.
- China Spring 19 mi southeast, about 30 min by car
- Gatesville 26 mi south, about 41 min by car
- Waco 28 mi southeast, about 45 min by car
- Beverly Hills 31 mi southeast, about 50 min by car
- Hewitt 32 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
- Bellmead 32 mi southeast, about 51 min by car
- Robinson 36 mi southeast, about 57 min by car
- Cleburne 41 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Temple 48 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Killeen 50 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Clifton Whipple Truss Bridge, Clifton, Texas (9057841981), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
- Clifton Whipple Truss Bridge, Clifton, Texas Historical Marker (9060066402), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.