Is it Colorado? No, but these are some of the best trails for a "hike" you will find close to…read moreDallas. It's a great place to go for a walk in the woods with some elevation change up hills (don't expect mountains) that will provide some challenge without being defeating for those of any ability level. There are some pretty views, and you get the feeling of being out in nature and more connected with the earth. It's pretty crowded; on a Sunday at 8, I had to wait in a line to get in. Go early to secure a parking spot. They let people in as others leave, so the whole time you're there expect to see plenty of others out on the trail. No issues with bugs on March day. I especially love Cedar Ridge for trail running because it's challenging and perfect for training without destroying your legs. This is a hot spot for trail runners for sure. Definitely a must see for nature lovers in the DFW area. Temper your expectations if you've hiked out of state, but just remember it's really nice relative to more limited opportunities to "get outside" (in the words of REI) we have in this region.

Came here with my boyfriend, since the weather's been so nice. We had to wait for a few minutes to…read moreenter the park, since they let the same amount of people go in as those exiting. It's so nice to be surrounded by nature and to see such great views. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and maybe bring a hiking stick if you have an issue with balance, since there are lots of uneven paths and steps. Overall, it was a really nice park and we walked the entire area. Will definitely visit again!

The park itself is huge! It sits along Joe Pool Lake. We rode our bikes around the first night -…read more6.6 miles and probably only saw half of it! There are lots of places to picnic, swim, launch your boat and more. As for the campsites themselves, they could really use some TLC. The pavement where you park is crumbling (saw this on all the sites), roads coming in are rough and bumpy so go slow. It looks like they haven't cut the grass in ages. For our site, the grass is mid-shin high and you have to "wade" through it to get to the picnic table. Our site is just wide enough and long enough for our 40' RV and Jeep. The sites are pretty private with trees in between each site.

Cedar Hill State Park turn out to be a great place to go for a day hike, however, they seem to have…read moremany campsites available as well if that is what you were looking for. Driving up to the ranger booth, there was a lot of room to weights similar to national parks where multiple lines could form to get into the park. It was easy to pay the admission fee and we were given a park map that showed us what hikes were available and where they were. On there, they also had annotations on what amenities were available, including a former homestead that they had preserved. We ended up hiking the Talala Trail, which was a little over 2 miles. There wasn't much parking available at the trailhead, about 8 to 10 parking spaces available. This particular trail gradually went down towards the lake and back up as a loop but there is no water access when we went, the leaves still had it formed on the trees and shrubs, so there was clear visibility to which direction we were going I would imagine that there would be a bit more shade during the summer months, though the shrubs didn't seem like they were very tall. We thought the views from the Talala Trail were okay, but the views from the day use areas were better. One picnic area seemed to have lake access but we couldn't be sure how shallow or deep the water was up against the shore since we didn't try to go in. We did see that they had three mountain biking trails and we saw many mountain bikers in the area. They also had some fishing docks along the lake. Unfortunately, though, all the water fountains were turned off when we were there so we weren't able to refill our water bottles. We did check out their gift shop, which wasn't very big, but they still had a decent selection of gifts to purchase. As with any other Texas State park, they have their own park stamp just like the national parks passport program which I personally enjoy collecting. All in all, we enjoyed our time here and we were able to get a good hike. This park is situated in a hilly area of the DFW metroplex which allows for scenic views and more variation to trail options.

No dogs allowed. The trail was clean and neat. There was an owl and another bird of prey in an…read moreenclosure. 170~ elevation. Not much of an overlook, but still nice and secluded within the forest.

I have been coming to the Cedar Mountain Preserve Trail for a couple years now. The trails are well…read moremaintained, and they offer tools and air to help fill up your bicycle. There are many places to sit down and take a break if needed. At these locations, there are trash cans, which are always well taken care of. There is even a lookout point to view nature and the sunsets. I would recommend this to anyone looking to get in a nice walk or run.

Had four days off from work, and I didn't want to waste them away at the apartment. So I performed…read morean internet search for parks and nature preserves. Out of the four that piqued my interest, this one was first on the list. Looks like there were other trails branching off from the main one, but I stuck with the main walking path. There were benches and informational signs scattered along the route. All of them worthwhile in reading. Unfortunately, I was saddened by how much litter I found. Irresponsible and narcissistic people. Boooo! The Nature preserve was well worth the time spent and effort to drive out here. Check it out!

It's way too hot right now so unless you go very early in the morning, save your Crystal Canyon…read morehike for a fair weather day. Then you can really enjoy it. The best thing about Arlington is all the trees and hills. North Texas is mostly flat and DFW isn't known for its foliage, but there's quite a few spots in Arlington that really feel "far away." There's true hills and canyons and forests and creeks. You can be in the center of the metroplex and still feel lost in the woods. Crystal Canyon is such a spot. This park is so pretty. I appreciate all the little signs that explain the trail and history of the area. Crystal Canyon gets its name from all the crystals (gypsum) to be found in the vicinity, particularly the creek. There's a few beautiful bridges and benches. The hike is fairly short but super scenic and enjoyable.

Eagle Mountain Park has a decent size parking lot and I noticed they had a Kona ice truck out…read morefront. They have restrooms available, however they are porta potties that need maintenance. My friend and I enjoyed walking the overlook trail, including seeing the views of the lake. The weather was sunny and breezy and we got a good workout. I like that they don't allow dogs here to preserve their wildlife. We saw a couple of deer on our walk which was lovely. We look forward to our next visit to Eagle Mountain Park.

Eagle Mountain Park has great hiking trails along with some scenic views. One of the best features…read moreof this park is that it's pedestrian only and there are no bikes or dogs allowed. This makes for a great hiking experience. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge lover of dogs, but I love that this park is working to preserve the nature, plus some of the trails are steep and it would be heinous to make your dog venture up and down some of these more aggressive slopes. Nonetheless, I still saw two people bring their dogs out... some people simply have no regard for guidelines to protect the nature and not create an undue burden on your dog. Sigh. This is truly one of the best places in DFW if you are serious about hiking. There is a 500 feet elevation gain on the trail by the lake and this makes for great views and an easy way to get your heart rate up. There is ample parking and admission to the park is free. The only downside I would mention is the only restroom facilities are two port-o-potties and they were disgusting. One was out of toilet paper and there are no sinks to wash up. I don't know why people feel the need to make a bad situation worse by urinating all over the seat and trashing the facilities. Other than that, Eagle Mountain Park is a great choice for a semi-challenging hike site in DFW. The views are also a great reward for your efforts!

If you find yourself in the Plano/Carrollton area and need a break from the concrete jungle, Arbor…read moreHills Nature Preserve is an absolute must. My husband and I came here for a weekend trek, and it's easily one of the best outdoor spots in North Texas. What I love most is the versatility. Whether you're looking for a smooth, paved stroll or want to get your boots a little dusty on the dirt hiking trails, they've got you covered. It's a great mix of elevation and flat stretches. It's a great spot for everyone. Pets are welcome (on leashes!), and there is a fantastic playground near the parking lot--perfect for kiddos who still have energy to burn after a hike. You'll see a beautiful variety of plants and likely some local wildlife. Just a heads-up: they do have warning signs posted for snakes and poison ivy, so definitely keep an eye on your surroundings while you explore. The parking lot is huge, but this place is popular! We arrived around 1:00 PM and it was nearly at capacity. We were lucky to snag a stall, but I'd definitely recommend arriving earlier in the morning if you want to avoid the parking hunt.

This nature preserve was beautiful. It has a few different trails but my goal was to get to the…read moreobservation tower. Which was about 30 mins into the trail (I'm a slow walker tho) They do have some areas you can cut through to get to other trails but I don't recommend trying this after it rains because it's very muddy. The scenery from the tower was beautiful. I do wish they had more benches to rest though because there were only two on the trail we took. At the entrances there is a park for kids to play and a barbq area that looks over the trail. There's also plenty of parking! And the restrooms seem decent

Been on my bucket list for a while and so glad I came out here. Absolutely outstanding! The trails…read moreare very clearly marked and maintained. No excuse for getting lost. The only caveat is allowing plenty of time to thoroughly enjoy all four trails. Each of them are fairly lengthy and intersect at various times and places. The overall nature preserve may look small on a map, but there is A LOT compacted into the nature preserve. Imperative to bring water on the hikes.

I See several people in trail riding bikes, parking there cars, and walking. I see cat going into…read morethe trail.

Except for the previous two years, I usually come here every New Year's Day for the First Day Hike…read more It was incredible, as usual! Angela Bright was the Ranger for the more challenging hike versus the other more moderate hike. There was a story-telling hike afterwards, but I ran out of steam. The pace of the hike was fairly easy-going; however, there plenty of ups and downs on the hiking path. On my way out to go home, I shopped at the park store. If you live in the area, please become a patron of this particular park.

A pretty nice State Park. We stayed three days and did some hiking and mountain bike riding both of…read morewhich were very nice. Trails are well groomed and well easy to follow. Some of the sites are a little bit small for larger campers with overhanging limbs that can actually damage your air conditioning, so be careful when backing in. Overall, we had a good short three day vacation at the State Park and Wood return again.

How TF do you close the restrooms three weeks in a row on the only weekends with decent weather…read more There's a million people here and nobody has anywhere to take a piss. Poor operational management.

I have always enjoyed this park. The bike trail that extends for several miles through trees and…read morefields is a pretty ride. This park specifically has a large open area that the main drive circles around. The creek runs along the side. After 4 years, it surprises me they still haven't fixed the trail and the beginning of the trail head. Still fenced off with a gravel trail along the fence. It's a beautiful area.

Wide open! The water is super calm! Giant ducks and geese just floating around. I took one picture…read morebut it was getting dark.

This review is for the disc golf course. Mountain Creek Lake Park has a nifty little nine holer set…read moreup throughout the park. I've heard rumors of it possibly being expanded on in the near future but don't know of any concrete details. Pros - Located next to Mountain Creek in Grand Prairie. The course itself has some small hills and decent walks. There is a great view of the lake, but water rarely comes into play (unless you've got some serious wind or just didn't throw the best shot). - The holes are wide open with very few obstacles, so it's a great place to really chunk some discs. - Usually there's not a whole bunch of traffic, especially in regards to other disc golfers. Occasionally there are parties in the pavilion on I believe it's the south side, but not on a regular basis. (Mostly if the weather is pleasant.) Cons - Only nine holes. Not a huge con because you can totally play the round again if you want to get 18 in. - I probably would not come to this park without my husband or some other friends. It's a little sketchy, if you catch my drift. Definitely not once the sun has set. :) - This is a big one and I almost forgot: no signage on the holes. The first time we came, fortunately a friend was familiar and showed us the way. However, I imagine there's a way to pull up the course map through DGCR or Udisc. Will definitely play again!