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    Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park

    4.5 (26 reviews)
    Open 5:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park Hiking Photos

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    Ai Vy N.

    Beautiful, well maintained, pretty good size and quiet park! We've been living in the area for years and have only recently discovered this beautiful, hidden gem. There's plenty of parking space. The trail is not paved but very well kept, plus wide enough to keep a safe distance during this historical time. The park is actually connected to Walnut Creek Linear Trail, which could give you a good 1.5 mile one way. The trail within Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park doesn't allow bicycle (unpaved). However, if you enter the park from Phillip Thompson Soccer Complex, you can ride your bicycle for about a mile thru Walnut Creek Linear Trail until you officially enter Oliver Nature Park. During the beginning of Spring, the park is filled with beautiful Bluebonnets. Great photo opportunity to get the flowers in the background, just please don't step on them to get closer to these beauties so more people can enjoy the view too. There are benches throughout the whole park. I wouldn't really suggest to use them during this time unless you come packing with....sanitized wipes of course lol.

    Stephanie W.

    Great nature park with a couple of ponds, some great bird life, and good walking trails. Also a good opportunity for field trips!

    Diane K.

    While Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park is situated smack in the middle of Mansfield, you'll forget that you're in a city once you start walking within it :-) There are many beautiful places to take pictures here among the lush trees, and there are multiple paths you can take to enjoy an up close and personal experience with Mother Nature. When I come here I often see families, couples, and or individual people stopping to take photos.  It's a wonderful place to hold a family gathering, and/or just to calm down and take some space from the hustle and bustle of every day life.

    squirrel  eating a nut!
    Sara S.

    beautiful park with great trails. the reason i give this place 3 stars is due to the number of entitled dog owners who: 1. do not pick up after their dogs dump on the trail and 2. think they are exempt from keeping their dogs on a leash. dealing with crap on the trail... fine, i'll avoid stepping on your dog's disgusting bleep...but unleashed dogs are an accident waiting to happen specially with children, runners or even other dogs on the trail.

    Joana G.

    Great place to walk your dog. Plenty of dog waste stations even though its sad that some people are still lazy to clean up after their pets. They have restrooms at entrance and others along the trails too. Love that they have plenty of areas to picnic! Great for bird watching but not for long walks.

    Great views park was beautiful really enjoyed the trails and scenery place was awesome

    Turtle in one of the ponds
    Jennifer M.

    We Took the kids out for a beautiful afternoon. The trails are stroller friendly and it was a easy walk for the 3 year old if he stayed on the trails. Only a slight elevation gain. Well kept paths, maps and informative signs. Everything you would want from a nature park. We even saw some fish, turtles and of course squirrels running around. There are classes for kids to learn how to fish! This will become a regular on our outdoor adventure rotations!

    Brandy B.

    This place is the hidden gem of Mansfield! It is beautiful and huge. Our first time here was with our Girl Scouts Troop. We had a tour guide who had been employed here for more than 5 years (again, I cannot believe I never knew of this place and I live nearby). As we walked throughout the park, I couldn't help but notice how well kept and clean it is. Everything is tidy and in perfect order. There are fields of flowers and trees. Also, wooden, gravel, concrete, and dirt walk ways. Many visitors had dogs on the trails. A few pathways were a little more narrow so be cautious of what you brush up against because there is poison ivy. There are picnic tables and restrooms, which makes it great when you have children. Many areas are shaded so you can escape the hot days. There is a pond for fishing; however, I'm not sure what type of fish are in it. It is very peaceful and serene. The parking lot has plenty of parking spaces which are gravel as opposed to the concrete driveway. When we were leaving, there was a wedding party being photographed, as well as a graduating senior. Definitely a picturesque place, as well as relaxing retreat.

    Greg B.

    This park is one of the things that makes Mansfield a great place to live. Love the trails with bikes prohibited. Kids love the fishing. Very scenic. I have never been here when someone isn't getting a photo shoot done for a wedding, family portrait, child photos, proms, graduations, etc.,.

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    10 years ago

    Great park. Small but pretty. I only wish it was connected to the other parks in town!

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    Ask the Community - Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park

    Are the trails wheelchair friendly?

    The trails are not paved (unless you enter Walnut Creek Linear Park from Elmer Oliver, they're linked to each other), but they're flat and well taken care off. Wheelchair wouldn't have any problem being on it.

    How long is this trail?

    Hi Ashli! It depends on what route you take. I just uploaded a map to our photos section that has the segments labeled by distance, hope that helps! If you have any more questions you can also contact us at parks@mansfieldtexas.gov. Thanks for… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park

    I wish there were bike trails through the gravel parts of the trails.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Katherine Rose Memorial Park - Katherine Rose Memorial Park is located at 303 N Walnut Creek Drive in Mansfield, TX.

    Katherine Rose Memorial Park

    4.6(23 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    Wow what an upgrade this park has had! I used to come here as a kid and recently visited with my…read moreson and he loved the variety that this park offered. The highest new slide was quite a climb, but my 5 yr old gained confidence after going up his first time and the reward was a very long slide ride. There are about 5 other slides here too that all offer unique climbing experiences to access them. There's plenty of swings and swing-like equipment and 4 major playing sections. I've seen parks get facelifts, but this one was sooo well worth it and they added more parking which got filled pretty quickly the last day before going back to school! All in all, it was a great time and we'll definitely be back!

    Rose Park is opened now and ready for all the hours of fun you can muster!! The new slides are…read moreepic!! There is plenty of space so even if it gets crowded it doesn't feel claustrophobic. Parking is good, just be watchful for children running into the middle of the street. I noticed vehicles driving too fast through the parking area when we visited. The bathroom stalls are huge, especially for moms with strollers. There is also a baby changing station with a bag hook in the corner near the door, which provides privacy. Incredible play space that you could easily spend hours in the sunshine. So get out and enjoy it :)

    Photos
    Katherine Rose Memorial Park - The large playground includes an assortment of swings for all ages and abilities.

    The large playground includes an assortment of swings for all ages and abilities.

    Katherine Rose Memorial Park - Playground surfacing was recently renovated for extra bounce and added safety!

    Playground surfacing was recently renovated for extra bounce and added safety!

    Katherine Rose Memorial Park - Kids love all the classic features of the Rose Park playground.

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    Kids love all the classic features of the Rose Park playground.

    Clayton W. Chandler Park - Renovated in 2017, all the playground equipment is state of the art.

    Clayton W. Chandler Park

    4.7(11 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    This park is great! There's a lot of different things to do on the playground with multiple slides…read moreand different kinds of swings. There's an older kid side as well as a younger kid side and we've explored both while here. The couple of times we've visited during the daytime, it's never too crowded, which I like. We came for an evening play date once and there were certainly a lot more people, but my son still got to get on what he wanted without a wait. The park also has nice sand volleyball courts, basketball courts a small running trail and a nice sized little fishing pond. One of the best things is that the bathrooms are located in the center of everything so there's easy access and they are typically pretty clean as far as park bathrooms go. Definitely one of my favorites !

    Clayton W. Chandler Park is located in Mansfield, TX, off Walnut Creek near Debblie Lane,…read moredelivering a friendly all-around family orientated park for everyone! There are multiple activities to do at this park for a fun experience. They offer a children's playground with slides and swings as well as a playground for the smaller kids. They also have tennis courts and a sand volleyball court too!. There is a small fishing pond here with a pier where you can try your luck and cast your line. There are multiple pavilllions with BBQ grills scattered all throughout the park. In the park, they have a small skatepark where you can practice your latest tricks on your skateboard or roller blades. There is also a splash pad here too that is open to the public during the summer months. They provide a parking lot here with ample parking, so parking should never be an issue. This is a great park to get outside and get some vitamin D, whether you're taking a walk or just letting the kids get loose. When planning a birthday party here, reservations are not required, but is a first come, first serve basis. They have a bulletin board here where you can check out the latest events the city has planned for upcoming events and any questions or concerns you may have with Mansfield City Parks.

    Photos
    Clayton W. Chandler Park - Fun elements like this round disc swing make Chandler very popular with little ones!

    Fun elements like this round disc swing make Chandler very popular with little ones!

    Clayton W. Chandler Park - Kids 2-5Y have their own play area with age-appropriate equipment.

    Kids 2-5Y have their own play area with age-appropriate equipment.

    Clayton W. Chandler Park - The playgrounds and splash pad are all surrounding the bathrooms and large pavilion.

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    The playgrounds and splash pad are all surrounding the bathrooms and large pavilion.

    Cedar Ridge Preserve

    Cedar Ridge Preserve

    4.7(292 reviews)
    9.1 mi

    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!

    Photos
    Cedar Ridge Preserve
    Cedar Ridge Preserve
    Cedar Ridge Preserve

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    Bowman Springs Park - Bowman Spring Park, Lake Arlington, Arlington, Tx

    Bowman Springs Park

    4.4(14 reviews)
    9.8 mi

    A beautiful small park right off lake Arlington. The "trail" is only about 0.3 miles but you can…read morejust keep going in circles. There is plenty of benches and tables. A great space to put a picnic blanket out. And there is a play ground. (I didn't check how good it was but from afar it looked in great shape.) The waters beautiful. You can dock a boat or take your kayaks or pattle boats out, we saw some people do that. And there's great amount of shade. There is also plenty of birds around, which sound beautiful, however just beware, we did get popped on.

    The best kept secret in Arlington! If you haven't been, you need to go! It's a beautiful park for…read moreeveryone. There's a small park, picnic tables, lots of shade, ducks roaming and you can go fishing or canoeing in the Lake. The crowd is filled with a mixture of everything. Families grilling, dogs all around, teens hanging, families playing volleyball, people witnessing. Lots of fishing going on. Summer time was definitely alive. The crowd stays all the way til dusk too. Also, they have really nice restrooms! It's a big brick building that has the Men's and Women's Restrooms beside each other. The Women's Rest Room was clean but, a little stuffy. There were two stalls. One was small and a little messy and the other was large without a door? Soap dispenser was filled and hot water was available too! My one suggestion would be, the path should lead to the R.R, instead of having to walk through the grass. The trails were alot smaller than I expected. They we're simple and surrounded the lake. The Park is also secured by the Police. If your family member has not returned from the lake after dusk, for more than forty-five minutes. The police will go looking for them. If your looking for a place for a family outing, I would suggest coming here. It's fun and safe!

    Photos
    Bowman Springs Park - Bowman Spring Park, Lake Arlington, Arlington, Tx

    Bowman Spring Park, Lake Arlington, Arlington, Tx

    Bowman Springs Park - Bowman Spring Park, Lake Arlington, Arlington, Tx

    Bowman Spring Park, Lake Arlington, Arlington, Tx

    Bowman Springs Park - Boat dock

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    Boat dock

    Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park - hiking - Updated May 2026

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