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.

Arbor Hills is a place near and dear to my heart. This is one of the best places to get away from…read morethe crowded areas and just enjoy nature. The entrance area is always crowded so people don't get to see how amazing this place is. It's incredible because once you go off trail, you can see for miles to around and the sunset views are phenomenal. There are plenty of shortcuts around this area if you just want to do a quick loop to the observation tower and back to the main entrance. I took my old dog out here years ago and went off trail to isolated areas. I hope other dog owners get to see how happy she is and how much joy dogs get from being in this place. It's fairly common to see people taking family photos here but again, I truly recommend walking in off trail areas for 10 minutes to get spectacular photos.

Beavers Bend is a nice park. It has a nice walking trail, great playground for kids, and a nice…read morepavilion sitting area. I went to the pavilion today and ate lunch. It was very quiet, clean, and overall a good spot to sit outside and have lunch. I can't wait for the fall cooler weather, I will definitely be back.

Is a quiet, relaxing, cozy, family place to spend specially with our kids and nature. Best place I…read morehave ever been.

If you've ever been in the distance runner/marathon run club circles you know that THIS is the time…read moreof year that runners like to flex by getting up at the booty crack of dawn to run 20 miles and post it on Instagram for ALL to see! There are tons of parks all throughout DFW to get your long run on. If you are up north in suburbia and are looking for a place to get your miles in, I highly recommend coming here! It's nice and peaceful and quiet plus safe and options for potty breaks in the area. The trails are beautiful and well kept and the residents are friendly! I recommend parking in the main park area where they have designated the public to park and start your run from there. Great sunrise views off of the creek and you can run throughout the neighborhood trails since it goes around the city. It's fairly flat but there are some opportunities for elevation if you venture out. If you are just looking for a safe park/playground you may bring the fam here too and I do think there is a pavilion. But there's tons of shade for the run and lots of fun fact/history out there about the park as well. Enjoy and keep on supporting local!

Hidden trail intertwined through neighborhoods that looks like it is potentially 20miles. My family…read moreand I walked on 2 miles of it in Frisco. According to the map, it looks like it goes far south into Plano. Very quiet. Only saw a couple families walking, jogging, and riding bikes. We did come on a Friday morning though. It hasn't rained in awhile so the creeks are low. All paved, a couple bridges. I saw some wildlife too: squirrels, hawks, and egrets. We came in January so all the leaves had fallen off trees. I bet it is a sight to see during spring when everything blossoms. However, I imagine it being very hot during summer since there is no coverage throughout the path. Overall, nice, paved trail. Extremely well maintained.

This is a great park with trails for walking. I feel safe and comfortable walking here. However,…read moreone should always be alert and aware of their surroundings. MOST...People are friendly and always speak or nod their heads. Lots of people walk their dogs, but are respectful and have them on leashes. The grass is always cut and the greenery is peaceful. You can see ducks and turtles playing in the water. There is plenty of parking and the neighborhood is nice. I always feel happy and at peace when I walk around. It's fun walking around with friends or solo. This is definitely one of my favorites.

We're in Texas visiting family and their neighborhood happens to border Chiset Trail. Although…read morethere's nothing particularly special or unique about this "park", it's a nice place to take a walk. Lots of friendly people walking their dogs or going for a bike ride.

So pretty. I Recommend for an easy/ quick nature walk. It's an easy walk on a paved path, can…read moreeasily push a wheel chair.

The Crape Myrtle Trails are the brain child of Neal Sperry a horticulture expert. The basic idea…read morewas to plant all the public areas: medians, rights-of-way, parks, school grounds, cemeteries - all the public areas with crape myrtles. All the known varieties of crape myrtles. Historic ones in the older neighborhoods. Newer ones to the west. I love to bike The Trails anytime during the summer to see thousands of crape myrtles in bloom. Peak bloom is usually mid-June int early July. All varieties will rebloom in late summer and into the fall.

I visited this park in downtown Plano for the Asia Fest event, and it was my first time here. It's…read moresuch a lovely community space to spend time in! There's an arts center nearby, and I noticed several outdoor sculptures and art pieces that added a nice touch. The park itself has beautiful landscaping, including a pond with a fountain, a pavilion, and a playground with slides. During the event, the main stage performances were held at the pavilion, and there were many booths set up along the paved paths surrounding the pond and pavilion. There were even bubble tea trucks by the park, which was a fun bonus. I really enjoyed my time here. It's a great park that blends art and nature, and I hope it continues to be a vibrant part of the community!

Haggard park is a nice little park in Plano TX. There is ample parking and it is located close to…read morethe train stop as well. There is a bathroom and drinking fountain. There are picnic tables, benches, and an artificial pond with some water features. There are some trees for shade too. There is also a playground with some things for kids to climb on. Located close by is a train monument / museum that has a train car too. There are some other things to check out as well. Check out my photos.

This is a cool area park with a hiking trail attached. Came…read morehere on a damp Saturday morning for quick hike. The park itself is in a residential area, across from a large apartment complex and has a playground and plenty of open field to run around. The trail head starts a few hundred feet from the parking lot, at the end of short loop there's a sign for Dorba trail. I didn't see as much signage when I first started so I wasn't sure where I was going. A few minutes in I ran into blue trail signage and things improved. I ended up transferring to red trail and finished on the black trail. I saw an area of the black trail marked "challenge" but I think that was just due to the tree roots above the ground surface. There are separate paths for bikers versus hikers which was nice, and I think this a great trail for beginners (little to no elevation or areas requiring scrambling) who want flat terrain that isn't too challenging. Also, nice for someone looking for something less populated. I only saw one other person while hiking for an hour. A-ok experience, and I'd visit again if in the area.

As far as hiking goes, it's "OK" and I would rate it as easy. There are a couple of *small*…read moreinclines along the trails, but like most of north Texas, 99% of the trails are flat and not rocky at all, so I would recommend this for all skill levels. There are a handful of loops you can try (all with exciting names such as Blue Trail, Red Trail, Yellow Trail). Depending on how creative you get, you can probably stretch the distance out to four miles. Some of the trails meander alongside a serene creek. It's maintained by DORBA, so it's obviously going to be biker friendly. However, these trails weren't overwhelmed with off-road Lance Armstrong wannabes the couple of times I have been out there. Although there isn't a lot of elevation change, there are plenty of twists and turns along the trails for the bikers. Speaking of which, there is a decent looking section that is just for bikers and it has some pretty sick looking dirt hills/ramps, etc. It really did look cool. Hikers should stay OUT of this area! The rest of the park: Limited parking lot, but you can park on the street if necessary (it's usually not crowded here). There's a covered pavilion near the parking lot with a handful of picnic tables, a playground and there are a few benches in the main park area. Enjoy getting outdoors folks!

Beautiful and special green space smack dab in the middle of civilization. Day Spring is one of…read morethose places that's more than a park. Location, layout, preservation of existing trees etc all played into the 1+1=3 synchronicity of this place. If you haven't been,shift into low gear and ... Go!

Beautiful walking trails. So perfect for a walk with good company!! There are many scenic overlooks…read morewith splendid fall colors. The path connects with many playground areas for kids (or children at heart). The rocket ship playground was a personal favorite. This is a gem I'm happy to have uncovered.