Nature preserves/hiking/state parks within 4 hours of Dallas?
Posted by yojodavies@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 59 comments
Hi everyone, I am looking for some nature preserves/state parks to hike around the North Texas area.
I’m willing to drive up to 4 hours in any given direction. I’m a beginner when it comes to hiking but I would really like to see some hills/elevation.
I’ve only done the trails Ray Roberts Isle Du Bois and Arbor Hills so far. The places I have on my list to visit are Cedar Ridge Nature Preserve, Ft Worth Nature Center, Caprock Canyons State Park, and Eisenhower State Park.
If anyone has any other reccomendations please let me know!
wharf_rat_01@reddit
Colorado Bend State Park is about 3 hours away and has some good hiking.
Lost Maples State Park also has some trails with elevation change.
efuff@reddit
Loved Colorado Bend State Park!! Gorman Falls was magical
Significant_Alarm_81@reddit
Enchanted Rock State Park. Steep hiking trail to the top of the pink mountain. Staying at Fredericksburg is a blast, enjoy the wine scene as well.
Biker3373@reddit
Second on Enchanted Rock State Park. There are some nice primitive campgrounds around Moss Lake too
FormerlyUserLFC@reddit
Also, once it the top, hike down the far side with a flashlight and check out the cave. (it’s called Enchanted cave)
FormerlyUserLFC@reddit
Colorado Bend State Park is a good option. The loop around to see everything is at least 13 miles. River Trail, Gorman Falls, the creek above Gorman Falls, the Springs in the far northwest corner. There’s not always water in the springs though.
LurksForTendies@reddit
Mosey a little further northwest of Caprock Canyon to see Palo Duro Canyon.
zekeweasel@reddit
If you look on a map, they're both part of the same geological phenomenon and are very similar.
JLOBRO@reddit
5+ hour drive through the most absolutely boring parts of Texas. 💤😴
LurksForTendies@reddit
No, that would be 9hr drive along I20 towards Big Bend.
Rude_Shoulder_4235@reddit
Palo Duro https://texasstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/palo-duro-canyon-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=TX&parkId=1200105
zekeweasel@reddit
That's about six or seven hours away near Amarillo.
Not that it's not spectacular or anything.
Im_just_saying@reddit
Hagerman Wildlife Refuge.
NavEd95@reddit
Cedar Hill State Park
erineestevenson@reddit
Was just at Mineola Nature Preserve on Sunday and it was really beautiful! Also free camping nearby at the Wood County Dam.
Popular-Berry-237@reddit
Colorado Bend State Park
Mineral Wells State Park
Mother Neff State Park
UnreliableCarsAreFun@reddit
Mother Neff is nice but kind of small, can always stop and do stuff in Waco on the way back at least.
IAmSoUncomfortable@reddit
Have you been to Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge yet? If not I highly recommend! And visit Meers Store while you’re there for an awesome burger.
saltgirl61@reddit
Wonderful place, but it's in Oklahoma.
IAmSoUncomfortable@reddit
The OP didn’t originally say that they had to stay in Texas.
weepingturtle@reddit
Mineral Wells State Park is a great place to explore. If you have a season pass, you can enter all state parks for free (regular day use, of course), btw. And, you don't need fishing licenses, either (following size limits, of course).
miraburries@reddit
We have quite a few state parks that are designated dark skies parks. This one is within 4 hours of Dallas and would be great for hiking and seeing a billion stars. Don't have to stay in the park if prefer to stay in one of the small towns close by.
Copper Breaks State Park | DarkSky International
Sunribbon@reddit
Agree Copper Breaks was great, the trails were nice and the rangers had telescopes out at night.
yojodavies@reddit (OP)
This is awesome! Thank you :D
Ok_You_8679@reddit
Caprock is more than four hours. But it’s awesome.
Broken Bow and Beaver’s Bend is barely outside Texas but very good.
Dinosaur Valley has clear water and some elevation change.
Tyler is good for tall trees and a good lake, especially nice for fall color.
Possum Kingdom and Lake Mineral Wells have legit cliffs, and are about as hill country as you can get west of DFW.
Colorado Bend is within four hours and has excellent waterfalls and decent hiking overall.
Cedar Hill and Cedar Ridge Preserve are fine. But boring.
Overall, if you love hiking, it sucks to live here. You need southern Colorado or eastern NM, unless Big Bend.
Wildcard is Garner SP, which is 6 hours from DFW but is the best of the hill country.
Interesting_Wheel_@reddit
An added plus to add to Garner SP is the Frío River. The recent rains have really helped the levels.
yojodavies@reddit (OP)
Colorado Bend looks lovely!
plaid_seahorse@reddit
Oak Point Preserve is just in Plano.
fueledbytisane@reddit
Our family loves hiking! Here are my favorite spots, with comments:
Cleburne State Park. It's got some technical sections that make it really fun, and lots of gorgeous scenery especially in the spring when the bluebonnets are in bloom. If you look up Coyote Trail Run by Blaze Trails, you can find an 8 mile route of the park trails that will get you 1200 ft of gain, and a 4 mile route that nets almost 500 ft. I know it's not a lot, but it's really good for this area, so don't discount Cleburne.
Tandy Hills Natural Area. The only native prairie section in all of North Texas that has never been developed, very special in terms of biodiversity. They're putting up a massive fight against invasive privet right now and could use all the publicity they can get. Go discover the beauty of the Fort Worth Prairie and see for yourself why it's so special.
Cedar Hill State Park Talala Trail. Mostly exposed to sun, circles around a prairie and also has some parts that are wooded. You don't get much elevation but it gives a few gorgeous views of Joe Pool Lake and has the most wildlife encounters per visit we've experienced, which may or may not be your jam. If you go during certain weekends, you may catch the Lone Star Dutch Oven Society, Prairie Dog Chapter cooking up some tasty meals. They're super nice folks who love to share food and knowledge.
jh1874@reddit
Caprice and Palo Duro are both awesome, but might be slightly outside where you wanna go. For our visits to both we drove to both the day before, stayed in a cheap motel and then visited each park for a whole day and then drove back to FW.
dogfaced_baby@reddit
Turner Falls, OK
Outrageous_Sell1157@reddit
Beavers Bend State Park is very good , I have been there last week and it was very nice , almost 4hrs drive from Dallas.
Hsensei@reddit
Good luck, Texas is 95% private land. Texas has so little public accessible hiking its sad
UnreliableCarsAreFun@reddit
look up arkansas state parks, i.e petit jean, mount magazine, devils den.
dm_me_cute_puppers@reddit
All of those are 5h+..
Awwesome1@reddit
OP said they can’t leave the state.
MonSoleil937@reddit
Seconding this. Arkansas has some true hidden gems. Lake Fort Smith isn’t the best but it’s one of the closer ones
Askmeaboutmy_Beergut@reddit
Tyler state park hands down.
Doesn't feel like Texas. Huge pine trees and great walking or biking trails.
gibbyhikes@reddit
Came here to say this! What a jewel of a Park.
jpm7791@reddit
Caddo National Grassland is about 90 minutes away
2manyfelines@reddit
Have you been to the Great Trinity?
yojodavies@reddit (OP)
I have not
2manyfelines@reddit
Take a look at it. You might follow Ben Sandifer on X, the local master naturalist who has save the land from development.
It’s actually in the City.
Labios_Rotos77@reddit
Cedar Hill State Park. Cedar Ridge preserve. Cedar Mountain preserve. Windmill Hill preserve. All in southern Dallas county.
yojodavies@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much for the reccomendations everyone! I am so excited and am going to try to go to every one.
truth-4-sale@reddit
Try the John F. Burke Nature Preserve in Farmer's Branch, off the Bush Turnpike/Valley View Lane, with dirt and granite trails.
https://northtexastrails.com/2023/06/04/john-f-burke-nature-preserve/
anyoutlookuser@reddit
Tawakoni state park has a few nice trails. About an hour and half from Dallas on the east side
Hobo_Champion@reddit
Mission Tejas State Park is pretty cool and has some elevation change. It is South of Dallas, between 2 to 3 hours I think.
Dear-Sell8866@reddit
Highly recommend Lake Mineral Wells! This list has some other good ones too https://www.dallasites101.com/blog/post/best-hikes-around-dallas/
Htgn2dallas@reddit
Dinosaur Valley is pretty nice. It’s no Colorado but it gets the job done when you want a nice hike. Also it’s close to a small town called Hico with lots of cute shops and restaurants.
txchiefsfan02@reddit
The Mexican place there is great
miraburries@reddit
Dinosaur State Park in Glen Rose
picture: Dinosaur Valley State Park, Texas (pinterest.com)
DavidTheBlue@reddit
I think Dinosaur Valley State Park is fun. It's not heavy duty hiking, but the trails are nice.
Wonderful_Pea_7293@reddit
Colorado Bend State Park in Bend, TX is gorgeous. The park in Cedar Hill is always quiet and relaxing with awesome views of the lake.
IcedCowboyCoffee@reddit
This book is a super helpful guide to the best hikes around; it's not a four hour radius but it goes as far out as possum kingdom lake and has 40 different trails.
Best Hikes Dallas/Fort Worth - https://www.amazon.com/Best-Hikes-Dallas-Fort-Worth/dp/149304138X
yojodavies@reddit (OP)
Thank you!
FearlessFrolic@reddit
You don’t need to settle for a state park if you’re willing to drive 4 hours. That’s just about exactly the distance to Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. Ouchachita National forest is just east of there too and is better for dispersed camping if that’s your sort of thing.
yojodavies@reddit (OP)
I can’t leave the state right now
Fois@reddit
LLELA Nature Preserve is pretty cool and maybe like 45 minutes away. It’s 5 bucks to enter but very peaceful and worth it.