|
|
Hiking and Biking Trails of North Texas North Texas has many terrific parks and preserves that can feel miles away from any city or urban sprawl. Thanks to local outdoor enthusiasts and civic leaders there are extensive networks of hiking and biking trails available to North Texas residents for use year-round. According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the DFW metropolitan planning area has approximately 775 miles of existing trails, with construction funding secured for many more miles. The City of Dallas Department of Parks and Recreation maintains a map of both the existing and programmed hike and bike trails within Dallas. |
North Texas Hiking Trails While the region doesn't have the mountains and beaches that other parts of the country can boast of, there is a remarkable diversity of plants and animals and outdoor experiences available to those who know where to look. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, North Texas has at least six major eco-regions ranging from plains to woods and savanna. There are canyons and low lying stream beds lined with deciduous forests of pecan, ash, oak, cottonwood, cedar, elm and hackberry trees. Much of the area, especially around Dallas has clay soil that can quickly turn to a muddy mess after a rain making hiking much more of a challenge. There is abundant wildlife to be encountered on these trails including many bird species, a variety of lizards and snakes, squirrels, possums, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, deer, foxes, rabbits, and in the Fort Worth Nature Center there is even a fenced-off herd of bison. |
North Texas Bicycle Trails In recent years there has been a great increase in trails built for bicycle use in the Dallas area. The Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association (DORBA) Website includes locations and trail details for numerous bicycle trails, many of which also may be traveled on foot. Additionally, BikeDFW maintains a list of bike trails in the area, and the Rails to Trails Conservancy's online site "Traillink" can be used to identify trails around Dallas, along with maps and ratings for each trail. Cyclists seeking Texas trails beyond DFW can consult Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Biking at State Parks for possibilities. |
DFW Regional Growth and Its Impact on Outdoor Recreational Opportunities Recent Census Bureau estimates show that DFW with more than 7.5 million people ranks as the fourth largest metropolitan area in the country. What does this mean for the outdoor enthusiast? For this region the record growth has meant a corresponding increase in commitment on the part of local governments to making accessible and preserving tracts of wilderness within their domains. The Great Trinity Forest stands as a great example of this. The City of Dallas recognizing the area as the largest urban bottomland hardwood forest in the nation has made great progress in increasing accessibility to it's 6000 plus acres to new and old residents alike. |
|
|
60 hikes within 60 miles : Dallas-Fort Worth, including Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties by Joanie Sánchez"Covers the best trails the metroplex has to offer, including popular trails as well as lesser-known paths no guidebook has covered before. This is the essential guide you'll need for hiking in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex. Choose a trek alongside ancient dinosaur tracks at Dinosaur Valley State Park, or follow fresh prints of live coyote and white-tailed deer at Lake Mineral Wells. Explore remnants of Texas' disappearing blackland prairie, or wander amongst the dense hardwood forests of the riparian wetlands. A hike for every mood, you can pick a quiet hike to a secluded pecan grove or an upbeat populated hike to a State Champion Oak Tree - or maybe you just want to feel like a pioneer as you hike through the wilderness of the LBJ National Grasslands. Hikes include treks through open prairies, rolling hillsides, lakeside beaches, and other treasures all found just a day-trip or less from the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex"--Provided by publisher.
|
|
|
Business, Science & Technology
Dallas Public Library1515 Young St.
Dallas, Texas 75201
214-670-1400www.dallaslibrary.org |
|
|
|