Dallas, Texas is one of the most famous big cities in the United States. With its bustling economy, major league sports teams, and fine restaurants and bars, it draws many thousands of visitors each year, in addition to the millions that live in it's greater metro area. But Dallas isn't just great for big city lovers. Boasting 350 parks, over 160 miles of biking and walking trails, and over 280 days of sunshine each year, Dallas can be an outdoor lover's paradise.
Dallas Outdoors: What, When, and Where
With over 22,000 acres of park space, it's really not too hard to find somewhere to enjoy yourself in the outdoors in Dallas. While the city is certainly known for it's blazing hot summers, often overlooked are its 280 plus days per year of sunshine, most of them in the milder spring and autumn. This gives the outdoor enthusiast plenty of time to enjoy nature all year round.
There are so many options for enjoying the outdoors in and around Dallas that we can't possibly list them all here. We will, however, run down a short list of some of the most outstanding opportunities this wonderful city has to offer.
White Rock Lake Park
Just five miles east of downtown Dallas lies White Rock Lake Park. The park is one of the city's largest parks, more than twice the size of Central Park in New York City. It boasts over 9 miles of trails for biking, hiking, and walking, as well as a lake for fishing, boating and paddle boarding. The area is a designated Audubon Society bird watching area, and is home to concerts and festivals as well.
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
Located directly adjacent to White Rock Lake Park is the gorgeous 66 acre Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. With its stunningly blooming beds and manicured lawns, the Arboretum offers visitors a close look at a huge variety of flora including over 2400 species of azalea. It's a great place for a relaxing day outdoors.
Cedar Ridge Nature Preserve
When most people think of the topography the Dallas area, they think flat. Well that isn't entirely the case if you take into account the Cedar Ridge Nature Preserve. Located just 20 miles south of downtown Dallas, this 600 acre preserve is home to the highest point in the Dallas/Fort Worth area at 755 feet above sea level. It has an outdoor amphitheater as well as 9 miles of trails of varying difficulty to please any hiking enthusiast.
Trinity Forest Adventure Park
Offering zip lines, obstacle courses, paddle boats, fishing and more, the Trinity Forest Adventure Park allows families to enjoy a high excitement adventure in a safe setting. This 7 acre amusement facility has much to offer to the active outdoorsy family.
The Trinity River
One of the most hidden gems of the Dallas area is the Trinity River. It offers outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to paddle through remote and often unseen areas that are home to beautiful nature scenery as well as historic sites and even archaeological digs. There are even local companies to rent canoes and kayaks and guide you through the gorgeous river bends.
Dallas: A Great Home for Outdoor Enthusiasts
Although Dallas is certainly more well known for it's big city atmosphere, it really has a lot to offer the outdoor enthusiast. With all of it's amenities and it's bustling economy, along with these marvelous natural gems, Dallas can really be a nature lover's paradise. A Dallas moving company will typically take care of all of the fine details of resituating your life into the metro area. All that leaves for you to do is make the decision and take the leap! Good luck and enjoy the Dallas area.
