Dallas and Fort Worth’s warm year-round weather makes it a perfect fit for those who like staying outdoors and staying active, and the city rises to meet the challenge with thoughtful urban design and a wide range of outdoor spaces for active people to relax and have fun.
Walkable Dallas
Dallas is built as a city for people who move — although its primary mode of transportation is the automobile, it was also voted the twenty-third most walkable city of the fifty largest cities in the US. Wide sidewalks, bike and running trails, and the construction of light rail lines work together to make a variety of transportation options available for residents of Dallas.
Some of the besting hiking and biking in the Fort Worth area is located at Trinity Park. Stretched along the banks of the Trinity River, and next to the Fort Worth Zoo, Trinity park has a duck pond, playground and hiking and biking trails for the enjoyment of the entire family.
Dallas Parkland
For those looking to have fun outdoors in their free time, Dallas operates 406 different parks, a total of 21,000 acres of parkland. Fair Park, perhaps Dallas’s best-known park property, is great for those looking for a leisurely Saturday stroll; they can check out the unique and historic Art Deco exhibit buildings and sculptures with a date or the whole family. Klyde Warren Park also caters to families, with a children’s park, croquet area, ping pong, and outdoor library. Dog lovers will be pleased to spend time in My Best Friend’s Park, and everyone can enjoy the food trucks around Klyde Warren as well as the two dedicated restaurants, and the park even hosts weekly programs and events like zumba and Tai Chi.
Trinity Trails in Fort Worth has a variety of outdoor activities for the entire family. Trinity trails offers 40 miles of running and biking trails, 17 trailheads for picnics or rest stops, boat launches for kayaks and canoes, horseback riding and fishing. The trails are name for the Trinity River and since a lot of people prefer loop trails to out and back trails, Trinity Trails now has 2 loops near downtown Fort Worth. The 2 loops actually form a figure 8 for a total length of 4.5 miles.
Nature Activities
Those more interested in learning about nature than games or activities can head to the Trinity River Project and the Trinity River Audubon Center inside it. The Great Trinity Forest is the largest urban hardwood forest in the United States, and home to many trails and nature-viewing opportunities. The Audubon Center itself is a fascinating visit, with a planted “green roof,” rainwater collection system, and a natural history museum inside.
In Fort Worth, education takes center stage at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge. Comprised of forests, prairies, and wetlands, the center allows you to step back in time and experience what Dallas/Fort Worth was like in the early 20th century. Currently the FWNC&R covers 3,621 acres and includes over 20 miles of hiking trails, making the park one of the largest city-owned nature centers in the United States. In 1980 it was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the US Department of the Interior.
Staying Active Outdoors
Dallas locals who want to stay active and keep fit love the Katy Trail, a biking and running path that cuts through the city and follows the same route as the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, an important element of Dallas’s transportation history. Careful and innovative design has resulted in a flat concrete path for cyclists and a recycled rubber track next to it for runners, and the intentional cultivation of native Texas flora that support water conservation along the pathway, like Lacey Oaks and Flame Acanthus. Runners will also want to check out White Rock Lake, which is host to the White Lake Marathon, a top 10 marathon and a qualifier for Boston. Aside from running, the lake also offers sailing, kayaking, regattas, canoeing and standup paddle boarding.
Dallas/Fort Worth is a city of active, engaged residents who are always looking for an opportunity to spend time together in the sun and enjoy a day of fresh air — and luckily, they’ve found the perfect city for it. Just 35 minutes outside of Dallas/Fort Worth, Beaumont Ranch awaits your arrival to participate in plenty of “cowboy life” activities like shooting and riding lessons. An 800-acre working ranch with Texas longhorns, horses, cowboys, barns and bed and breakfast accommodations.