Is it Colorado? No, but these are some of the best trails for a "hike" you will find close to Dallas. It's a great place to go for a walk in the woods with some elevation change up hills (don't expect mountains) that will provide some challenge without being defeating for those of any ability level. There are some pretty views, and you get the feeling of being out in nature and more connected with the earth. It's pretty crowded; on a Sunday at 8, I had to wait in a line to get in. Go early to secure a parking spot. They let people in as others leave, so the whole time you're there expect to see plenty of others out on the trail. No issues with bugs on March day. I especially love Cedar Ridge for trail running because it's challenging and perfect for training without destroying your legs. This is a hot spot for trail runners for sure. Definitely a must see for nature lovers in the DFW area. Temper your expectations if you've hiked out of state, but just remember it's really nice relative to more limited opportunities to "get outside" (in the words of REI) we have in this region. read more

Came here with my boyfriend, since the weather's been so nice. We had to wait for a few minutes to enter the park, since they let the same amount of people go in as those exiting. It's so nice to be surrounded by nature and to see such great views. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and maybe bring a hiking stick if you have an issue with balance, since there are lots of uneven paths and steps. Overall, it was a really nice park and we walked the entire area. Will definitely visit again! read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Definitely it's a must try for outdoor enthusiasts. From outside it does not seem that there are hiking trails but actually this park has 16 different hiking trails. I have been here multiple times but never experienced anything dangerous but just excited to see the sign. Good place to spend some time read more

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i can say only so many great things about this trail i absolutely love it! ive been coming for years i will never get tired of it very well maintained. Recently was updated. i really appreciate that they put out fresh water on the trails to refill in the hot summers its perfect . the restrooms are so well kept. Please if you can donate to keep it nice and definitely give it a try! read more

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We love Cedar Ridge Preserve! The trails are well marked, although it can be busy! Come early to avoid the crowds. Plenty of places along the trails to rest. They have great programming for kids & are always looking for volunteers to help out! read more

Looking for a place to hike this is it, it's so beautiful and so calm! Make sure that you come with hiking boots or shoes that can support your ankles. It is a little bit rocky and steep all in once, but definitely preserved all by mother nature. At the beginning when you walk in, you will see green benches and buy those green benches is a restroom if need be. The parking can be a little bit interesting but just pull up and wait for those working at the front to greet you. Also ensure that your phone is fully charged when you enter the park. And I highly recommend to always travel to locations like this with a group and never solo. You will see people walking their dogs and running very aggressively up and down the trail along with those that will walk very casually, but both parties seem to respect each other while out getting their workouts on. They have upkeep this preserved so well and the staff is super friendly and very nice. Thank you to all of those that keep this place so amazing at Cedar Ridge. read more

The best free workout ever. I'm looking forward to the spring so I can take start working out here again. This is not for the faint. You can easily burn about 600-800 calories at least by walking these trails. There are several tough climbs that will take you out! Or at least try to. I enjoy working out here because I usually go with one of my good friends and we gossip and catch up on everything from A to Z (hey Ericka). Or I go with my son and we talk about things as well and he encourages me when I'm struggling on one of the climbs! read more

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You'll find yourself saying "I can't believe this is Dallas?" as you trek through this park's beautiful trails. I would definitely recommend the Cattail pond trail (if you've got good knees!). It's quite the climb but you'll be rewarded with fantastic views! Be sure to get there early though since parking is scarce. read more

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This is an amazing hidden gem in DFW area! Numerous different trails to choose from and the views are awesome! Easy to moderate effort trails available. One of my favorite hiking locations. Get there early as parking is limited. read more

Great hikes and views!!! Great way to unwind or a great way to workout! I go every weekend

Love everything about this place. The trails are perfect for hiking! Feels safe and I haven't run into any snakes yet! Great time to commune with nature while getting the workout of your life. I go 3x's a week. read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Beautiful views - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I have never been here for hiking and decided last min to give it a try on 5/13/23. Ample parking upon arrival, several areas with shaded parking too. There are numerous trails to choose from and they are all great. Beautifully taken care of, trails are clean, soft, and clearly marked. There is a butterfly garden and saw tons of butterflies. Great view as well as lots of turtle in the pond. For a Saturday afternoon, there were plenty of people but never felt overcrowded. Will certainly be back to try out more of the trial soon. Great park! read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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If you are trying to find a challenging trail in the Dallas area or any of the other nearby suburbs, look no further. If you take the right trails, you will get a SERIOUS cardio workout. Lots of elevation changes, and TONS of steps carved out of the hillsides using cedar timber to build the steps. Here's what I recommend if you are looking for a trail that will kick your ass like none other I have found in the DFW area. If you use the Alltrails phone app, search for Cedar Ridge Outer Loop, and just follow it. If you don't have the app, here's what you can do: Head down the The Cattail Pond Trail for a short distance, then turn left on Possumhaw Trail. After that, all you need to do is take every left hand turn until you get back to your starting point. If you take this route, you will experience plenty of elevation changes over short distances. Some are close to 100 foot elevation changes within 2/10s of a mile - that's pretty steep for this part of the state (total elevation change on this loop is ~600ft) They have a very large parking lot, but most of it is full when I go. The good news is if you take the outer loop, you won't run into too many people. I'm not sure, but I think most people stick to the easier Cattail Pond trail to walk to the pond and back again. The preserve is very clean, I only saw one pile of dog poop on the side of the trail and only two plastic water bottles on my five mile trek. This preserve is managed and maintained by the local Dallas chapter of the National Audubon Society. It's free to get in, but a $3 donation is recommended each time you visit. There are donation boxes near the trailhead. Consider making a donation. Here are the trails to take if you want to do the outer loop (again - I consider it challenging, so be warned). Cattail Pond Trail, Possumhaw Trail, Cedar Brake Trail, Fossil Valley Trail, Escarpment Trail, and then you'll be back where you started from. This route will also take you around Cattail Pond - it's ok, but don't expect a whole lot. Cedar Brake, Fossil Valley, and Escarpment are the ASS kickers - SERIOUSLY! Restrooms are available at the beginning of the trail but nowhere else on the trail. Many natural wooden benches along the trails to make a pit stop at. The majority of the trails listed above are heavily shaded, so that's a plus. Have fun out there, and stay safe!!! read more

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I came here with my dog and husband for a nice hike. This is a great place to go if you want to get outdoors. There is a lot of parking and many trails. It was t too crowded, even on a Sunday. They have a public restroom and serval water fountains including a dog water fountain. All in all I would say it's a nice place to get outside and exercise. read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - "Overlook" - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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I love these trails but the restrooms at the visitor center are always a mess. I am glad they have garbage bags you can take on the trail with you to help clean up the litter. But I don't appreciate quite a few of the hikers that come here leave trash and don't have courtesy for others by playing loud music as they hike. Parking is very crowded and busy on the weekend, so arrive early. read more

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Great place to get a good workout. This place gets busy on the weekends so either come during the week or come early. If you do come during the weekend be prepared to wait in a car line until there's parking availability or you may have to park down the street at the recreation center and walk up. There are restrooms available prehike and trash cans located by the welcome center. There are no trash cans located on the hike so keep the trail clean and dump pre or post hike. Lots of shades areas when the weather is hot and there is the normal amount of bugs throughout the hike. I've been told from other hikers that they have seen snakes and such but I've been here more than a handful amount of time to say that I've never witnessed any animals except maybe lizards . Great elevation and incline throughout the hike but there is a lot of even surfaces so you will need to be mindful of where you are stepping. Sometimes I get caught up looking at my feet more than anything through the hike and miss the beauty of Mother Nature , but the more familiar you get with the hike ,the easier it will get. Small bridges, ponds, hills etc. also have number of trails for all age group. Also great views and a nice place to bring your dog. Great spot. read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

I came out here so I could cedar natural sights and and trees. Even on a wet day, the trail was a lot of fun and not at all complicated. It was super clean, few spots of poop here and there (pet owners pick up after your pals) . My favorite part about the cattail pond trail was the Cattail pond! Out little group finally got the group photo we needed. A lot of small surprises here and there. You really would not expect a place like this in Dallas. read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

My favorite hike in Dallas so far. It has great elevation considering the city is flat, for the most part. My favorite part about the trail we chose was getting the shade of the tree through most of the trail. It was 98F outside and walking under the sun can be brutal. There are also, multiple resting areas as you go. You can choose from 13 trails, some of them connect, there's a lake and a butterfly section. Dogs are permitted and the entrance is free. read more

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They have a lot of parking, but it can be a challenge on the weekend. This place gets super packed! Everything is free. They have lots of trails, some are sort, some longer, and a lot of them intertwine. There are lots of log steps to climb, a few scenic overlooks, and ponds. No water fountains on the trial, so fill up before you start. It took us about 2.5 hours to casually complete all the trials. I wish they were longer, but still an enjoyable hike when the weather is good! read more

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This place is absolutely amazing , serious trails , you can bring your pups as well. I came and wore my weighted vest that was insane ! But a great calorie torcher. 3 mile hike didn't feel that way ! I absolutely loved it , and so do my kiddos. Make sure you bring water , there's restrooms in the beginning of the trails and you can choose how long you want to hike for. read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Wonderful place to escape city living. You feel like you've stepped into Colorado. Great views, clear trails and shocked to not see a single piece of trash! Everyone takes pride in these trails which is great to see. read more

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Neat little nature preserve to hike and walk around at. Great spot to get many miles in!

Cedar Ridge Preserve is a beautiful and well-maintained nature preserve located in Cedar Hill, Texas. The preserve offers several hiking trails that are perfect for both beginners and experienced hikers. The trails are well-marked and offer stunning views of the preserve's natural beauty, including its unique geology and diverse plant and animal life. One of the things that make Cedar Ridge Preserve stand out is its commitment to preserving the natural environment. The preserve has been carefully maintained to ensure that its flora and fauna remain protected. Visitors can learn about the preserve's ecosystem through informational signs posted throughout the trails. The preserve can get extremely busy on weekends, so get there early. Generally there will be staff at the entrance to let people know if the preserve is at capacity. read more

There are several trails for you to do here and there is shade! I would recommend for families as well as a solo walk. read more

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My friends took me on my first hike today and it was amazing! There are multiple trails to choose from, it's clean, everyone there was friendly and out to enjoy nature. It was such a great experience. It was very packed so you may have to walk a ways to reach the trail. I'm excited to return! read more

I've heard from multiple people that this is the most popular hike closest to Dallas so I had to come check it out. In this flat pancake city of Dallas, this park actually has a couple hundred feet of elevation on the Cedar Brake trail. A lot of people come here to get a good workout. Tip: You have to come early if you want to get a parking spot. I got here at 9am on a Saturday morning and the parking lot was already quite full. There are a couple of overflow lots outside on the main street if you end up coming late and not finding parking. I pretty much walked through the entire park, completing 5.5 miles (Mulberry to Bluebonnet to Escarpment to Cattail Pond to Fossil Valley to Cedar Brake to Possumhaw). The steepest trail is Cedar Brake. Tip: If you go clockwise, it's slightly harder than going counterclockwise. I highly recommend heading out to Cattail Pond if you have the time. That area was my favorite part of the park. Having been spoiled by hikes in California, this park was not the most scenic for me and thus the 3 star rating. However, it's a nice park and I would recommend coming to see it for yourself. Bathrooms are fairly clean. Right outside the bathrooms are some brushes to clean dirt and mud off your shoes, which is nice of them to have. read more

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This is my go-to spot for hiking, but some of the trails require you to be in good shape to tackle them.

easy to intermediate trails, well marked, great scenery, a go-to for Dallas nature/adventure

I went here with a few friends in October. This was my first time hiking ever and I must say it was an AMAZING experience. The trails are nice and clean. There were so many people hiking but the trails never felt crowded. There are mile markers and labels throughout so you never feel lost. You can hike for 30 minutes or for hours; whatever suites your needs. Some suggestions... wear hiking boots, not tennis shoes because some of the trails have rock paths and if you don't have the right shoes your feel will hurt after about 20 minutes into your hike. Wear bug spray. The woods are thick in some areas. Lastly.... DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHJNG GREEN! I saw a lot of poison ivy along the trails. If you keep to the middle of the hiking path, you have nothing to worry about. But if you have young kids they can easily get themselves into a sticky (and itchy) situation. Overall, I had a blast! Lots of scenic spots, and natural views. Can't wait to come back. read more

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This is a great place to go hiking. It's scenic and there's lots of shade! There are various trails you can do. I will say it's very challenging, so be prepared to step on a lot of rocks and climb lots of stairs. You really have to pay attention to what you're stepping on because you can easily trip and fall. Bring some water with you because you will definitely need it! read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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I love it here. It was even more amazing when less people knew about it, but it's great seeing more people care about their health!

It's beautiful short little hike you really got to be careful with rattle snakes and coral snakes on the path keep eye out. read more

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I love coming here to get outside and get some fresh air. The trails here are well maintained. The parking lot can get busy and they have an attendant out there but it doesn't feel crowded on the trails. My favourite trails to do our the Cedar Brake Trail and the Cattail Pond paired with the Fossil Valley - these trails have a lot of elevation trails, the Cedar Brake is a less extraneous trail. If the elevation changes get you, you can always take the Escarpment Trail back, it's pretty flat. We tried the Bluebonnet Trail during their season but didn't see any, there a nice patch though on the Fossil Valley I believe. read more

State park hiking trails closed (again) so we had to hike option #2 Cedar Ridge Nature Preserve 20 min from downtown Dallas Open Tuesdays-Sundays 6:30am to dusk 7171 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75249 No charge but donations are APPRECIATED (please donate). Recomendations: you can take a bag to put trash while hiking, like your trash and other people's trash because yes, there is still people that litter and leave their dog poop (hoping is dog poop) in the hiking trails . Anyways...I love this place! read more

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Great place to hike! I really think this is top three for hiking! Covered and the roads are taken care of! People had strollers but I don't know how lol Old and young people too. Lots of runners. Would say for 4.8 due to the not so good overlook they have marked and the amount of people. Almost too many people for a 10AM -12PM Sunday walk! But we loved the trails! read more

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Wow! Great hiking spot in Dallas! I will come back here again and again. Free to enter but tip asked for to contribute to the maintenance of trails. The trails were well maintained and moderately busy. You can tell Dallas folk are craving more outdoorsy activities in the city due to how busy this place was. Pups will enjoy. Parking could be an issue if it gets super busy. Excellent places to recycle your water bottle. Some of the trails got a bit hilly too which was nice to get the heart pumping. Highly recommend this preserve! read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Amazing and beautiful! The trails are well kept and the people are always very friendly!

This is a very well maintained trail that my husband and I visited today. Upon arrival the parking lot suggested the trail would very be very busy,; but really it was not. I am not sure where everyone else was, but we did the Cattail Pond Trail and also the Cedar Brake Trail for total of 4 miles and elevation change of 500' in less than 90 minutes. Very manageable. The trail is obviously very well cared for and I love to see well marked trails; not even I can get lost here. (although I did have my handy AllTrails app on hand, just in case ) The hilly portions of the trail are very well built providing easy footing even for us senior types. It is really nice to know that there is THIS MUCH green space still in what is technically downtown Dallas. The trail has good canopy cover so I imagine that it is bearable even in the summertime, but the snake thing would keep me out of there in warmer months, but I am wimpy like that. In the summer I would definitely carry water along. There are beautiful little streams that cross the trail a few times, but I would not suggest drinking out them ;). We waited until the end to donate. I am glad we did. The facility is well worth the $3 per person they ask for and more. The bathroom facilities are clean, bright and well stocked. read more

Cedar Ridge Preserve - Fortunately it was cold enough today that these guys were not seen :) - Hiking Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Trails are provided for all levels of experienced hikers. Parking can be a premium on weekends. The grounds are well kept and trails are well maintained. read more

Love this place love going to walk and take pictures such a beautiful area. Love taking my kids here to walk read more

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