Cedar Ridge Preserve

Cedar Ridge Preserve is one of the few wilderness parks remaining in Dallas County. Thirteen trails make up this nature preserve, most of them are 1 mile or under with one being wheelchair accessible. All trails are clearly marked at the entrance to the park with a map and mile listings. The length of the trails starts at the trailhead, which may take a short distance to reach. The preserve also has a butterfly trail with plants that attract the beautiful insects. The plants are all labeled making this a nice educational walk for families with small children. On the weekends this hiking park is heavily trafficked and parking lots fill up fast. There is no fee to park and there are restrooms on site.

Cedar Brake Trail is the longest trail at 2 miles plus an extra quarter mile in and back to the trailhead and entrance, altogether totaling 2.5 miles. I opted for this trail since it was the longest. This path takes you for a stroll through a Texas cedar tree forest. There are some small inclines with steps, which provides for a nice sweat session. Luckily, the majority of the trail is shaded thanks to the cedar trees that provide some reprieve from the Texas heat. I would consider this hike easy to moderate.