Best Hiking Trails Near Dallas, Texas

Beyond Big Bend National Park, Texas is generally not noted for quality hiking venues, but seventy-five miles north of downtown Dallas is the rare exception, Cross Timber Trail. The site offers quality hiking trails, rated from easy to moderate, with sections that follow elevated rocky ledges along the shores of Lake Texoma and others that meander through thick stands of blackjack oak and post oak woodlands typical of the area. High vantage points along the trail allow for scenic views of the lake and beautiful shoreline vistas.

Cross Timbers Trail
West Juniper Point Recreation Area
32843 Hwy 377
Gordonville, TX 76245

The trailhead is accessed from the Juniper Point Campground, located 13 miles north of Whitesboro, Texas, on Highway 377, on the Texas side of Lake Texoma. The campground occupies both sides of Highway 377, but the west side access is where the trailhead for the Cross Timbers hiking trail can be found.

The trail, originally built by the US Army Corps of Engineers, is maintained by local Scouting groups, members of the Sierra Club and members of the Texoma Outdoor Club and is well marked, featuring mile post reference points.

A favorite hike at Cross Timbers Trail is an 8.9 mile trek that begins at the trailhead just north of the West Juniper Point Campground parking lot and that twists and turns past Cedar Bayou Resort, through Five Mile Camp, past Eagle Roost Camp and ends at the Paw Paw Creek trailhead lot. Along the way, hikers are treated to the elevated views of the lake shoreline, a steep climbing section and an opportunity to scramble over large boulder outcroppings. Numerous primitive camping sites are available along the route as well as sites to cool off with a dip in the lake at various points.

As one of the best kept hiking secrets in the area, Cross Timbers Trail is rarely crowded and offers the opportunity for solitude and relaxing hiking. The area abounds with wildlife including deer, bobcat, coyote, armadillo, big turkey buzzards, quail, hawks, owls and woodpeckers.

No permit is required to hike Cross Timbers Trail but registration at the gate to East Juniper Point is required from April through October. November through March, hikers are requested to sign in on the sheet provided at the trail head. Potable water is not available along the trail so hikers should plan to carry enough water for their needs.

Sources:

"Cross Timbers Trail". Cedar Bayou Marina. June 29, 2009. http://www.cedarbayou.com/cross_timbers.asp.

"Dallas: Cross Timbers Trail". Trimble Outdoors. June 29, 2009. http://bp2.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip.aspx?tripId=14049.

"Juniper Point (TX), Texoma Lake (TX)". Recreation.Gov. June 29, 2009. http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Juniper_Point_Tx/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=73233.