Cedar Ridge Preserve
With an elevation of 755 feet, you can get a slice of Texas Hill Country without ever leaving the county.
Tucked away in a neighborhood of Cedar Hill, just 20 minutes south of Dallas, is a natural habitat that boasts 600 acres of native trees, grasses, and wildflowers. With an elevation of 755 feet, you can get a slice of Texas Hill Country without ever leaving the county.
The Cattail Pond Trail is the most popular, with overlooks of Joe Pool Lake along the way, and leading to a covered sitting area with views of the pond and rolling hills behind it — It’s a favorite spot for me to sit and watch the sunrise with a cup of coffee. I’m all about setting yourself up for a good day and this is one of the best ways I’ve found to do it. But I’m getting distracted, as I tend to do, so back to the trails! From the pond, you can either head back the way you came, take the Escarpment Trail to the right, or follow the Fossil Valley Trail to the left around the pond.
I will say, Cedar Ridge is a pretty popular spot, but for such good reason. If you pull in and see the parking lot looking full, please don’t get discouraged. People are in and out of here all day, and with so many different trails, I’ve never felt crowded after getting past the main entrance.
How to get there:
Getting there is pretty easy, GPS will take you right to it. Like I said, it will look like you're going into a neighborhood, but there’s a sign with a small driveway near the rec center.