Rockledge Park

Was looking for something adventurous but did not want to drive too far. .this is about 10 to 15 miles from Irving or Coppell depending on where you stay. .I was pleasantly surprised… it is true to its name ROCK LEDGE… now that does sound adventurous doesn’t it. .but doesn’t mean you have to mountain bike you can choose to hike. .or just soak some sun close to the lake. It is a perfect little getaway in the city itself. Though I wonder where is 5 $ entry fee getting used… for a fee they should provide atleast functional water fountains and restrooms. Also it would be great if they have some kind of season pass. .this way you can visit more often.

BEWARE!!! Our family hired a professional photographer to take family pictures — paid all fees for vehicles PLUS the 50 dollar fee for photography. The incredibly rude and grumpy man «in charge» of the window informed us the park was closing at 5:30 as we were walking back to our 4 cars (around 2 bends where we had been taking pictures). There was an approximate 6 minute delay between the time he announced the park was closing and us driving up to that gate. He closed and LOCKED the gate!!! Thereby locking us inside the park. He eventually let us out after making is wait 10 minutes!!! He was clearly abusing his «power» and informed my husband he could call the cops on us!!! It is a pretty spot but the caretaker is crazy and WILL LOCK YOU & your family inside the park without hesitation. BEWARE!!!

Scenic park in Grapevine for trail running, hiking etc! Really you would not know it existed if you didn’t venture out here. I love the lake as well! You can really see some beautiful sunsets here. Or check it out in the morning… lots of folks always out and about.

Was out driving last night looking for a place to take pictures of the sun setting over the lake. Drive up and gate is locked and a sign is posted «Park Closed». Researching online today I can find nothing about the closure or how long the park might be closed. Hours are listed as 8am to sunset. I did see on the City of Grapevine site that if you want to take pics you have to sign a contract and pay $ 50. WTH?!

I absolutely love this place! It’s the only place I’ve found in the entire DFW-​area that has anything that really looks and FEELS like being «outdoor» (although as a native northern Swede I might be very spoiled, I know…). It’s a beautiful park and although it felt really odd having to pay to get access to a park (?!) I just fell in love with it. The water, the cliffs, the forest… well, it’s as good as it gets here… it’s very nice. Just watch out so you won’t be run over by someone on a mountainbike — the trails are small and there’s quite few individuals to share them with. :-)

WoW! This place really does deserve 4.5 stars. It is a cool place to hike or bike ride with lots of adventure and a little danger too. It costs $ 5 a car to get in the park but it is well worth it. Located on beautiful lake Grapevine the trails follow the edge of the lake. The only thing i dont like about this location is the hikers are on the same trail as the bikers which is a appetite for disaster for the hiker. Be ready to jump out of the way when your hiking.

This place is beautiful! If you plan on getting in the water, don’t forget water shoes because the rocks hurt after a while.

This is a really great place to get away and enjoy the outdoors! I hiked about 8 miles– trails are easy to follow and run close to the lake at all times so if you get hot, jump right in! The only reason I did not give this 5 stars is because there was ALOT of trash along the shore– if you have to pay $ 5 to get in this should go to help maintain the park. — no need to be a seasoned hiker here the only thing I would say to watch out for are rocks, it’s easy to turn your ankle! I will deff be back with my pup– we had soo much fun :)

Rockledge park and Arbor hills nature preserve are probably as good as it gets for a hiking spot in the DFW area.
We heard that this place was a mountain biker’s haven and we figured that if it’s a mountain biker’s haven that means we don’t have to ‘hike’ on flat surface. Lo and behold this place was fun enough for us to enjoy our hike with some gentle hills and slopes.
We hiked for about 1.5 hours. Don’t ask me which trail we took because I have no sense of direction.

Make sure if you decide to pay entrance fee (which is $ 5) for your car and the car behind you … To let the other car know. I paid for my car and my sister car behind mine which is a total of $ 10. I told the money collector he agreed. and I gave him a $ 20 and he gave me $ 10 back. My sisters car pulls up and she did not know I paid for her and so she paid $ 5. The money collector didn’t even tell her I paid nor gave her my money back to her. So when we both parked I told her I paid for her car and she said well the guy made her pay again. So we both went up to the guy and confronted him. In a span of 3 minutes from paying to parking he said he forgot and did not recall the situation. Oh and get this he had the adacity to say he trust my word and gave me $ 5 back when I said its not right how he is doing business. WTF! Otherwise the park is great and worth it!

It is almost shocking how rural and camp-​y it feels here even though you are in the middle of DFW. It is also a little surprising that it isn’t overrun with people since it is an oasis is the middle of DFW, but it is not to crowded and it feels like you drove hours and hours away.

Great spot! For sure worth the 5 dollar entry fee. Here are the things I learned. Make sure to be out at 8:30 pm. They lock the gate and you either have to call the cops to let you out or go camping for the night, either of which I do believe are ticketable offenses. Here are the rest of the directions since my Iphone only got us most of the way there using the address on Unilocal.SH-​121 North (directly North of the DFW Airport in Grapevine, TX), take the Bass Pro Drive exit and turn left (West) at the stoplight. Proceed to Northwest Highway (2^nd light intersection) and turn left (South). Drive for approximately ½ mile and turn right (West) at Fairway Drive. Drive across the Grapevine Lake dam and then over the spillway. After ¼ mile you will see Concourse Golf course on the right, and the entrance to Rockledge Park on the left. Turn left (west) into Rockledge park, then turn right at the first fork in the road. Drive all the way past the restroom facilities (on your right) to the edge of the lake directly in front of the trailhead. Enjoy!

Grapevine, a suburb of DFW, with more grassy fields, hills and trees, maintains a country feel.
Grapevine Lake features several parks with swimming areas and trails. Camping is available on the south end of the lake.
Nice place to escape.
Picnic tables are first come first served, some with BBQ pits and/​or shaded coverings.
Crowded on my Mothers Day Sunday visit.

Love, love, love this place! What a hidden gem in Dallas! We are always looking for things to do outdoors since moving from coastal San Diego and this place has made it to the top of our list!
We have a dog who loves the outdoors and has high energy so heading out on the weekends is a must. When we first drove in (and had to pay $ 5) we were skeptical that it would be that great. Well I am glad we asked her where to hike because she headed us in the right direction. 8.5 miles of trails (for walking and mountain biking) along the lake. We were even able to walk to the water and let our dog swim for awhile. There is a leash rule, but no one was around so we thought what the heck!
I can’t wait to head back to this place and explore some more. One of the best spots in Dallas!

Hands down the best thing the entire sprawl-​loving Dallas/​Ft. Worth region has going for it! Excellent for trail running and mt. biking, there are actually some halfway challenging sections. My one lament is the complete lack of any hills, but looking around you realize the tallest (non-​building) points in this area are the landfills. Compared to what else is available in the area, the trails at Grapevine lake are stellar.
The myth that Texas is a land of big, wide-​open spaces, is laughable. I challenge anyone to show me an spot where you can walk 100 yards in any direction and not hit a freeway, road, barbwire fence, new corporate office park, etc. I’m sure once you get away from the DFW region, the myth is real, but there is a solid 100 mile radius of charmless sprawl.
Rockledge Park and Grapevine Lake must be lifesavers for people who like to get outdoors like me. If I ever had to move here, I would try to get a place nearby!