Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Waco area

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Waco, Texas

Waco is located in McLennan County in Central Texas. The city sits roughly halfway between Dallas and Austin along Interstate 35.

Cameron Park

The main outdoor recreation area in Waco is Cameron Park. This is a large park situated on the confluence of the Bosque River and Brazos River. Within the park are 15 miles of dirt trails for hiking and mountain biking, but the trail system also has a lengthy more gentle recreational trail that follows the shore of the river called the River Trail. The park also offers picnic areas, shady groves of trees, fishing, disc golf, the zoo and other outdoor recreation activities.

Waco Riverwalk & Suspension Bridge

Waco has almost 7 miles of paved trails along both sides of the Brazos River called the Waco Riverwalk. The trail goes by several parks and the Historic Waco Suspension Bridge, which once served as a river crossing for the Chisholm Trail.

The north end of the paved trail on the west bank of the river starts at Cameron Park near the Herring Avenue bridge. The trail connects to the trails within Cameron Park. From this location, the Waco Riverwalk  heads to the southeast along the river's edge. The trail goes through Indian Spring Park, which is the location for the Suspension Bridge. You can walk or ride over the bridge to get to the trails on the other side of the river.

The Waco Riverwalk continues heading southeast along the west bank of the Brazos River. Its route goes past Lake Brazos Park, Fort Fisher Park, Grant Teaff Plaza, Baylor Ball Park and the Ferrell Center. The south portion of the Waco Riverwalk is close to the Baylor University campus. The end of the paved pathway is located at the parking area for Baylor Ballpark, near the intersection of University Parks Drive and Highway 77.

 The Waco Riverwalk has a paved pathway on the east bank of the Brazos River as well. This paved walkway extends from Herring Avenue to Franklin Avenue. The trail goes through Doris D. Miller Park and past the Bledsoe Miller Recreation Center. You can cross the river on the Herring Avenue bridge, the Washington Avenue bridge or at the Suspension Bridge.

You can also cross the river from Grant Teaff Plaza going over to McClane Stadium. There are also walkways along the river in Grant Teaff Plaza and by McLane Stadium to the southeast side of Interstate 35. There are also walkways on the bridges on the Interstate 35 Frontage Roads.

Cottonbelt Trail

The Cotton Belt Trail is a 2.5-mile long paved pathway west of the city. The trail extends from Harris Creek Road to Hanah Hill Road. There are trailheads with parking at both ends of the trail. The trail was built along an abandoned railroad bed and goes cross-country through the woods and next to farmland with a scenic view while crossing the bridge over the South Bosque River. The Cottonbelt Trail is for walking, running and bike riding.

Lake Waco Dam Trail

The Lake Waco Dam Trail is a 2.8-mile long unpaved trail that extends from Airport Park on Skeet Eason Road, follows along the northeast shore of Lake Waco, crosses the dam and ends at Lake Shore Drive.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the communities and trails mentioned in this article.