Erwin Park
Managed by City of McKinney
208 acres8.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Rick Ray · CC BY 2.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in McKinney
McKinney has 59 miles of mapped trails, 0.9 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Erwin Park (8.2 mi), Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary (3.3 mi), Finch Park (1.2 mi). 88% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 7% of McKinney’s land is conserved, about 2,871 acres.
Ahead of 78% of U.S. towns · #69 of 642 in Texas. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
2,871 acres · of 68.7 sq mi of land
Trails
59 mi
0.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
3,090 ac
15 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
88%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
70 mi
66 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
20
1 beach
What kind of outdoors town is McKinney?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does McKinney have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, McKinney is ahead of 78% of U.S. towns, #69 of 642 in Texas. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of McKinney’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical TX town 2% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (59 mi) · TX 0.2 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land15 acres of park per 1,000 residents (3,090 acres) · TX 9 · U.S. 13BParks close to home88% of residents within a half mile of a park · TX 69% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 78%
LessMore
Texas towns of 2,500+ (642)Ahead of 89%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, McKinney ranks #209 on Outdoors.
Few Texas towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so McKinney’s 7% is ahead of 82% of Texas towns, while its trails per square mile lead 86% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Erwin Park, with 8.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
Nature preserve
276 acres3.3 mi of trail
Sycamore TrailCedar Brake LoopWood Duck TrailHoot Owl Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Gabe Nesbitt Community Park
Park
161 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
The Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney
Park
8 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Wilson Creek Nature Trail
Park
43 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 78 parks & preserves
Erwin Park208 acres · 8.2 mi of trail · City of McKinney
DirectionsHeard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary276 acres · 3.3 mi of trail
DirectionsFinch Park30 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGabe Nesbitt Community Park161 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsThe Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney8 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Inspiration Park9 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsWilson Creek Nature Trail43 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRobinson Ridge Park15 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCarey Cox Memorial Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Bonnie Wenk Park121 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSerenity Park19 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMcKinney Community Center14 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMary Will Craig Park11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsHarvest Bend Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsThe Trails Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMillie Cooper Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCottonwood Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsTowne Lake Park71 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJim Ledbetter Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsA. Hardy Eubanks Jr. Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Hill Top Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Winniford Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDr. Kenneth Cooper Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHorizon Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCrescent Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Longhorn Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGray Branch Park (planned)190 acres · City of Mckinney
Al Ruschhaupt Soccer Complex89 acres
DirectionsGray Branch Park B (Proposed)65 acres
McKinney Soccer Complex at Craig Ranch61 acres · City of McKinney/McKinney Soccer Association
DirectionsWilson Creek Softball/Baseball Complex57 acres
DirectionsBonnie Wenk45 acres
DirectionsOld Settler's Park27 acres
DirectionsSenior Recreation Center22 acres
Towne Lake Disc Golf Course20 acres
Wilson Creek Disc Golf18 acres
Dr. Mack Hill Park16 acres
Prestwyck Park16 acres
Wilson Creek Park14 acres
DirectionsW B Finney Park14 acres
North Park12 acres · City of McKinney
DirectionsGeorge Webb Park12 acres
Ash Woods Park11 acres
E.A. Randles Park11 acres
Crossroads Park and Trail10 acres
DirectionsCity Park Land (open space)10 acres
Westridge Community Park10 acres
DirectionsFalcon Creek Park9 acres
Willow Wood Park9 acres
John M. Whisenant Park8 acres
Dr. Charels B. McKissick Park8 acres
DirectionsAviator Park7 acres
The Outpost7 acres
Tom Allen Jr. Park6 acres · City of Mckinney
The Lakeside Trailhead5 acres
Tucker Hill Amenities Center5 acres
DirectionsValley Creek Park4 acres
Craig Ranch Linear Park4 acres
DirectionsRowlett Creek Park4 acres
Wilson Creek3 acres
The Grove at Craig Ranch Playground/Park3 acres
Chestnut Square Historic Village3 acres · The Heritage Guild of Collin County
DirectionsThe Village Trailhead3 acres
Fitzhugh Park3 acres
Riverwalk Park2 acres · Craig Ranch
Latigo Park2 acres · Craig Ranch
Southern Hills Park2 acres
Throckmorton Park2 acres
Murphy Park2 acres
Ridgecrest Walking Park1 acres
Van Tuyl Park1 acres
DirectionsPleasant Valley Park1 acres · Craig Ranch
Veterans Memorial Park1 acres
DirectionsParkside Park1 acres
Blackwater Creek Park1 acres
Loma Alta Park1 acres
Blanco Creek Park1 acres
Indian Palms Park1 acres
Who protects it
2,871 conserved acres
7% of McKinney’s land. Who manages McKinney’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city4,193 ac
Joint1,088 ac
Not recorded293 ac
Conservation Easement · 2,483 acLocal Park · 1,990 acPrivate Park · 293 acRecreation or Education Easement · 222 acLocal Recreation Area · 221 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 283 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 18 of 148 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Park Land Local Park | Town or city | 591 | Open |
| Heard Science Museum and Sanctuary Private Park | Not recorded | 293 | Open |
| Erwin Park Local Park | Town or city | 204 | Open |
| Gabe Nesbitt Community Park Local Park | Town or city | 161 | Open |
| Oak Hollow Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 145 | Open |
| Towne Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 127 | Open |
| Greens Of Mckinney Local Park | Town or city | 97 | Open |
| Al Ruschhaupt Soccer Complex Local Park | Town or city | 89 | Open |
| Nature Preserve Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 80 | Open |
| Fairview Soccer Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 76 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
128 places to go in McKinney
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in McKinney
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in McKinney
Artistry Pool
DirectionsHeatherwood Neighborhood Pool
DirectionsStonebridge Ranch Community Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in McKinney
Estates at Stacy Crossing Playground
DirectionsJim Ledbetter ParkIn Jim Ledbetter Park
DirectionsParkside PlaygroundIn Parkside Park
DirectionsRidgecrest HOA Playground
DirectionssandboxIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
Directions86 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in McKinney
Alma Dog Park
DirectionsAlma Dog Park
DirectionsArise Dog Park
DirectionsCyan Dog Park
DirectionsDog Splash PadIn Bonnie Wenk Park
DirectionsK9 Corral at Craig Ranch Dog Park
DirectionsLuxia Dog Park
DirectionsSmall Dog AreaIn Bonnie Wenk Park
DirectionsPlus 6 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in McKinney
Bird blindIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsDeckIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsLocal Birds overlookIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsPhoto blindIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsTrail InfoIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
Directionscupola/overlookIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsprairieIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsPlus 3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in McKinney
Parkside Food Truck Park
DirectionsSeeligston picnic areaIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsThe Corral
Directionspicnic tablesIn Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
DirectionsPlus 5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Disc golf in McKinney
Alex Clark Memorial Disc Golf CourseIn Al Ruschhaupt Soccer Complex
DirectionsTowne Lake Disc Golf CourseIn Towne Lake Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in McKinney
Artistry Community Garden
DirectionsPlus 2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
7 named trails and 20 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 15.3 miUnpaved · 11.3 mi
Sycamore Trail0.7 mi
Cedar Brake Loop0.5 mi
Wood Duck Trail0.4 mi
Hoot Owl Trail0.3 mi
Laughlin Loop0.3 mi
Hoot Owl Trail;Laughlin Loop0.1 mi
Bluestem Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Bullfrog PondpondSoil Conservation Service Site 15 ReservoirreservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 16 ReservoirreservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 17 ReservoirreservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 1A ReservoirreservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 2B ReservoirlakeSoil Conservation Service Site 2a ReservoirreservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 3b ReservoirreservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 3c ReservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 3d ReservoirreservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 3e ReservoirreservoirSoil Conservation Service Site 4 ReservoirreservoirTowne LakereservoirBig BranchEast Fork Trinity RiverFranklin BranchHeron SloughHoney CreekStover CreekWilson Creek
Biking & sports
70 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
66 mi
off-road bike paths
3.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
94Tennis
31Baseball
24Soccer
21Basketball
9Football
7Beach volleyball
5Softball
3Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →57 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 61 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
McKinney Commercial Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983
About itA. G. Wilson HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itA. M. Scott HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itBen Hill HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itBeverly-Harris HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itBoard-Everett HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itCrouch-Perkins HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itDavis-Hill HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itE. W. Kirkpatrick House and BarnBuilding · listed 1987
About itF. C. Faires HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itFaires-Bell HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itH. L. Davis HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About it45 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in McKinney
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.2 | 11.0 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 14.3 | 14.1 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.4 | 10.0 |
| High (°F) | 55 | 59 | 67 | 74 | 82 | 90 | 94 | 95 | 88 | 77 | 66 | 56 |
| Rain (in) | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 4.8 | 3.2 | 3.3 |
July is the driest month (2.3 in) and August the warmest (highs of 95 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 95 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in McKinney →
Next door
McKinney and its neighbors
McKinney has the second most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Questions about parks and trails in McKinney
Where can I hike in McKinney?
The longest trail networks: Erwin Park, 8.2 miles; Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 3.3 miles; Finch Park, 1.2 miles; Gabe Nesbitt Community Park, 1.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of McKinney is conserved land?
7% of its land, against a typical 2% for a Texas town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on McKinney’s trails?
Erwin Park and Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in McKinney?
70 miles of bike routes are on the map: 66 of off-road paths and 3.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near McKinney?
32,881 acres of parks and open public land lie inside McKinney or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 3,176 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does McKinney have?
Ahead of 78% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #69 of 642 in Texas. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from McKinney neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →