Cameron Park
Park
335 acres15.7 mi of trail
River TrailPowder MonkeyHighlanderCalifornia 56+1
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Forsgard Homestead · Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Waco
27% of Waco’s land is conserved: 15,870 acres
7,516 acres are parks and preserves, 52 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Cameron Park (15.7 mi), Airport Park (0.7 mi), Woodway Activity Park (0.7 mi). 57 miles of mapped trail cross Waco, 0.6 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #34 of 642 in Texas. What drives it
Conserved land
27%
15,870 acres · of 91.0 sq mi of land
Trails
57 mi
0.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
7,516 ac
52 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
75%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
25 mi
14 mi lanes · 10 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
16
3 beaches · 11 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Waco?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Waco have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Waco is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #34 of 642 in Texas. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Waco’s overall grade.
Conserved land27% of the land · typical TX town 2% · U.S. 4%ATrails0.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (57 mi) · TX 0.2 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land52 acres of park per 1,000 residents (7,516 acres) · TX 9 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home75% 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 89%
LessMore
Texas towns of 2,500+ (642)Ahead of 95%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Waco ranks #100 on Outdoors.
Few Texas towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Waco’s 27% is ahead of 98% of Texas towns, while its trails per square mile lead 78% of them.
Water is 12% of Waco’s area (12 of 103 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 24%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− 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 Cameron Park, with 15.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Woodway Activity Park
Park
160 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Jaycee Park
Park
11 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Mountainview Park
Park
8 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
S.J. Guthrie Park
Park
7 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 49 parks & preserves
Cameron Park335 acres · 15.7 mi of trail
DirectionsAirport Park920 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodway Activity Park160 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsDewey Park20 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsJaycee Park11 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Mountainview Park8 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
S.J. Guthrie Park7 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Buena Vista Park17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsKendrick Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsFounders Mall5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBledsoe-Miller Park20 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsViking Hills Park14 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsOakwood Park11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
South Waco Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsWilbert Austin, Sr. Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Crestview Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNorth Waco Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBells Hill Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Council Acres Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSeley Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBrazos Park East63 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBrooklyn Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Waco
DirectionsPioneer Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Fountain Mall3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Baylor University
DirectionsMitchell Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Waco Parks and Recreation
Cotton Palace Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Koehne Park24 acres
Legends Crossing Park19 acres
Gurley Park15 acres
Speegleville Park II13 acres
Bosque Park11 acres · S Corps of Engineers
Waco Lions Park9 acres
DirectionsOscar DuCongé Park9 acres · City of Waco
Alta Vista Park7 acres
DirectionsChambers creek park4 acres
Indian Spring Park4 acres
DirectionsEdgefield Park4 acres · Baylor University
DirectionsPark on Bagby Avenue3 acres
DirectionsMcc park3 acres
DirectionsBear Park/ Rec Field2 acres
DirectionsVara Martin Daniel Plaza1 acres
DirectionsHeritage Square1 acres
DirectionsBurleson Quadrangle1 acres
DirectionsMinglewood Bowl1 acres
DirectionsWenz Park1 acres
Rachel's Park Memorial Gardens1 acres
DirectionsCentral Faith Sport Field1 acres
Villa Victoria Pocket Park1 acres
SUB Bowl1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
15,870 conserved acres
27% of Waco’s land. Water is left out: Waco has 91.0 square miles of land and 12.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Waco’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Army Corps of Engineers28,680 ac
Town or city2,971 ac
Other or Unknown Federal Land325 ac
County143 ac
Joint26 ac
National Park Service7 ac
Not recorded20 ac
Recreation or Education Easement · 14,990 acRecreation Management Area · 14,340 acLocal Park · 1,120 acConservation Easement · 1,001 acConservation Area · 324 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 110 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 113 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waco Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 14,340 | Open |
| Cameron Park Local Park | Town or city | 364 | Open |
| Lake Waco Wetlands Conservation Area | Other or Unknown Federal Land | 324 | Open |
| James Connally Golf Course Local Park | Town or city | 195 | Open |
| Cottonwood Creek Golf Course Local Park | Town or city | 172 | Open |
| Waco Water Park/Tennis Center Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 85 | Open |
| Riverbend Baseball Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 73 | Open |
| Hot Coliseum Local Other or Unknown | County | 71 | Unknown |
| Brazos Park East Local Park | Town or city | 53 | Open |
| Bogey's Par 3 Golf Course Local Park | Town or city | 40 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
103 places to go in Waco
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Waco
Mcc beachIn Mcc park
DirectionsPullin Family Marina Beach
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Waco
Park Place Pool
DirectionsThe Centre Swimming Pool
DirectionsThe Centre Swimming Pool
DirectionsThe Centre Swimming Pool
DirectionsThe View on 10th PoolHours: sunrise-sunset
DirectionsTinsley Place Swimming Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Waco
67 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Waco
4 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Waco
Airport Park Boat RampIn Airport Park
DirectionsLacy Point Boat Ramp
DirectionsPlus 9 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Waco
Buzzard OverlookIn Cameron Park
DirectionsPicnic areas in Waco
5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Waco
Plus 3 campgrounds without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 16 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 5.5 miHorses · 1.5 miUnpaved · 14.2 mi
Paradise Trail2.8 mi
River Trail1.9 mi
Cougar Run1.6 mi
Old Speegleville1.2 mi
Highlander1.0 mi
Bluebonnet Trail1.0 mi
Powder Monkey0.9 mi
California 560.8 mi
Outback0.8 mi
Easy Pass0.7 mi
15 more trails
Picnic Trail
0.7 miPicnic
0.6 miHale Bopp
0.5 miKite
0.5 miHang Ten
0.5 miEagle Trail
0.5 miJohnnie
0.4 miSidewinder
0.4 miAct of Faith
0.4 miWeber Run
0.3 miFox Run
0.3 miLost Oak Lagoon
0.3 miSlinky
0.3 miTwister
0.3 miHumpy Gulch
0.3 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
BSB FounitanBaylor BasinBuena Vista Park PondpondCarroll and Frances Sturgis FountainLake WacoreservoirRosenbalm Fountain- Fountian MallThe Waco Freedom FountainWhispering Oaks Dog PawndpondBosque RiverFlat CreekMarlin BranchMiddle Bosque RiverNorth Bosque RiverNorth Flat CreekSouth Bosque RiverWaco Creek
Biking & sports
25 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
14 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
10 mi
off-road bike paths
0.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
83Tennis
53Baseball
35Basketball
28Soccer
15Football
11Tracks
9Pickleball
3Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →23 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 80 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Waco Suspension BridgeStructure · listed 1970
About itFort HouseBuilding · listed 1970
About itEarle-Napier-Kinnard HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itJohn Wesley Mann HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itMcCulloch HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itMcClennan County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itRotan-Dossett HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itMadison Cooper HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itHippodromeBuilding · listed 1983
About itArtesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company BuildingBuilding · listed 1983
About itPraetorian BuildingBuilding · listed 1984
About itVeterans Administration Hospital Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1994
About it11 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in Waco
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) | 10.3 | 11.0 | 11.9 | 12.9 | 13.7 | 14.2 | 14.0 | 13.3 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.5 | 10.1 |
| High (°F) | 59 | 63 | 70 | 77 | 84 | 91 | 95 | 96 | 90 | 80 | 69 | 61 |
| Rain (in) | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
July is the driest month (1.9 in) and August the warmest (highs of 96 °F). 4.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 96 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Waco →
Next door
Waco and its neighbors
Waco has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waco | 27% | 0.6 | 52 | 75% | A |
| Woodway | 1% | 0.3 | 5 | 79% | C+ |
| Bellmead | under 1% | 0.1 | 4 | 56% | C− |
| Robinson | under 1% | 0.1 | 2 | 12% | D |
| Hewitt | 1% | 0.3 | 7 | 58% | C |
| McGregor | 1% | 0.2 | 21 | 89% | B− |
| Lacy-Lakeview | 1% | 0.1 | 3 | 74% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Waco
Where can I hike in Waco?
The longest trail networks: Cameron Park, 15.7 miles; Airport Park, 0.7 miles; Woodway Activity Park, 0.7 miles; Dewey Park, 0.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Waco is conserved land?
27% 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 Waco’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Cameron Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Waco?
25 miles of bike routes are on the map: 14 of painted or protected lanes, 10 of off-road paths and 0.3 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Waco?
9,176 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Waco or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 7,847 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Waco have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #34 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 Waco 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 →