Prarie Creek Park

Review: Prarie Creek Park in Richardson is hidden away in a quiet Richardson neighborhood. This greenbelt park offers walks in the woods, views of the creek, and is home to a scenic waterfall. Bridges cross the creek take you to paths on both side of this narrow park. Prairie Creek Park is very close to the Spring Creek Park Nature Area if you want to expand your adventure after visiting the Falls.

Distance: I’m not able to find anything specific on distance here, the park is 37 acres, and you aren’t going to be coming to this park for a long distance hike or jog unless you loop around.

Area of Town: Richardson, between Campbell Road and Renner Road, just west of Central Expressway

Facilities: There are some picnic areas

Suitable for: Jogging, walking

Type of Trail: While there was some concrete, it was mainly natural paths

Shade: Very wooded area, the trail is almost entirely under the trees that line the creeksides.

Where to Park:  There isn’t a lot of dedicated parking here, although there was a small parking area as you go north on Prarie Creek

Official Site:  There doesn’t seem to be one. Here is a map though of the area.

Nearby Trails: Spring Creek Nature Area, Spring Creek Forest Preserve

Prarie Creek Park in Richardson isn’t a large park with miles of trails, but it has what very few other trails in North Texas has, a waterfall! So that instantly makes this a special place to visit. The trail is located north of Campbell and south of Renner, just to the east of Central Expressway.

As you drive up Prarie Creek Drive, there is some limited parking close to the northern side of the trail, on the eastern side of the greenbelt. Most people I saw parked on the side of the road at several vantage points where you can easily pick up the trail. I parked about midway up the road, before the falls, at one of the bridges that crosses the creek.

The trails that I explored were natural paths under the trees, and very well shaded. There were multiple vantage points to see the creek, and several spots to sit with benches or concrete seats along the way. The creek is dammed (to create the falls), and i saw several turtles in the water on my visit. The trail is flat and wide, this is not going to be strenuous hike, so appropriate for all skill levels and ages!

If you are here for the falls, they are best viewed from the east side of the greenbelt closer to the northern side of the park. You’ll likely see where other cars are parked, and that’s likely the spot! The waterfalls are beautiful, and thus a popular spot for wedding photos, graduation photos, and other special occasions. I didn’t venture down to the creekside, it was crowded when I visited, but you can head down, but it looked steep so tread carefully. I also encountered a very large snake when I approached the falls from the western side. It blended in with the concrete, so had it not quickly moved out of my way, i might have stepped on it (this was a very large snake).

Prarie Creek Park is a unique spot to visit for the waterfall. This is not a place to go for racking up miles on a long run or hike, but it is a beautiful park to bring the kids or dogs for a stroll. If you live nearby, this is a no brainer to come out to enjoy. If you live a bit further out, consider visiting this as a package deal by also including Spring Creek Nature Area and Spring Creek Forest Preserve while in the area. Both are very close by!