DFW Biking: Rails to Trails

Ever heard the term Rails to Trails? Even if you don’t know the term, you will recognize the some of the names of the trails that fit into that category! In this guide, I’ll give a brief overview of what Rails to Trails means and list the examples found in North Texas. I’ll also include their sister category, the Rails WITH Trails, and then list out those as well.

So let’s get started!

What does Rails to Trails Mean?

If you remember your American history courses, the railroads were critical for the expansion of the American West. Trains allowed for faster and safer transportation of materials, people and information across the huge middle of the country. Those railroads criss-crossed the country, like the interstate system of highways does today.

As cars and trucks expanded in use, and roads replaced railways as our preferred method of transportation, many former railroad tracks fell into disuse. Those tracks may or may not have remained, but their long straight railway areas were neglected and abandoned.

Savvy people saw an opportunity to convert this unused land into something new: trails. By repurposing these railways into trails (hence ‘Rails to Trails’), this land could continue to be used for transportation, just in a very different way. The first example of a Rails to Trails project was opened in 1967 (the Elroy Sparta Trail in Wisconsin). In February 1986, the Rails to Trails Conservancy was born, to promote the expansion of the idea on a national scale. They saw the opportunity to transform those neglected rights of way into trails that people could use for outdoor recreation and wanted to make sure this idea could spread across the states. Whether on foot or biking, these long segments of disused land were ideal for getting people outside and moving. You can check out more about their history here, I just wanted to provide a quick introduction before we talk about the trails themselves.

Given that most of these trails are long and rather straight, I tend to think of them as better for biking than hiking. That’s not always the case, my number 1 example of a Rails to Trails in the area is definitely used by a lot of pedestrians, but many of the areas are very well suited for long distance riding.

Note: A related concept is Rails with Trails. Unlike Rails to Trails which converts disused railway corridors, Rails with Trails involves establishing a new trail alongside an active rail line. This allows for the simultaneous development of new public transportation infrastructure and recreational trails. I’ve got two of those below, at the end of the list.

Ok, let’s cover the trails!

Katy Trail

Even if you had never heard about Rails to Trails, this is the example I’m sure you’ve heard about. The Katy Trail is a perfect example of taking the old disused Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad right of way and converting it into a beautiful trail that is used by thousands of people a year. This 3.5 mile linear path offers access to many popular areas (Knox Henderson, Turtle Creek, Oak Lawn and Victory park), and is also a key part of The Loop‘s efforts to link up disparate trails with new connections. Built using a mix of public and private money, and maintained by an active Friends group, this is a best in class example of how to do a Rails to Trails project right!

One other note, this trail has a lot of pedestrian use, so if you are planning to bike it, be careful and watch your speed.

SOPAC Trail

Another great example is the SOPAC trail. Built out on the old Southern Pacific railway, this 5.5 mile East Dallas trail connects various other trails most notably the University Crossing / Ridgewood Trail, White Rock Lake Trail and the Santa Fe Trail. There are plans to continue expanding the trail northward to intersect with the White Rock Creek Trail, Cottonwood Creek and Northaven Trails. A popular trail for bikers and walkers alike, its long straight paved trail offers a pleasant tree lined route.

Sante Fe Trail

I haven’t reviewed the Santa Fe Trail, but here is a link to the city’s page. The 5.3 mile Santa Fe Trail is build on the old Santa Fe railroad corridor, and connects the White Rock Lake trails to Deep Ellum, allowing access to that entertainment district and downtown at large. It also connects to the Trinity Spine Trail being built by The Loop, which will eventually connect to the Trinity Forest trails. This is an important connector trail, crucial for linking many of the East Dallas trails as well as lining to the broader efforts across the metro.

North East Texas Trail (NETT)

I wrote about the North East Texas Trail (NETT) on the DFW Guide to Gravel, but it’s also very much a Rails to Trail example as well! This 130 mile planned trail between Farmersville and New Boston is a mix of trail types (paved, gravel, natural), ideal for a gravel bike! Built on the combined Union Pacific and Chaparral railways, when completed this will be the 4th longest Hike/Bike/Equestrian trail in the nation, and longest in Texas. Before visiting, I strongly suggest you check trail status on their official page, the trail may have sections closed for development or have information you need to be aware of. It’s not finished yet, and so you’ll want to be aware of trail status. This page will be your friend. Once completed, the North East Texas Trail will be a huge asset to the local trails community!

One final reminder, while there is a paved section in Farmersville, it’s only about 2.5 miles, so if you plan to go further than that, you’ll want a gravel or mountain bike.

Lake Mineral Wells State Park Trailway

While I have been to Lake Mineral Wells State Park, I haven’t biked the Lake Mineral Wells Trailway yet. The 20 mile route between Mineral Wells and Weatherford, was built on an old railway that used to bring tourists to Mineral Wells to enjoy their ‘healing water’, in its heyday. The railway changed hands multiple times and was used up until 1992, when the economics no longer made sense for the city of Mineral Wells to continue usage. The railway was converted to a trailway in 1998, and has been used ever since. I’ve not ridden it yet, but have seen people mention that some of the crossings along the trailway are out of commission, so be careful. Users on AllTrails have mentioned having to walk down a ravine with their bike and back up the other side to continue. I’ve also read that the incline makes for an easy ride from Weatherford to mineral wells, with a slight increase in on the return. Keep that in mind! The trailway also connects to the state park, if you want to start your adventure there (or bike to it).

One final piece of advice, this is not a paved concrete trail, so use a gravel or mountain bike on this one!

(Picture from TPWD site)

Caprock Canyon Trailway

I have been to Caprock Canyon State Park, and it’s amazing. I highly recommend visiting it. We didn’t get a chance to explore the Trailway when we were there, but it does sound impressive. In concert with the Rails to Trails Conservancy, Texas Parks and Wildlife acquired the former railway and made a ~64 mile trail. This is a remote area, so if you do plan to bike or hike it, make sure you are prepared with water and safety plan. Located along the rail is Clarity Tunnel where a large colony of Mexican free-tailed bats make their summer home. Up to half a million bats live there when in residence. If you visit, the state’s website says to never pick up a bat, and always wear long sleeved outerwear and a hat when passing through (guano alert!). More information can be found here. This sounds like an amazing spot to visit, please be cautious if you do as it’s hot in the summer, and very very remote.

Also, this is not a trail for road bikes, you’ll need a gravel bike or mountain bike for this one.

Waxahachie Hike and Bike

I’m not sure this really qualifies, but it’s in the area and does make use of an old railway, so it’s worth talking about. It actually could almost qualify for Rails with Trails as well as Rails to Trails. Only .2 miles for the trail are constructed on an old railroad grade, but the eastern part of the trail goes along both an abandoned Missouri-Kansas-Texas rail line, and along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line, which is active today. So is it Rails to Trails? Is it just a trail near some rails, or a Rails with Trails? Does it matter? Either way it does make the list! The actual mileage for this is confusing though. This TrailLink page shows the trail is six miles, this is the AllTrails page which says nearly 8 miles and I found this official page as well which says it is four miles. So if you have more information, please leave it in the comments! If I go out, I’ll update this space as well.

Wichita Falls Rail to Trail

Another spot I haven’t been to, this rails to trail spot is in Wichita Falls, about two hours (121 miles) from DFW Airport. This 5.6 mile trail extends from SW Wichita Falls out to Holliday. Built on the old Wichita Valley Railway, this trail has been built out, but there is still work going on to improve it including wildlife viewing, better access for horseback users, and waterfowl stations. There are fitness stations along the trail. Per Trail Link’s page, the trail is currently layered with gravel, but there are future improvements planned. If you are going to visit from the DFW area, I’d check local resources, including All Trails, to ensure you’ve got the right equipment and check for trail status.

Denton A Train – Rails with Trails

Our first Rails with Trails example, the Denton A train extends between Denton and Lewisville along I-35. This 20 mile trail was planned as the rail was built out, allowing both transportation and recreation along the same line. If you find that 40 miles is too much to do in one day, you can always 20+ miles and then ride the rest of the way back home or to your transportation! I haven’t ridden this yet, it is on my list for 2025 though, so can’t speak to the experience. I will say that the Denton A Train Trail is part of the exciting work that the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is doing to form a connected trail system across the metro. The Denton A Train trail will be a pivotal part of the Denton to Dallas trail segment, see here for more detail. This portion will allow access from downtown Denton to downtown Dallas, once completed hopefully in 2026 (pending the Hebron Station connection, seen on this map). More information about this trail can be found here.

Cotton Belt Trail – Rails with Trails

And wrapping up our list, we have our final Rails with Trails example. The Cotton Belt trail is currently being built out and will connect Plano and Fort Worth. This map shows the current state of the Cotton Belt trail. According to the NCTCOG website, “Approximately 21.5 miles of the Cotton Belt regional trail corridor exist; 11.4 miles are funded for construction; and 24 miles need funding for construction.”. If you want to pick up the Cotton Belt trail today, you can ride from the Grapevine Station, through North Richland Hills to the Iron Horse station in Wautaga. More information about the Cotton Belt Trail and the plans for expansion can be found here, and click here for a map of what the finished 56.95 mile trail will look like once complete!

Note: DART issued a notice in May 2025 to proceed and begin construction of the 11 miles needed to connect Addison to Plano. It’s going to be a few years still to complete, but work is proceeding!

Conclusions

So that’s all the Rails to Trails (and Rails with Trails) routes that I could find in the area. These are great spots to get in some biking miles, as they are generally long and straight, without a lot of bends and curves. Even more importantly, some of them are also going to form the backbone for the future vision of connected trails across the DFW Metroplex!

Let me know if I’ve missed any! Also if you’ve ridden some of the ones I’ve been to, please chime in with your experiences!