Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Finding the trailhead:
Take the Mockingbird Lane exit off US 75, traveling east.
Exiting at West Lawther Drive, follow the winding road south, around the lake. Lawth-
er intersects White Rock Road in a tight corner; look for a railroad trestle overhead.
Veer right onto White Rock Road; pass a pumping station on the right and continue to a
large parking lot next to a fishing dock. The trail begins from this lot, located at 2920
White Rock Lake Rd. GPS: N32 49.384' / W96 43.803'
The Hike
Created in 1911 to be the main water source for the growing city of Dallas, White Rock Lake no
longer quenches thirst but has become the primary recreational outlet for the city's west side. The lake
has an interesting history, having once housed 200 or so Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) workers
in the 1930s at a campsite on Winfrey Point. Their handiwork is evident in many of the lake's art deco
buildings and monuments.
The lake is bounded by the quiet Lakewood neighborhood to the east and Garland Road on the west
side, where you'll also find the Dallas Arboretum and the Bathhouse Cultural Center, a local theater
hot spot. The lake also is home to one of the city's most famous ghosts—the Lady of the Lake, an ap-
parition of a young woman that's occasionally spotted along the roads and paths circling the lake. For
more lake lore, check out the White Rock Lake Museum, located in the cultural center at 521 East
Lawther Dr. (214-670-8749).
The lake is in the middle of major refurbishing, including a new 911 system to help rescue workers
better locate those in need. Trail improvements include a promenade and viewing area by the lake's
famous spillway, damaged by heavy rains in 2006. The $17 million project is expected to be com-
pleted in 2010. Until then, expect occasional detours in and around this part of the lake's trail.
The trailhead is located in the parking lot, just north of the pumping station. Pass the station, built in
1911 but no longer a working facility. If the trail is under construction here, you'll have to backtrack to
the last trail junction and veer left into a former railroad bed through the forest. If you are not de-
toured, the trail continues to the spillway before veering right to go through the woods toward Win-
stead Road. There you'll come to parking area where the trail veers left toward Garland Road and then
heads northwest, running alongside the busy road.
At East Lawther Drive veer left and hike alongside the drive, passing the Dallas Arboretum on the
right. A chain-link fence separates the trail from the gorgeous gardens, but you can still steal a few
glimpses of the flowers and Rancho Encinal, the Spanish Colonial-style home built by pioneering geo-
physicist Everette Lee DeGolyer and his wife, Nell, in 1940. Bequeathed to Southern Methodist
University, the estate eventually became the property of the city of Dallas and now is a venue for
parties and other events at the arboretum.
The trail continues to Winfrey Point, where you can catch a view of downtown Dallas before head-
ing back to the trailhead. If you want to extend your hike, continue approximately 6.0 miles to loop
around the lake.
