The 12 Best Parks and Trails in McKinney
1. Towne Lake Park
Address: 1405 Wilson Creek Parkway, McKinney 75069
Best for: a little of everything on one afternoon
Towne Lake is the city's central park, at about 230 acres. The lake has kayak rentals through the Rent.Fun app at a $3 starting fee plus $3 per 30 minutes, with renters 18 or older and one person per boat. Fishing follows Texas Parks and Wildlife rules, and anglers 18 and older need a license. There's an 18 hole disc golf course, sand volleyball, playgrounds, and several pavilions you can rent for $30 if you're a resident or $50 if you're not. Park hours are 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Recreation Center at Towne Lake, at 2001 Central Expressway, is on the same grounds. In 2025, the city moved forward with plans on a site of nearly 47 acres there for a dog park with three separate yards, new parking, restrooms, horseshoe pits, volleyball courts, and trails, while protecting part of the historic Old Settlers Cemetery.
2. Wilson Creek Trail
Access: Towne Lake Park and Bonnie Wenk Park, plus several other entry points
Best for: long walks, runs, and bike rides on pavement
The Wilson Creek Trail is about 10 miles of paved trail that ties Towne Lake Park, Bonnie Wenk Park, and other parkland into one greenway, with parking and restrooms along the way. Visit McKinney notes it received a national designation in 2023. If you want dirt instead, the 1 mile Wilson Creek Nature Trail starts near the Recreation Center at Towne Lake. Living near this trail is one of the best lifestyle upgrades in the city.
3. Bonnie Wenk Park
Address: 2996 Virginia Parkway, McKinney 75071
Best for: dog owners and families with young kids
Bonnie Wenk has the city's best known dog park: a 2 acre fenced area with separate big and small dog yards, a dog splash pad, and a shaded pavilion. The rest of the park has a fishing pond, playgrounds, a multipurpose field, a fitness station, and trail loops that connect to the Wilson Creek Trail. It also hosted the McKinney Monster Dash 5K on Halloween 2026.
4. Erwin Park (Closed for Renovation Until Fall 2027)
Address: 4300 CR 1006, McKinney 75071
Best for: mountain biking and tent camping, once it reopens
Erwin Park is 212 wooded acres in north McKinney with about 10 to 11 miles of mountain bike trails maintained by the Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association, ranging from fast single track to technical sections. It has 12 rustic tent sites, each with a fire ring and picnic table, and no RV camping.
The park closed Aug. 10, 2026 for a major renovation. The plan adds an overlook tower, new restrooms and pavilions, new playground equipment, accessibility upgrades, a concrete inner loop trail, resurfaced roads and parking, and water and electric service at campsites. The city expects to reopen in fall 2027 and warns delays are possible.
5. Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary
Address: 1 Nature Place, McKinney 75069
Best for: real nature, birding, and kids who like animals
The Heard opened in 1967 thanks to McKinney native Bessie Heard and now protects 289 acres of wetlands, prairie, and bottomland forest. It has more than 5 miles of natural surface trails, most of them stroller friendly, plus bird blinds, butterfly gardens, a pioneer village, and indoor exhibits. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m., closed Mondays. Check its site for current admission prices and seasonal exhibits.
6. Gabe Nesbitt Community Park and the Apex Centre
Address: 7001 Eldorado Parkway, McKinney 75070; Apex Centre at 3003 Alma Road
Best for: active families who want swimming, tennis, and ball fields in one place
Gabe Nesbitt is west McKinney's sports hub. It has lighted ball fields, a skate park, playgrounds, pavilions, and a 1.8 mile loop trail. The Apex Centre opened here in 2017 as a $36 million aquatics and fitness center, and Visit McKinney lists it at 80,000 square feet. It has a 25 yard by 25 meter competition pool, indoor and outdoor leisure pools, courts, and an elevated track, with day passes and memberships.
Nearby, the Courts of McKinney at 3253 Alma Road added a 55,000 square foot indoor tennis building with six courts alongside 23 outdoor courts, per a 2023 report, plus outdoor pickleball.
7. Al Ruschhaupt Soccer Complex
Address: 1986 Park View Ave. (Phase I) and 2701 Northbrook Drive (Phase II)
Best for: soccer families, cricket players, and kids who need an inclusive playground
Al Ruschhaupt covers 96 acres. Phase I has lighted regulation soccer fields, a pavilion, an amphitheater, and the Alex Clark Memorial Disc Golf Course. Phase II has lighted practice fields, cricket fields, inclusive play elements, a playground, a splash pad, and swings. A 1.6 mile segment of the Wilson Creek Trail runs through the complex. The city notes that only authorized users can practice or play organized games on the fields.
8. Gray Branch Parkland
Address: 1299 Gray Branch Road
Best for: a quiet hike without the crowds
Gray Branch is 212 acres of former farmland, now grassland and woods with seasonal wildflowers. It has three natural surface loops of 1.2, 0.8, and 1.2 miles. If Towne Lake feels busy on a Saturday, this is where I'd go.
9. Rowlett Creek Trail
Address: 4300 Big Fork Trail
Best for: south McKinney residents and anyone wanting a link toward Allen
Rowlett Creek Trail is 2.9 miles of paved trail. It's part of the Six Cities Trail project and will connect to Allen once that's complete, which makes it more useful every year.
10. McKinney Soccer Complex at Craig Ranch
Address: 6375 Collin McKinney Parkway, McKinney 75070
Best for: organized soccer in southwest McKinney
This complex has 13 soccer fields. Its first renovation phase, a $25 million project started in January 2023, was set to convert six fields to synthetic turf and add trails, two restroom buildings, and new scoreboards. Craig Ranch residents can get here without crossing the whole city. See my Craig Ranch page for more on the neighborhood.
11. Mary Will Craig Park
Address: 2701 Bois D'Arc Road
Best for: a neighborhood park with a little of everything
A $2.5 million update scheduled for completion in 2023 added an expanded playground, a new pavilion, a renovated basketball court and baseball field, a skate spot, fitness stations, and a 0.5 mile paved trail. It's a good example of the smaller parks McKinney keeps investing in.
12. Finch Park and Murphy Park
Addresses: Finch Park, 301 Standifer St.; Murphy Park, 1601 W. Josephine St.
Best for: central McKinney neighborhoods near downtown
Finch Park has a 1 mile paved trail. Murphy Park got an updated playground, pavilion, half court basketball, and fitness stations in a project scheduled to finish in 2023. Neither is a destination on its own, but if you live in the older neighborhoods around downtown, these are your everyday parks. My Historic Downtown McKinney guide covers living in that area.
Parks Inside Master Planned Communities
Some of McKinney's biggest green spaces belong to neighborhoods, not the city. Trinity Falls, in north McKinney, has the 350 acre B.B. Owen Park along the East Fork of the Trinity River, with a dog park, amphitheater, fishing piers, and disc golf, according to its developer. Those amenities come with HOA dues and, in Trinity Falls' case, a MUD tax. I explain that tradeoff in McKinney property taxes, PIDs, and MUDs explained.
Picking a Neighborhood Around the Parks
If parks are high on your list, here's how I'd think about it:
- Trail access: homes near the Wilson Creek corridor, Towne Lake, and Bonnie Wenk get you onto 10 miles of paved trail without loading a car.
- Sports families: west McKinney near Gabe Nesbitt and the Apex Centre puts swimming, tennis, and ball fields close by.
- Nature lovers: north McKinney puts you closer to Erwin Park when it reopens.
- Walkable and historic: central McKinney near Finch and Murphy parks trades big parks for downtown access.
Before you buy, walk the actual route from the house to the trail. A trail that looks close on a map can be across a busy road. Browse McKinney homes for sale or compare areas in my best neighborhoods in McKinney guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many parks does McKinney have?
More than 50, with about 80 miles of trails and roughly 3,000 acres of parks and open space, per the city's visitor bureau.
What is the longest trail in McKinney?
The paved Wilson Creek Trail, at about 10 miles, connecting Towne Lake and Bonnie Wenk parks.
Is Erwin Park open?
No. It closed Aug. 10, 2026 for renovation and is expected to reopen in fall 2027.
Where is the dog park in McKinney?
Bonnie Wenk Park at 2996 Virginia Parkway has a 2 acre fenced dog park with separate big and small dog areas. A dog park is also planned at Towne Lake.
Can you kayak in McKinney?
Yes, at Towne Lake Park through the Rent.Fun app. Renters must be 18 or older and wear a life jacket.
Can you camp in McKinney?
Erwin Park has 12 tent sites, but it's closed until its renovation is done, expected in fall 2027.
What are the Heard Museum's hours?
Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 1 to 4 p.m., and closed Mondays, per Visit McKinney. Check its website for admission.
Find a Home Near the Trails
I can set up a home search around a specific park or trail and tell you what the taxes and payment look like for each option, since I handle both the real estate and the mortgage. Reach out through the contact form on this site and tell me which park you'd use most.
Sources: Visit McKinney, parks and trails; Visit McKinney, Bonnie Wenk Park and parks directory; Visit McKinney, top trails; Community Impact, 10 McKinney trails (January 2025); McKinney Parks, Towne Lake Park; Community Impact on Towne Lake plans (February 2025); Visit McKinney, Erwin Park; City of McKinney, Erwin Park renovation closure (August 2026); Visit McKinney, Heard Museum; Wikipedia, Heard Natural Science Museum; Community Impact on the Apex Centre; McKinney Parks, Courts of McKinney; Community Impact on four park projects (May 2023); McKinney Parks, Al Ruschhaupt Soccer Complex; Visit McKinney events; Johnson Development, Trinity Falls.
