A deep sinkhole has closed part of a popular White Rock Lake trail as the city monitors whether rain will worsen the collapse.
The sinkhole, located between Lawther Drive and Garland Road, is estimated to be at least 14 feet deep. The city has blocked off the area while crews assess the damage.
Chad Ethridge, who lives nearby and frequently uses the trail, said he spotted the sinkhole a few days ago.
“I’m constantly out here running, walking, and biking,” Ethridge said. “I was like, that’s really deep… maybe about 20 feet, that’s my guesstimate. And it was kind of scary because it was exposed there, right on the edge of the sidewalk.”
Ethridge said a woman riding her bicycle quickly alerted police officers patrolling the area.
City officials say the area has been stabilized for now, but they want to monitor it closely — especially with storms moving through North Texas.
Ground issues not new here
At a White Rock Lake Task Force meeting on Tuesday, Dallas Park and Recreation Board District 9 representative Michael Jung said ground‑stability problems have occurred in this area before.
“That trail has been closed off on several occasions,” Jung said. “Parts of it have kind of fallen off.”
Jung said it’s not yet clear what caused this specific sinkhole.
“Nothing is conclusive at this point,” he said. “The water department is making temporary repairs. They’re looking to make sure those repairs are adequate, that there won’t be more subsidence, and trying to figure out what the long‑term solution should be.”
City officials say the earliest this stretch of trail could reopen is Thursday, depending on how the ground responds after the rain.
CBS News Texas will update this story as more information becomes available.
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