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A man rides a bike in Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Plano.<\/p>\n
Chitose Suzuki\/Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
North Texas had a strong showing this year in a national ranking of parks published annually by the Trust for Public Land \u2013 and one North Texas city\u2019s parks<\/a> ranked among the top in the U.S.<\/p>\n Of the 100 most populous cities in the country, Plano, at No. 13, was the only Texas city to crack the top 20. Frisco ranked No. 30<\/a>, Dallas No. 38, Arlington No. 45, Fort Worth No. 58, Garland No. 64 and Irving No. 71. Irving and Fort Worth made significant gains since last year, according to the Trust for Public Land.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The national nonprofit, with a goal of connecting everyone to the outdoors, evaluates park systems<\/a> based on accessibility, equity, acreage, investment and amenities. The annual ranking keeps track of cities\u2019 progress and provides a road map for improvement, said Molly Morgan, Texas state director and associate vice president of the Trust for Public Land.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNorth Texas, as a region, has been investing seriously in parks<\/a> for years,\u201d Morgan said. \u201cThe data is reflecting that long-term investment and some of the initiatives and growth measures that came online this year.\u201d<\/p>\n Of seven cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, six improved their ranking this year, while Dallas fell slightly.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dallas\u2019 dip in the ranking has more to do with other cities\u2019 investments coming to fruition this year, rather than Dallas downgrading<\/a>, Morgan said. The city has improved park access by one of the highest margins in the country over the past 10 years, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt’s really important for residents to advocate for their park spaces and advocate for what they want to see in terms of funding to keep places beautiful<\/a>, safe and maintained,\u201d Morgan said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Shellana Morris and daughter Kallie Harris, 6, of Desoto, sit on the steps of the amphitheater at Halperin Park during the opening celebration of Oak Cliff\u2019s new deck park in Dallas, Saturday, May 9, 2026.<\/p>\n Angela Piazza\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Irving climbed the ranking by 28 spots, more than any other city this year, from second-to-last in 2025 to No. 71. Increased investment through the city\u2019s \u201cLet\u2019s Play Irving\u201d initiative funded several projects that contributed to the increase, according to the trust.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Fort Worth rose 14 spots<\/a> to No. 58, largely because of new park investment and agreements with the school district to open schoolyards for community use, according to the trust. The city, whose voters passed a $185 million bond for parks this month, is \u201cpoised for further improvement,\u201d according to the nonprofit.\u00a0<\/p>\n Plano climbed from No. 17 to No. 13 in the country for its park system<\/a>, solidifying its ranking as the top city for parks in the state. Frisco began construction on Grand Park<\/a> this spring, which will eventually span more than 1,000 acres, and the city ranked second in Texas after Plano.<\/p>\n Parks maintain Plano \u201cas a city of excellence,\u201d said its Park Planning Manager Katie Dunham, and provide a higher quality of life for the community<\/a>. Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve alone is more than 800 acres, and the city has nearly 100 miles of trails, according to its website. The city recently launched an interactive shade mapping tool to allow residents to view where shade falls in public parks depending on the date and time.<\/p>\n Plano has been \u201cleading the charge\u201d in providing parks and green spaces to residents<\/a>, Morgan said, and provided \u201ca model for what\u2019s possible in the state.\u201d According to the trust\u2019s research, 85% of Plano residents live within a 10 minute walk from a park.The city\u2019s economic development department promotes the city\u2019s parks as an attractive feature for corporations looking to relocate to Collin County.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n On an unseasonably warm day, Shreya Patnaik (left) and her friend Anna Ivashchenko (with her Guinea pig named Ginger) take a walk around the fountain at Bishop Park in Plano, Texas, January 5, 2026.<\/p>\n Tom Fox\/Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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