Trinity Trails

Trail Closure January 29, 30, 31 between Benbrook and Oakmont Park

2019-01-28T12:33:00.000-06:00

The southwest portion of the Trinity Trials from the Art Cowsen trail head in Benbrook to the Oakmont Park along Bellaire Drive will be closed for maintenance on January 29, 30, and 31. Signs have been posted along the trail (pictured below).

Trail re-route and improvements near Panther Island

2018-02-21T07:31:00.000-06:00

see map below for re-route through mid-April 2018.

from the City of Fort Worth:

Beginning Feb. 24, the Tarrant Regional Water District will be making improvements to the grounds on the north shore of Panther Island Pavilion.
As part of these improvements, the existing, narrow and broken 6-foot-wide concrete trail will be replaced with an 11-foot-wide concrete trail. Temporary fencing will be in place during construction and trail users are asked to use the trail reroute around the back side of the Haws Athletic Center, 600 Congress St. Signage will be in place leading up to and along the reroute.
Construction is estimated to last through mid-April.

from: http://fortworthtexas.gov/news/2018/02/Trinity-Trails-realignment/

Trinity Trail Closure! Bellaire & 183 low water crossing

2017-05-30T16:41:00.000-05:00

Update: TRWD now says there was some confusion with a contractor and that the trail will NOT be closed. A detour will be built before construction begins that will effect the existing trail.

A sign recently went up at the Trinity River low water crossing at Bellaire near the Hwy 183 overpass stating that the Trinity Trails will be closed starting May 31, 2017. (sign photo below)

With no alternate route available, those of you who use the Trinity Trails to go to and from Benbrook will not be able to do so soon. Hundreds of people use this section of the trail every week, so this will be a real inconvenience.

The trail will be closed for construction by PRIM Construction related to the Waterside development on Bryant Irvin (the site of the old Lockheed Martin Recreation Complex, LMRC).

I've made lots of calls, but no one has been able to tell me who made the decision to close the trail or how long this closure will be.

All I can recommend is contacting your Fort Worth City councilperson and Mayor Betsy Price, or the TRWD (who is ultimately responsible for the Trails). Considering Mayor Price's focus on a bike friendly Fort Worth I'm amazed that an alternate to closure or an alternate route was not worked out. This will truly inconvenience many people.

Many, many people will be inconvenienced by this closure.

Please note: this web site and blog is a community forum for people who use the trails, with no official capacity related to the Trinity Trails.

Airfield Falls Trailhead now open!

2017-05-23T09:58:00.001-05:00

It's new official name is "Airfield Falls Conservation Park," and it is now an attraction in its own right, but it is still also the trailhead with access to Fort Worth's beautiful Airfield Falls along the Trinity Trails. (map below)

It has taken a long time to finish, but now it's open and looks great. The McDonnell Douglas C-9 aircraft wings and tail are in place along with some other airplane related pieces such as wind socks beside the entry driveways and runway lighting poles (orange and white in photo below).

The overall concept for the park/trailhead is conservation. The parking area features water permeable paving, allowing rainwater to be absorbed directly into the ground rather than becoming runoff. There are numerous picnic tables and a pavilion.

The park is bordered by Kings Branch and Farmers Branch tributaries of the Trinity River. They join near the park and then proceed Airfield Falls. There is a paved trail that leads down to Kings Branch and bridges over both. The trail follows the waterway to the waterfall and is beautifully landscaped with drought tolerant plants and butterfly attracting flowering plants.

Parking area with permeable paving (under the pickup and the walkway in foreground)

Picnic table and runway light poles near parking area.

"Airfield Falls Conservation Park" entry sign

Wing and tail of McDonnell Douglas C-9 airplane on display.

Information signs:

Picnic tables and pavilion.

Looking back at the C-9 aircraft from trail that leads to Kings Branch creek.

Looking up at trail bridge over Kings Branch

Farmers Branch from trail bridge

Butterflies on one of many butterfly friendly flowering plants along trail.

Airfield Falls from trail.

Airfield Falls

Airfield Falls with my exploring companion.

Airfield Falls Trailhead Now Projected to Open by Fall 2016

2016-05-01T15:24:00.004-05:00

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the TRWD now has a new contractor to finish the Airfield Falls Trailhead within the next 3 to 4 months. The trailhead will have 30-space parking lot, restrooms, picnic facilities and demonstration gardens.

see: Contractor hired to complete Airfield Falls Trailhead

Portion of Trinity Trial Closed Through Mayfest

2016-04-09T21:10:00.000-05:00

Starting April 11 through May 4th, part of the Trinity Trail in Trinity Park will be closed for Mayfest and Mayfest preparations. You will still be able to get from one end of Trinity Park to the other, but only on the gravel loop trail that runs through the woods along University Drive.

Vehicle access to Trinity Park will be closed off completely.

Here's a map provided by TRWD:

Walking, Jogging, Biking Trail Loops Near Downtown

2016-04-01T10:53:00.005-05:00

I know that a lot of people prefer loop trails to out and back trails. So I wanted to point out that there are now 2 loops on the Trinity Trails near downtown Fort Worth. The 2 loops actually form a figure 8 for a 4.5 mile total length. The lower loop is contained withing Trinity Park and the upper loop extends from the North end of Trinity Park to the Panther Island Pavilion area. The middle of the 'figure 8' is the Phyllis Tilley Memorial Bridge.

Note: 1.1 miles of the lower left of the trail (in Trinity Park) is crushed gravel trail only. The rest is paved and mostly dual trail.

Here's a view of the 2 loops (click on the map to be taken to an interactive Google Map):

Access to Airfield Falls

2016-04-01T10:44:00.003-05:00

The Airfield Falls trail head is still closed and will remain so for some time as construction has stopped. More on that below.
For now, I'd like to let everyone know how to get to Airfield Falls (Fort Worth's only natural water fall). This is from a comment that the TRWD made on Facebook:

If you are looking for a trailhead in a close vicinity of Airfield Falls, TRWD has recently completed a trail access point from the Westworth Village City Hall (311 Burton Hill Road) to the Trinity Trails. You are able to park and use their water fountain and restroom facilities located inside City Hall. Attached is a map that will help you get to the falls from City Hall.

Now, as to why construction has stopped on the nearby Airfield Falls Trailhead (from the same comment):

The contractor on the project has ceased work and has requested that TRWD make a transition from the contractor to the bonding company to complete the Airfield Falls Trailhead project. TRWD is in active communication with the bond company to complete the project as soon as possible.

Airfield Falls Trailhead Remains Closed

2015-07-02T21:48:00.000-05:00

The Airfield Falls Trailhead is the closest access point to Airfield Falls and a major trailhead for the Trinity Trails.

UPDATE: see Access to Airfield Falls

from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

A $1.2 million trailhead project of the Tarrant Regional Water District near the Naval Air Station Fort Worth sits unfinished and inaccessible to the public nearly a year after it was supposed to be completed.
Work at Airfield Falls Trailhead, located just outside the base’s gates on Pumphrey Drive in Westworth Village, apparently stopped a few months ago.
But the project’s contractor and water district officials are not offering details as to why.

More info for the original plans for the project can be found here.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/business/article26191558.html#storylink=cpy

Trinity Trails connecting Fort Worth to Dallas within 4 years?

2014-10-09T11:35:00.001-05:00

KERA has a great story on the progress in connecting Fort Worth's Trinity Trails to downtown Dallas with trails along the Trinity River making a 64 mile bike superhighway.

The story says that there is hope to get the cities connected within 4 years.

Here's a map of the proposed routes:

And here's the story at KERA.

And here's the North Central Texas Council of Governments "Regional Veloweb" info.

The New Trialhead at Clearfork

2014-03-12T09:47:00.001-05:00

The newest trailhead on the Trinity Trails is in the new Clearfork development.

The Clearfork development is on the North side of the Trinity River, East of Bryant-Irvin Road and West of Hulen. It is accessable from Bryant-Irvin on Edwards Ranch Rd. and from Hulen by going across the new bridge (Clearfork Main St.) across from Trader Joe's.

The new trailhead, Trailhead 1848, is at the traffic circle where the above 2 streets meet (Edwards Ranch Rd. and Clearfork Main St.).

The new trailhead will have activities on Saturdays starting March 22. More information is at the Trailhead 1848 website.

Parking and trail access is free.

There is a Fort Worth Bike Sharing station at this trailhead.

Some photos:

Information board view from trail.

Fort Worth Bike Sharing station on trail side.

Trailhead gate to trail. Background shows trailhead gate to parking area. The open area in between is for activities and food trucks, etc.

Trailhead parking area entrance from traffic circle at Edwards Ranch Rd. and Clearfork Main St.

Airfield Falls Trailhead Construction

2013-09-23T14:06:00.001-05:00

The contract for construction of the Airfield Falls Trailhead has been awarded to Struhs Commercial Construction by the Tarrant Regional Water District.

Now the construction is beginning, the trailhead will be closed for the duration (Fall 2014).

from TRWD:

The Airfield Falls trailhead is officially under construction! For your safety the trailhead will be closed during construction but the waterfall can still be easily accessed using the trailhead at White Settlement Rd and Isbell Rd. We can't wait for this wonderful new addition to our trail system!

more at TRWD's website.

Artists rendering of Airfield Falls Trailhead

Jogger attacked on Trinity Trails in Rockwood Park

2013-06-13T17:02:00.002-05:00

A jogger was repeatedly stabbed during a robbery on Trinity Trails Thursday morning near Rockwood Park, police said. - from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

more from CBS Channel 11

Temporary nighttime closures of Trinity Trails have started

2013-04-30T08:58:00.004-05:00

The new Chisholm Trail Parkway (NTTA Toll Road) will cross the Trinity Trails (and River) between Hulen and Bryant Irvin. As a result there will some upcoming and ongoing nighttime closures of the Trinity Trails.

The Clearfork Main Street bridge mentioned in the release from the NTTA below refers to the new bridge being constructed just upstream from the Hulen Street bridge that will connect Hulen to the Edwards Ranch/Clearfork development.

Here's the press release from the NTTA:

Temporary closures of Trinity Trails start tonight

Portions of the Trinity Trails between the Clearfork Main Street bridge and Bryant Irvin bridge in Fort Worth will close nightly between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. beginning April 29 to allow for Chisholm Trail Parkway work in the area. Below is the schedule of which section will be closed and when:

*Trail south of the Trinity River: April 29-May 8
*Trail north of the Trinity River: May 6-18

The NTTA thanks the runners, walkers and cyclists for their patience

Periodic closures of the Trinity Trails near Bryant-Irvin

2012-12-10T18:54:00.000-06:00

This is from the latest update from the NTTA on the Chisolm Trail Parkway construction:

Users of the Trinity Trails should expect intermittent closures on the south side of the river, just east of Bryant Irvin Road beginning Monday, Dec. 10. A flagger will be available to direct users of the trails around the construction activities. This work is expected to last through February 2013.

Trinity Trails Detour This Weekend Oct 13-14, 2012

2012-10-12T14:29:00.001-05:00

From Trinity River Vision on Facebook:

Attention Trinity Trail users! There will be a small reroute on the trails today through Sunday for Ranch Bash. Trail access will remain continuous and there will be plenty of signs directing you where to go. Please let us know if you have any questions!

The area indicated on the map is at the confluence of the 2 forks of the Trinity River near downtown. Here's a link to the area on Google Maps.

Basically, from the map, it looks like the trail will be routed up on the levee for the distance in green.

Phyllis Tilley Memorial Bridge Dedication Saturday

2012-08-23T12:37:00.000-05:00

The new bridge in Trinity Park connecting the Trinity Trails to downtown Fort Worth will be dedicated this Saturday, August 25. The unique bridge is a stressed ribbon bridge, that is pretty rare in the US.

The dedication will include a ribbon cutting followed by a Picnic Celebration featuring live music, air boat rides and river entertainment.

The dedication is free and open to the public, the picnic is catered and a picnic basket for two is $100.

Find more information at Streams & Valleys.

Rockin' The River, along the Trinity Trails this Summer

2012-05-10T08:10:00.004-05:00

Rockin' the River is back again this year.

For trail users, be aware that the downtown trail head and junction with the 3 main branches of the trial will be crowded with people during these events.

Once again this year, admission is free. Bring your raft or tube for river tubing (tube rental is $5). Beer is $2.50/can (no outside drinks allowed). Also, free coolers; no outside coolers allowed. Fred's Truck Wagon will be there for food.

The gates will open at 4pm, the opening act will be at 5pm and the headliner will be at 6:30. The event will shut down at dark.

Here's the schedule of bands that will be playing on the Panther Island Pavilion (opening acts in parenthesis):

June 7: Six Market Blvd (with Matt Kimbrow)
June 14: Josh Weathers & the True Endeavors (with Mike Ryan)
June 21: Cory Morrow Band (with Steve Helms)
June 28: No Justice (with Clay Wilson Band)
July 12: Bart Crow (with Mockingbird Sun)
July 19: Eleven Hundred Springs (with Maren Morris)
July 26: Dirty River Boys (with Whiskey Folk Ramblers)
August 2: Ryan Turner (with Charla Corn)
August 9: Johnny Cooper (with Statesboro Revue)

More info here.

Omni Fort Worth to Start Bike Program for Guests

2012-04-20T11:15:00.001-05:00

We get a lot of emails from folks coming to Fort Worth on business who are interested in renting bikes to ride on the Trinity Trials. I direct them to Trinity Bicycles. The Omni Hotel in Fort Worth has also noticed the demand for this service and have teamed up with Trinity Bicyles to offer bikes to their guests.

The Omni is calling it their "Trinity Trails Bicycle Program." Starting May 1, 2012, on a first come first served basis, guests can check out a bike, along with a helmet, water bottle, lock and a map of the Trinity Trails. The free program is only for guests 18 and over, only during daylight hours. Guests must sign a waiver and supply a driver's license. Omni Fort Worth guests should see the Concierge to participate.

This is a great idea that will hopefully encourage more out of town guests to discover our Trinity Trails.

Closure of Trailhead near Main Gate of NAS Fort Worth

2012-04-12T14:40:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: The trailhead is open again. At least for now. I would not count on it being open permanently based on the statement from TRWD below. All the fencing and airplane parts are still there, but today the gate across the driveway was open. The unpredictability is unfortunate for those at the base that run or ride to the trailhead, but for those who drive there, it is worth checking to see if it is open. We'll update this space if we get more info. Read the original post for more info....

I've heard from many of you regarding the closure of the trailhead on Pumphrey Drive near the Main Gate of NAS Fort Worth JRB (Naval Air Station Fort Worth, formerly Carswell).

In short, the trailhead is being improved and will not reopen until late Fall of 2012.

Here's the rest of the story... When it reopens, this trailhead will be called "Airfield Falls Trailhead" after the waterfall (Airfield Falls) that can be found just a short distance down the trail from the trailhead. According to Rachel Navejar at the TRWD:

"We have closed the area soon to be called Airfield Falls Trailhead until construction of the trailhead is complete. This also assists us with security of the recently acquired airplane wings and tail section which will be incorporated into the trailhead depicting the rich history of the NASJRB, Lockheed and the bomber plant in Fort Worth. With our current schedule we hope to open the Airfield Falls Trailhead by late fall."

According to a Facebook page for the Airfield Falls Trailhead that was set up by Trinity River Vision, the Navy C-9 tail section that is currently on site will be used as a shade structure for the new trailhead. Currently the wings have also been delivered to the site.

Navejar also mentioned that there is a sign indicating other ways to access Airfield Falls, but as you can see in the photos below, it is difficult to get close enough to this sign to read it as the new fence runs right alongside Pumphrey Drive. One recommendation on the sign is to access the trail from the trailhead at White Settlement and Isbell Rd., but this is a 3 miles from the Falls. A closer access point is where the trail crosses under 183/River Oaks Blvd.

The airplane parts currently stored at the site are fenced seperately from the fence that is blocking access to the trailhead, so I wonder why it is necessary, at least at this point, to prevent access to the trail. This is especially curious since one can access the trailhead area, all the way up to the other side of the fence along Pumphrey drive, from the trail itself.

Navy C-9 tail fin and fence across entrance to the trailhead.

Closed trailhead; showing tailfin and sign with information on other trailheads to access the water fall.

Artist rendering of the 'shade structure' for the trailhead.

Trail "Detour" sign. Unfortunately, it can't really be seen (not safely anyway) when the trail is closed. :(

Airfield Falls from the Trinity Trails.

Chisholm Trail Tollway Construction Over Trinity Trails at Hulen This Week

2012-04-09T16:40:00.000-05:00

Per the latest update from the NTTA:

Beams for the CTP and new Hulen Street bridge structures will be delivered this week near the intersection of the Trinity Trails and Hulen Street. The trails will remain open while this work is being performed. Flagmen will be on hand to direct users of the trails.

Chisholm Toll Road Construction Will Not Affect Trinity Trails

2012-02-08T09:31:00.000-06:00

... at least according to the NTTA.

In their latest e-mail update about construction progress on the Chisholm Trail Parkway, the NTTA has stated that the construction for the toll road will not affect the Trinity Trails.

Since the e-mail update (dated Feb 6, 2012) is not archived online yet, here is the complete text of their statement relating to the Trinity Trails:

Construction will not affect Trinity Trails

As construction progresses on the Chisholm Trail Parkway, plans call for work near the Trinity Trails. During construction, the trails will be open during normal operational hours (5 a.m. - 10 p.m.). However, at night, when the trails are closed, there will be times when they are blocked so that crews can continue construction for the proposed CTP bridges.

The Trinity Trails are a popular destination for hikers, bikers and joggers. Consisting of more than 40 miles, the trails connect to 21 parks and several Fort Worth landmarks, including the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, Fort Worth Zoo, downtown Fort Worth and the historic Stockyards

Safety precautions will be taken along the trails that are impacted by construction including lighting, safety fence and temporary detours as needed.

Final scheduling of work near the trail will be determined in the coming weeks.

New Trinity Trails Signage

2012-02-08T09:20:00.000-06:00

The Tarrant Regional Water District has erected some new signs along the Trinity Trails.

This sign is located at the far south-west end of the Trinity Trails in Benbrook:

According to a Trinity River Vision Authority blog post, this is Phase 1 of new sign implementation. Phase 2 will "focus on directional signage for trail users. This will include mile markers, street identification signs and trail maps."

Gateway Park Mountain Bike Trail Extension Workfest Nov. 5

2011-10-21T07:34:00.000-05:00

The Fort Worth Mountain Bikers' Association (FWMBA) will be having a Workfest to begin construction on a new 5.5 mile extension to the Gateway Park Mountain Bike Trail. The Workfest will be Saturday, November 5, 2011 starting at 9 AM.

Please note, this is not an extension of the paved Trinity Trails, this is a off-road, dirt trail for mountain bikes. There is an existing 4 mile mountian bike trail in Gateway Park (also created by the FWMBA) and this new 5.5 mile trail [pdf map] will be on the other (East) side of the Trinity River, it will "traverse many of the hills adjacent to Interstate 30 and provide the mountain bike community of north Texas some amazing views of downtown Fort Worth".

The FWMBA "is calling out to the mountain bike community to join us to help make this new vision of Gateway Park a reality."

Visit the FWMBA website for more details.

911 Signs To Be Installed Along Trinity Trails

2011-07-15T06:42:00.000-05:00

NBC 5 is reporting that the TRWD is going to start adding "911 Location" signs to the Trinity Trails. The signs will provide a location ID to give 911 operators. The location ID will give the 911 operator your location and provide first responders with the best route to your location.

See the full story on NBC 5