At the heart of a 436-acre protected area lies a 52-acre remnant of Blackland tallgrass prairie: Parkhill Prairie in northeastern Collin County. The area is open for day use only, from sunrise to sunset; seasonal conditions may affect access. So check the latest access information before your visit.
Nature Trails, Protected Areas and Different Routes
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve near Plano covers 200 acres and offers opportunities for wildlife viewing, walking and jogging. Its three miles of paved nature trails are complemented by three miles of unpaved trails. There is also a 2.8-mile off-road trail for mountain bikers. This gives you a way to compare trail lengths and surfaces without conflating the different options.
At 800 acres, Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve is larger. Almost eight miles of concrete trails and five miles of unpaved trails run along Rowlett Creek. The nature trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset; access information may change. If you want to compare trails, you’ll find different lengths and surfaces here than at Arbor Hills.
The 289-acre Heard Wildlife Sanctuary is an important refuge for wildlife and plant life. The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary has more than 6.5 miles of self-guided or interpreted nature trails. They pass through habitats such as tallgrass prairie, bottomland forest and a limestone quarry. Along with trail lengths, this gives you different landscape types to consider.
On Lake Lavon, the 75-acre Sister Grove Park lies between Princeton and Farmersville and has a hiking and biking trail. Bratonia Park is east of Lucas on Lake Lavon and caters to remote-control model aircraft users. The Trinity Trail has trailheads at Brockdale Park and East Fork Park near Lucas and Wylie.
History, Collections and Special Topics
Frisco Heritage Center is a historic park featuring historic buildings, a steam locomotive and a wooden caboose; admission is free. The National Videogame Museum offers a different perspective on history: its interactive exhibits trace the development of gaming, and the museum is dedicated to the history of the video game industry.
At the Heritage Farmstead Museum, historic buildings are paired with a collection of more than 10,000 objects and archival materials about life on the Blackland Prairie in North Texas. The restored Victorian farmstead offers a glimpse into life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The four-acre site has 15 historic buildings; tours are offered in the 1891 Wilson House. Visitors can explore the grounds Thursday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or tour the historic house. Check the hours before your visit, as operating details may change.
The Collin County History Museum is housed in the preserved 1911 McKinney Post Office and explores the people, places and developments that shaped Collin County. Admission includes access to the Main Exhibit Gallery and the Research Room. There, you can explore exhibits, artifacts, photographs, documents and stories from the county’s history at your own pace.
Chestnut Square Heritage Village covers 2.5 acres south of downtown McKinney. The site includes six historic homes, a wedding chapel, a general store and a replica one-room schoolhouse. Artifacts in the buildings show how people in Collin County lived from 1854 to 1920.
Local Produce in McKinney
The McKinney Farmers Market at Chestnut Square takes place weekly on Saturdays; hours vary by season. Vendors offer fresh local farm produce, including grass-fed beef, eggs from free-range and farm-raised chickens, and seasonal fruit and vegetables. If the market is part of your plans, check its seasonal hours in advance.
Explore more destinations: Allen, Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Wylie, Josephine, Bell, Bailey County.
Back to the main travel overview: Texas.
