Plano Parks and Recreation - Arbor Hills Nature Preserve

Great views, abundant greenery and - gasp - hills? In Plano? You betcha. At the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve on Parker Road, you'll find all this plus paved paths for walking and 2.2 miles of off-road bike trails. It feels so secluded it's hard to believe there's a mega-shopping mall a mile and a half away.
So how did this pedestrian paradise sprout in concrete-laden Plano? "The concept of 'nature preserve' came about as a result of the desire to set aside certain parks and have them remain free of any significant development for things such as athletic fields or recreation centers," says Robin Reeves, the chief park planner for Plano's Parks and Recreation Department. The smooth, paved roads are a walker's dream, but it's not all a walk in the park: The wooded trails provide a pretty decent challenge for mountain bikers.
As a bonus, the preserve has zoolike information signs about natural zones such as the riparian forest, upland forest and blackland prairie.