Cedar Hill State Park
State park in Dallas County, in the Prairies and Lakes region. 1,826 acres.
Cedar Hill is the closest state park to Dallas, about half an hour from downtown, on the shore of 7,500-acre Joe Pool Lake. It has a gravel swimming beach, two lighted fishing jetties, boat ramps, the DORBA mountain bike trails and about 350 campsites, all with water and electricity. It often reaches capacity, so reserve day passes and campsites ahead.
Things to do
Swim at the lake
The park has a gravel swimming beach with picnic tables, grills, a playground and restrooms nearby. There are no lifeguards.
Ride the DORBA Trail
Named for the Dallas Off Road Biking Association volunteers, the DORBA Trail crosses 1,200 acres and is open to bikers and hikers. TPWD lists short (3 mile), medium (8 mile) and long (12 mile) loops, all rated challenging. It closes when wet, so call ahead.
Fish Joe Pool Lake
Fish for largemouth bass, crappie and catfish from two lighted jetties, or let kids try the perch pond. There are two four-lane boat ramps. The Joe Pool Marina is permanently closed, so ask at headquarters where to buy bait.
Penn Farm
Take a self-guided tour of the Penn Farm Agricultural History Center, where the Penn family farmed for more than a century.
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Trails
Trails listed by TPWD, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoreline Trail | 1 mi | Easy | 30 min. |
| Penn Farm Trail | 0.6 mi | Easy | 30 min. |
| Duck Pond Trail | 0.8 mi | Easy | 35 min. |
| Talala Trail | 2.3 mi | Moderate | 2 hrs. |
| Plum Valley Trail | 0.8 mi | Moderate | 30 min. |
| DORBA Trail (Short) | 3 mi | Challenging | Biking: 30 min. Hiking: 1 hr. 30 min. |
| DORBA Trail (Medium) | 8 mi | Challenging | Biking: 1 hr. 20 min.Hiking: 4 hrs. |
| DORBA Trail (Long) | 12 mi | Challenging | Biking: 2 hrs.Hiking: 6 hrs. |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
All of the roughly 350 developed campsites have water and electricity and are near restrooms with hot showers, and about 150 also have sewer hookups. Hike-in primitive sites are open when the trails are.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Hookup CampsitesFull hookup | 147 | 8 | $30 |
| Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric | 192 | 8 | $25 |
| Primitive Campsites (Hike-in)Primitive | 30 | 4 | $10 |
Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.
Visiting with dogs
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.
Swimming
Swimming is allowed in designated areas. There are no lifeguards at Texas state parks.
Best time to go
- January low
- 36°F
- July high
- 95°F
- Night sky
- Bortle 7
The park often reaches capacity, so reserve day passes. April and May are the wettest months, and wet weather closes trails to protect them. The July average high is 95°F.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Cedar Hill, TX 75104
(972) 291-3900
Open in OpenStreetMap (32.6217, -96.9791)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 28 min | 17 mi |
| Fort Worth | 39 min | 24 mi |
| Waco | 1 hr 49 min | 75 mi |
| Tyler | 2 hr 4 min | 100 mi |
| Austin | 3 hr 24 min | 167 mi |
| The Woodlands | 3 hr 55 min | 190 mi |
Nearby parks
- Cleburne State Park
- Ray Roberts Lake State Park
- Lake Whitney State Park
- Dinosaur Valley State Park
- Lake Tawakoni State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Prairies and Lakes.
Questions people ask
Can you swim at Cedar Hill State Park?
Yes, at the gravel swimming beach on Joe Pool Lake. There are no lifeguards.
How much does Cedar Hill State Park cost?
Day-use entry is $7 per adult, and kids 12 and under get in free. Overnight guests pay a $5 per adult daily fee on top of the campsite.
How far is Cedar Hill State Park from Dallas?
About 28 minutes by car, based on OpenStreetMap routing.
Photo credits
- Cedar hill state park perch pond.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Cedar Hill State Park November 2020 03 (Joe Pool Lake).jpg by Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Cedar Hill State Park November 2020 01 (Joe Pool Lake).jpg by Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Spiderwort Cedar Hill State Park Texas 2025.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Cedar Hill has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Cedar Hill State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Cedar Hill State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Cedar Hill State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Cedar Hill State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026