Palette of Images: ecosystem

Legacy Trail in Plano is another one of those gorgeous oasis in the middle of the urban jungle. A part of this trail is right next to the very busy Preston Road. As you walk this trail alongside Preston Road to the east and horse ranches to the west, you will pass large grassy areas filled with wildflowers and a variety of birds like scissor tail flycatchers, blue jays, and barn swallows.

The trail meanders along Whiterock creek where you can watch many kinds of shorebirds like egrets, herons, killdeer, and sandpipers. It is truly a birder's paradise and a must visit during any season. It's a fairly popular trail and is always filled with walker, joggers and birders.

The trail beyond Tennyson Parkway opens up onto a lake and there are several spillways that have beautiful views that transport you to a different place.

The trail has been slowly expanded to 4.4 miles and I am looking forward to the remaining connectors that will complete the trail from McDermott Road upto Spring Creek Road.

Here are some pretty images of the trail:

It's easy to miss the entrance to The Trail at the Woods if you blink too fast. The entrance is in a suburban residential community, right off of a main thoroughfare into the community.

The trail starts off Rollins Dr, between Longwood and Belhaven Dr. You are plunged right away into a dense hardwood forest. The homes are just a stone's throw away but the dense, lush forest simply transports you to a faraway place.

The trail is a wide paved path but halfway through, you can stroll through smaller, dirt paths that are basically interpretive trails. These are well marked and have informative signage that identifies the trees and plant life in that area. These rough trails are the best part of the Trail at the Woods as they take you deeper into the woodlands and close to Rowlett Creek. There are several lookout points to take in the pretty creek views.

The Wetland trail snakes through swampy land that is important to the ecosystem of this area. There is a small, rough hewn amphitheater with chunky stone benches - a great place to have a campfire if you want to venture out for a night hike and experience the woodlands after dark. Another interpretive trail is the Pecan Grove trail - a dense, wooded trail that loops around back to the main trail.

You can continue on the main trail for about 1/ 2 a mile until it reaches Alma Dr. Once past Alma, the trail connects eventually to the Connemara Nature Preserve, a 72 acre natural habitat filled that is abundant in wildlife, birds, and plant life. But that will be another post.