Parks, Recreation and Garland’s Great Outdoors

Aerial view of beautiful green golf course.

Parks, Recreation and Garland’s Beautiful Great Outdoors

Garland offers outdoor experiences with plenty of parks, miles of scenic trails and recreational facilities for every age and interest. From playgrounds and sports fields to peaceful nature spots and lively community spaces, there are endless things to see and do. Whether you’re hiking, picnicking or finding a new favorite park, Garland makes the outdoors fun and accessible.

Top Community Recreation Centers and Outdoor Activities 

In Garland, it’s easy for residents and visitors to find and explore recreational spaces to gather, play, be active or just relax. The City maintains a network of 63 parks, a trail system and six fully equipped recreation centers for fitness classes, as well as arts and cultural activities. For sports enthusiasts, Garland features multiple sports fields and courts supporting activities such as softball, baseball, football, youth soccer, cricket, tennis and pickleball giving local teams and leagues a place to train, compete and enjoy organized sports. Garland’s two senior centers provide specialized programs and social opportunities for older adults.

Extra Amenities for Extraordinary Entertainment Experiences

Whether you’re interested in a round of disc golf or a day at Garland’s dog park with your four-legged friends, park amenities offer a diversity of recreational experiences.

Firewheel Golf Park is a premier golf destination that attracts players from across North Texas and beyond. Whether you are an avid golfer seeking a challenging round or a novice looking to practice on the range, Firewheel delivers a memorable experience in a first-class setting. The park features 63 holes of championship-caliber golf, including three regulation courses designed to accommodate tournaments, league play and recreational golfers alike.

Audubon Park’s Disc Golf Course is a full, 18-hole basket course, 6,741 feet in length. This course boasts a challenging layout with moderate hills, plenty of old-growth pecan trees and a large creek that winds throughout. The course intertwines through the natural wooded landscape throughout the southern portion of Audubon Park. This course features a great mix of challenges for any level of disc golfer, from blind shots to holes with water in play.

Central Park is home to Garland’s official dog park. The 3-acre park provides three rotating  paddocks for large and small dogs with security and fencing that allow pooches to play off-leash. The park also provides shaded space and drinking fountains for pet parents. 

Jon Comer Skatepark at Rick Oden Park is the second largest in Texas, with 48,500 square feet of skating area. Perfect for beginner and experienced skaters, the park is equipped with curbs, rails, hips, volcanoes, bumps, drop-ins, bowls and banks.

Garland’s Food Truck Park is also located at Rick Oden Park with eight rental spaces available for food trucks.

Garland Parks & Recreation has a community pool, an aquatic center and four splash pads around the city. Surf & Swim waterpark will open in summer 2026 and include a lazy river, leisure pool, waterslide and children’s area.

Located within the 62.5-acre Tuckerville Park will be a premier, state-of-the-art tennis facility featuring 12 world-class courts equipped with high-performance LED lighting. Designed with both players and fans in mind, the center provides top-notch amenities.

Avid tennis players will find 11 lit and 10 unlit public courts located throughout Garland at parks and schools. The Jack Coleman Tennis Center, also located in Garland, features 13 courts for league play, tournaments and lessons. Coming soon is the Jack Coleman pickleball/tennis center.

Concrete stairwell leading down to a long dock over a beautiful lake.

Getting Outdoors in Garland

Garland’s natural assets and trail network extend beyond neighborhood parks, offering regional destinations that attract visitors while enhancing everyday livability for residents.

A 230-acre natural haven in north Garland features a diverse ecosystem comprised of oak forests, native prairies and a 20-acre greenbelt. The Preserve also offers over 8 miles of trails and serves as a biological museum home to more than 650 plant and animal species, including nearly 200 bird species.


Garland’s trail system features paths from under a mile to nearly 15 miles, connecting neighborhoods, parks and natural areas for walking, hiking and biking. Signature routes like the Duck Creek Greenbelt Trail for walking and biking and the 14.2-mile Rowlett Creek DORBA Trail, favored by mountain biking enthusiasts, draw regional visitors, support outdoor recreation and highlight Garland’s commitment to connectivity, wellness and nature.

A 22,745-acre recreational lake spanning Garland and parts of Dallas, Collin, Rockwall and Kaufman counties. The lake offers boating, fishing, water skiing and lakeside parks that feature beaches, playgrounds, fishing piers and trails. The harbor area provides dining, shopping, live music and scenic lakeside communities.

Located at John Paul Jones Park, this public boat ramp is free of charge.