Rowlett Creek Preserve Trail

Trail News: Updated 12/19/2007

Rowlett Creek Preserve Trail Addition - Loop 14

The RCP Friends Of The Trail [aka FOTT's] are proud to announce a new loop was officially opened on December 08, 2007 and is identified as Loop 14. This new one mile loop is the result of more than 30 FOTT's efforts totaling more than 230 trail Work hours over the past year. This addition now puts the entire RCP trail network at just over 15.6 miles.

It is located beyond the farthest northern point of Loop 7 and about half of the new section comes from the originally built Earl "the pearl" Hammond old Loop 7. For those that remember the "old days" this was the sweetest single track offered at RCP at that time. It also now includes several new areas and features that were not part of the trail seven [7] years ago. It is a relatively tight smooth flowing picturesque trail with two [2] creek crossings. Both crossing are armored, but that will have water on them for much of the year. There are two options to enter these crossing, the direct line which includes a stout drop and an alternate route that is less daunting.

As with all new trail it may take a while to wear in properly AND it is wise to be sporting some kind of tire/tube protection [e.g. slime tubes, mr.tuffies, tubeless [my personal favorite...one flat in 5+ years of riding]] during the break in period.

ENJOY...

New Sewer Line Construction - Loops 5 & 6

As you may be aware there is a new sewer line being installed from the Garland Water Treatment Plant due east and then south through the center area our the southern Loops 5 & 6 under the power lines [highlighted in orange on the trail map sketch way below]. Since there are HEAVY CONSTRUCTION vehicles in this area AND the trail [Loop 5] under the railroad tracks near Water Treatment Plant is still under 2' - 3' of water [highlighted in blue on the trail map] because of it...IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT RIDING IS DONE NORTH OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS ON LOOP 5 UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION IS FINISHED. Currently there has been no completion date estimate given to us.

To allow riders access to some of the trail below the Loop 5 spillway, the RCP FOTT's have cut new trail just before one reaches the railroad trestle. Look for a right hand turn into the woods just after going through the tight tree gate on the last hill [where the orange snow fencing is]. This new trail runs west of the power lines and returns you to EARL'S WAY.

For those that do ride down to Loop 6 there has been a new section cut to bypass the part of the trail on Loop 5 that is still under water at the Treatment Plant [please do not ride to there]. The new short section goes north at the point where the trail used to go west into the power line [see the map below for details] and connects up to the section mention in the above paragraph. This is the spot that had the large pile of dirt in the power line just after Loop 5 leaves Loop 6. It was piled up there during the last construction activity. Again please do not ride to the water treatment plant [shown by the red "X"s on map]; the trail is still under water and there is no way around it.

Thanks very much for your understanding, compliance, and patience during this construction work. We are interested in your safety."

Thanks very much for your understanding, compliance, and patience during this construction work. We are interested in your safety."

Jack Sparkes

---New Loop ID Post---

In honor of Earl "the pearl" Hammond, a new loop ID post marked "EARL'S WAY" has been added to a section of loop 5. This is the area of trail that leads to a section of the old Texas State Highway 66. This is a section of the black top road that was very active before the new Lakeview Parkway [Rt66] and associated 6 lane bridge across Rowlett Creek was built. In his early days of "Cycle2work" commuting activities, Earl used to ride along this narrow roadway on his way to Love Field 3 or 4 times a week. He logged in more than 20 years commuting to work on his bike.

Jack Sparkes

Directions to Trailhead:

Street Address: 2525 Castle Rd, Garland, TX.

Rowlett Creek Preserve located in north Garland (LAT 32deg 56' 46" LON 96deg 32' 58" MAPSCO 19A-V). The parking lot is at Centerville Road and Castle, just south of where Centerville tees into 190.

Trail Description:

			This is an ever-growing loop that the trail steward, Earl Hammond, keeps adding to. It seems every time I go out there, there's more to ride!
Entrance to Trail on loop 1 (Picture: Bill Stadelman)
Mostly flat and twisty, although Earl did manage to find some dips and whoop-de-doos in there. You cross the creek early on, and come close to it on several other points, but be careful, or you'll wind up in it! He has several logs to jump, how many depending on who's moved what, and at one point you end up by the waste-treatment plant (no - you can't hold your breath until you get away from it, but it's not that bad...). In case you were wondering where the hill at the end fo loop 8 came from, it was built by the East Texas Traction Company between 1912 and 1917. In 1912 the electric railroad company started a rail line to run between Garland and Greenville. In 1917 the project was stopped and the rails and equipment salvaged. You can see two pilings on the East side of Rowlett creek if you stand on the bank at the last turn on loop8 and look across the creek. They were cut off at grade during the salvage operation and the creek bank has since eroded around it. I am sure that they will go one of these days in the interrest of progress. The long drop on loop7 is also part of that historical railroad bed. It is fairly easy to follow the route of the rail construction from a current aerial photo by following several long thin ponds and tree lines in a smooth arc from the area on loop7 in a shallow arc arch east-north-east crossing Northeast Parkway as Castle and continuing east to the main body of Lake Ray Hubbard. If you are interested in the history of that railroad before all evidence disappears, there is a book available on railroad history in the area by Jerry Brewer.
There is now about 12 miles of trail, with more planned in the future.
	Creek Crossing at the start of Loop 1a (Picture: William Priddy)
Exiting the Creek Crossing at the end of old loop7 (Picture: Tom McMillan)		Drop off into the creek crossing on old loop 7 (Picture: Tom McMillan)
Creek Crossing at the end of old loop7 (Picture: Scott A. Hunt)		Some places allow you to get air (Picture: Scott A. Hunt)
Rowlett Creek makes for an excellent night ride (Picture: Scott A. Hunt)			A good light system is highly rcommended (Picture: Scott A. Hunt)
Glen's Wall			Glen's Wall marker
Glen's Wall marker			Dennis & Wayne ride by the new Earl's Way Trail Marker
Earl's Way marker

Facilities:

Trail Maps:

Riders should not cross any private property signs at any point on the trail.

To save on downloadtime for this page I have created some links to other available maps that Earl Hammond has created using GPS technology: