Biking, In-Line Skating & Jogging
Excellent for all outdoor activities are Trinity Park (near the Cultural District just north of I-30) and Forest Park (south of I-30). Depression-era Trinity Park encompasses the Botanic Garden and 8 miles of cycling and jogging trails. Forest Park is the site of another well-known Fort Worth landmark, the Fort Worth Zoo. The scenic Trinity River Trails, which run 35 miles along the Trinity River, are my pick for biking, hiking, and in-line skating. Pick up a map at a tourist information center.
Serious runners may want to come prepared to participate in (or watch) the Cowtown Marathon (including a half-marathon, 10K, 5K, and three-person marathon relay), which for 27 years has drawn runners from around the world to the Stockyards National Historic District in late February. Call tel. 817/735-2033 for specific dates and other information. You can also obtain a monthly runners' calendar at tel. 800/433-5747.
Golf
Fort Worth has five public courses. Meadowbrooks Golf Course, 1815 Jenson Rd. (tel. 817/457-4616), just east of downtown, is one of the top 25 municipal golf courses in Texas. The popular par-71 course is set amid rolling terrain. Also at the top of the list is Pecan Valley Golf Course, 6400 Pecan Dr. (tel. 817/249-1845); it has two 18-hole golf courses: the "River" and the "Hills." Rockwood Golf Course, 1851 Jacksboro Hwy. (tel. 817/624-1771), has a short 18-hole course and an additional, fairly difficult 9 holes called the Blue Nine. Sycamore Creek Golf Course, Martin Luther King, Jr., Freeway (tel. 817/535-7241), is a 9-hole layout with narrow tree-lined fairways. And Z. Boaz Golf Course, 3200 Lackland Rd. (tel. 817/738-6287), west of downtown, is a pretty straightforward 18-hole course. Greens fees for all five public courses range from $8 to $22, depending on the day and time. For general information, visit www.fortworthgolf.org.
Horseback Riding
Stockyards Station Livery, 130 E. Exchange Ave. (tel. 817/624-3446), offers horseback trail riding for riders of all skill levels (as well as wagon rides and chuck-wagon dinners). Trail riding costs $22 for the first hour and $15 for each additional hour.
Tennis
The swank Worthington Renaissance hotel has two rooftop courts available for $10 per day to nonguests; call tel. 817/882-1000 to reserve. The public can get on an indoor or outdoor court at the Don McLeland Tennis Center, 1600 W. Seminary (tel. 817/921-3134), or the TCU Tennis Center, 3609 Bellaire N. on the campus south of downtown (tel. 817/921-7960), which has two dozen lit outdoor courts and five indoor courts. There are public clay courts at 7100 S. Hulen (tel. 817/292-9787).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
