Copper Canyon was formed in 1973 in an attempt to maintain its rural identity in the midst of the urban sprawl threatening from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The area has developed--and has plans for more--nature and walking trails leading to nearby Lewisville Lake, and some of the trail heads originate right in the town. Hikers do have to share many of the trails with equestrians since Copper Canyon has a very active horseback riding community.
Elm Fork Hiking and Equestrian Trail
Off Old Alton Road near Copper Canyon is a well-maintained walking trail that leads through the woods and out to the tip of the Lewisville Lake, a popular place to watch shore birds. Easy enough to navigate with children and a stroller, entrance to this trail cost $3. Follow it past the Old Alton historic bridge, built in 1884, where supposedly a ghost that appears if you honk your car horn twice at midnight. The current trail is six miles long, but horses are only allowed on the first two miles.
The Elm Fork trail now hooks into the nearby Pilot Knoll Trail. A further extension is under construction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as of 2010.
Pilot Knoll Hiking and Equestrian Trail
Now connected to the Elm Fork Trail, the Pilot Knoll Trail can be accessed directly from the town of Copper Canyon or from the Pilot Knoll Campground. Eight miles of the trail are open to hikers as of 2010. Since part of this trail is open to both hikers and equestrians, be aware that you may encounter horses -- or their droppings -- for the first two miles. The slightly rolling terrain has smaller sub-trails and water-crossings and winds along the shores of Lake Lewisville and through the surrounding forests.
The Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA)
LLELA is a a new facility on Lake Lewisville near Copper Canyon Voted the "Best Nature Trail" by readers of the North Texas Child Magazine in 2009. It will eventually have six trails that cover some of the most diverse environments in Central Texas. As of 2010, there are three open trails; any of these trails offer a chance to see herds of grazing bison.
The Cicada Trail winds through cottonwood groves as it follows the now dry bed of the Elm Fork, which is the habitat for wood ducks and amphibians.
The 1.2 mile Cottonwood Trail is wheelchair-accessible and passes a beaver pond and skirts the edge of a lowland forest.
The Redbud Trail explores the tributaries where you can view nesting water birds and rare plants.
Hickory Creek Park Trails
Located on the north shore of Lake Lewisville and near Copper Canyon just off Interstate 35, this public campground has hiking trails that explore the shoreline of this small peninsula. Forests of native cedars and groves of pecan trees make this area a shady place to hike in the heat of the summer.
Denton Branch Rail Trail
Listed as currently under construction in 2010, this eight-mile walking trail will follow the old MKT railroad from Hickory Street in Denton all the way to to Lake Dallas, passing by Copper Canyon on the way. Sections will have wheelchair access, and the route will parallel Interstate 35 passing over creeks, through neighborhoods and past shopping centers.
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