Cameron Park
This 400-acre city park is an urban oasis of outdoor activity boasting a 20-mile National Recreation Trail system, a 23-hole disc golf course, numerous parks and playground areas, and a plethora of geological and manmade landmarks to explore. Cameron Park’s location at the confluence of the Bosque and Brazos rivers creates a lush landscape with awesome scenery.
A wildflower garden called Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place is a prime picnic spot, particularly in springtime, and visitors adore the well-kept park’s variety of trails. More adventurous types can hike to Emmons Cliff to gaze at the river from atop a towering limestone bluff, or attempt to climb Jacob’s Ladder, a historic staircase with nearly 100 rickety steps. The park, with its network of challenging, multi-use trails for hiking and mountain biking, plays host to competitive events such as triathlons each year. The trails also provide access to other attractions, including the Waco Riverwalk, which travels along the waterfront into downtown.
Cameron Park Zoo
Located on the south side of Cameron Park, this award-winning facility prides itself on creating natural habitats for more than 1,700 animals across 52 acres. Visitors to Cameron Park Zoo appreciate the variety of animals and abundance of shady trees along the walkways; they also note that the animal enclosures seem spacious and well maintained.
Main highlights at the zoo include its exhibits, such as the Brazos River Country adventure, featuring a 50,000-gallon aquarium, where guests will learn about the geography, flora and fauna of the Waco watershed. Patrons get up close and personal with otters, jaguars, alligators and other species who thrive in the Texas wilderness. The Asian Forest exhibit offers a drastic change of scenery in a jungle setting populated with orangutans, Komodo dragons and Sumatran tigers.