Cedar Brake Trail

The Cedar Brake Trail is the longest hiking route at Dinosaur Valley State Park, venturing into the backcountry of the park where dense cedar and juniper woodland creates an atmosphere of genuine remoteness despite the proximity to the popular trackway area. Cedar brakes are a defining landscape feature of the Edwards Plateau and Cross Timbers region, their fragrant evergreen canopy forming impenetrable thickets broken by limestone outcrops and seasonal draws.

The trail gains significant elevation through multiple ridge crossings, providing panoramic views of the Paluxy River valley and the surrounding Somervell County terrain from the highest points. The effort of climbing these ridges is rewarded with vistas that extend for miles across the rolling cedar-covered hills, giving a sense of the vast scale of this geological region. Wildlife in the cedar brakes includes white-tailed deer, wild turkey, scaled quail, golden-fronted woodpeckers, and a variety of raptors including red-tailed hawks and American kestrels. The remoteness of the backcountry sections means encounters with other hikers are infrequent, creating a contemplative wilderness atmosphere. Spring wildflower displays can be exceptional on the rocky ridge tops. The trail is well-marked throughout and can be combined with the Blue Hole Loop for a comprehensive full-day exploration of the park terrain.