The Loop Dallas

We’re proud to celebrate Jeff Ellerman, Board Chairman of The Loop Dallas, as the recipient of the 2026 Business Champion for the Arts Award at the upcoming Obelisk Awards, presented by the Business Council for the Arts!

Jeff’s commitment to Dallas has long been rooted in a belief that great cities are shaped by the places and experiences that bring people together.

His years of leadership and board service with the Dallas Museum of Art helped lay the foundation for a longstanding commitment to enriching Dallas through arts, culture and civic engagement. That commitment continues today through The Loop Dallas, which Jeff helped found and now leads as Board Chairman, advancing our mission to connect Dallas to Dallas through public green space, active mobility and civic design.

Congratulations, Jeff, on this well-deserved honor! And thank you to Business Council For The Arts for recognizing the leaders who help arts and culture thrive across North Texas.

Growing up in Lake Highlands, some of my earliest memories are riding bikes with my dad. I’d ride as far as I could before we’d lock up my bike, I’d climb onto the seat behind him and we’d finish the ride together. We always stopped at what we called the “Roby Secret Tree” — a giant white tree that became our special landmark. Years later, I learned the Dallas Fire Department used it for training, but to me, it will always be our tree.

My name is Daniel Roby, and this is My Dallas Trail Story.

I’m a second-generation Lake Highlands resident, husband, father of four, and CEO of Austin Street Center (Austin Street Center), where we serve neighbors experiencing homelessness. I feel most alive when I’m serving people with the greatest need. It’s deeply meaningful work, but coordinating emergency response and resources during extreme weather can also be incredibly demanding.

The trails are where I reset.

After graduating from Baylor, I commuted by bike every day while living in Portland. When I eventually moved back to Dallas, riding became less about getting from place to place and more about enjoying the journey. Today, I still bike to meetings, connect to DART by trail, run local routes and head out for long weekend rides.

One of my favorite routes starts on the Northaven Trail, crosses the Northaven Bridge, winds through Harry Moss Park and the White Rock Creek Trail, loops around White Rock Lake and continues along the Santa Fe Trail toward downtown. On weekdays I’ll usually ride about 15 miles. On weekends, that might turn into 45 — with a stop at a local coffee shop to catch up with friends along the way.

Some of my favorite memories now are training for triathlons with my sons, creating the same kind of connection my dad created with me all those years ago.

For me, getting outside is my alternative to counseling. Sunshine, movement and time with friends always bring me back with a clearer mind and a better perspective. As my wife likes to say, I always come home in a better mood.

Trails don’t just connect places — they reconnect us to ourselves.

The Loop Dallas is building the connections that are reshaping our city.

In just seven years, six of our eight signature projects are now complete or under construction—turning ambitious planning into vibrant public spaces you can use today.

Swipe through to see the progress:

🟢 Hi Line Connector — Complete
🟢 Trinity Forest Spine Trail: Phase I — Complete
🟢 Trinity Forest Spine Trail: Phase II — Complete
🚧 Trinity Forest Spine Trail: Phase III (Parkdale Lake) — Under Construction
🚧 Discovery Gateway — Under Construction
🚧 The Loop Plaza — Under Construction & Opening This Summer

Moving six major infrastructure projects from concept to construction in just seven years is a testament to what focus, tenacity, and public-private collaboration can achieve.

Thank you to our incredible stakeholders, partners, and community for making this progress possible.

Together, we’re Connecting Dallas to Dallas.

Some riders come for the trails. Others come for the jumps. 🚲🔥

Creekside Park, located along phase I of the Trinity Forest Spine Trail near Tenison Golf Course, is one more example of how The Loop Dallas is creating more than connections — we’re creating destinations.

Developed in partnership with and Dallas Parks, the mountain bike park features flowing singletrack, a progressive skills area, and jump lines designed for riders of all experience levels. Clearly marked difficulty levels help beginners build confidence while giving experienced riders plenty of room to play.

Whether you’re chasing your next jump, learning your first drop or simply looking for a new adventure, Creekside Park offers a place to explore, challenge yourself and connect with nature.

👉 Tag your riding buddy in the comments and plan your next ride.

A new connection is taking shape!

Discovery Gateway is transforming the Sylvan Avenue bridge into a safer, more connected route for everyone walking, running and biking between West Dallas, the Design District and the Trinity River.

By replacing one vehicle lane in each direction with a separated bike path, the project will create a safer connection to the Trinity Strand Trail at the Irving Blvd and Sylvan Ave intersection and ensure protected access to Trammell Crow Park and the Trinity Skyline Trail.

From there, trail users can even continue onto the DFW Discovery Trail and ride toward Fort Worth 🚴.

Construction continues to make steady progress:

✔️ The curbs for the protected bike lanes are now fully installed.

✔️ Pavers are being installed within the new trail corridor.

➡ Up next: construction of the overlook plaza at the top of the bridge, which will become one of the best places to take in views of the Dallas skyline.

Every milestone brings us one step closer to a Dallas where people can travel farther, safer and more seamlessly by trail.

Growing up, my dad and I used to ride bikes around Bachman Lake, and I would ride with friends in the neighborhood. Around age 14, I started riding my bike to friends’ houses and to St. Mark’s, gaining a new sense of independence. That’s when my love of cycling really began.

When you learn those skills as a child, they stick with you. I remember getting a flat tire back then and taking it to Dallas Bike Works — all these years later, I still take my bike there. That experience turned into a sense of community that’s stayed with me.

My name is Korey Mack and this is My Dallas Trail Story. I’m the Director of Student Recruitment at St. Marks School of Texas and the local network of trails is central to my story because I began commuting to work over five years ago from Buckner Terrace to Preston Hollow. A year and a half ago, I moved to Lake Highlands, where one of the primary amenities is having direct access to the White Rock Creek Trail.

I commute to work or use the trails for exercise most days, walking about 50 steps out my front door to get rolling. Now, I ride about 12 miles from Lake Highlands to St. Mark’s. Along the way, I’ve had those refreshing moments of discovery — finding alternate routes and realizing just how connected the city can be.

Over time, I’ve also transitioned into running about five miles at a time. Having safe, accessible routes like the SoPac, White Rock Creek, Lake Highlands, Northaven and Trinity Forest Spine Trails in my regular rotation is essential. My wife and I even love incorporating them into everyday errands, walking to places like Casita.

I actually met my wife for a first date at Flagpole Hill — we walked south down the White Rock Creek Trail to a park bench on the shore of White Rock Lake to enjoy the full moon and a variety of wildlife on a cool winter evening in 2024. Jusover a year later, we decided to get married at Winfrey Point because of how central the WRC and running/cycling around White Rock Lake had become in our lives.

From my early days at Bachman Lake to the shores of White Rock Lake with my wife, these trails haven’t just connected the city for me — they’ve connected the chapters of my life.t

“The Loop Plaza will make Dallas a more walkable city.”

We’re honored to see The Dallas Morning News Editorial Board recognize The Loop Plaza and the role it will play in creating a more connected, walkable Dallas.

Opening this summer, The Loop Plaza will transform a former retaining wall and dead end into the welcoming front porch of Dallas’ 50-mile trail system. It will connect the Katy Trail to the Hi Line Connector and beyond, making it easier and safer to walk, bike, run and explore.

As the editorial notes, “Connecting the puzzle pieces of Dallas’ trails is a big step forward in realizing a major vision for our city.”

Thank you to our partners, supporters and community members who have helped bring this vision to life. We can’t wait to welcome you to The Loop Plaza this summer.

Read the full editorial at the link in our bio!

“The Loop Plaza will make Dallas a more walkable city.”

We’re honored to see The Dallas Morning News Editorial Board recognize The Loop Plaza and the role it will play in creating a more connected, walkable Dallas.

Opening this summer, The Loop Plaza will transform a former retaining wall and dead end into the welcoming front porch of Dallas’ 50-mile trail system. It will connect the Katy Trail to the Hi Line Connector and beyond, making it easier and safer to walk, bike, run and explore.

As the editorial notes, “Connecting the puzzle pieces of Dallas’ trails is a big step forward in realizing a major vision for our city.”

Thank you to our partners, supporters and community members who have helped bring this vision to life. We can’t wait to welcome you to The Loop Plaza this summer.

Read the full editorial at the link in our bio!