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Quick answer: The Old Zoo Nature Trails in Cisco, Texas run through the stone ruins of a zoo from the late 1920s near Lake Cisco. They are free and open to the public, and the city has added restrooms, benches and a kids scavenger hunt. Inez Spring Riverfront RV Park in Eastland is about 20 minutes away (est.), with RV sites from $40 a night.
Planning a hike at the Old Zoo Nature Trails? Inez Spring is a quiet, clean, family-friendly riverfront park one minute off I-20 at Exit 343 in Eastland, open year-round with free Wi-Fi. RV sites from $40 a night, pull-throughs up to 100 feet, and a barndominium that sleeps 11. Call or text (254) 629-1197, or book online.
4.8 stars on Google from 222 reviews (October 2026). What guests say:
Most people find this place by accident, on a list of strange places in Texas. It is worth the trip: an easy walk through old cages and walls going back to the woods, 20 minutes from Eastland.
The Old Zoo Nature Trails are walking trails through the ruins of a Cisco zoo that operated from the late 1920s into the early 1930s. The zoo fell on hard times and the site sat empty for decades. Around 2018 a local group, Cisco Safe, proposed turning it into trails, and as the trails got popular the city added restrooms, benches and a scavenger hunt for kids. Entry is free.
Sources: KTXS, March 20, 2026, Texas Prairie, Old Zoo Nature Trails at Lake Cisco, read November 2, 2026.
More ideas nearby: things to do in Cisco, Texas and Lake Cisco.
Plan an hour or two on the trails, then lunch in town. Cisco sits on I-20 about 15 minutes west of Eastland (est.), so it pairs well with a morning paddle on the Leon River or an afternoon at Lake Leon. The paths are dirt and stone, so leave the stroller in the car.
Inez Spring Riverfront RV Park is one minute off I-20 at Exit 343 in Eastland: a quiet, clean, family-friendly park on the Leon River, open year-round, with free Wi-Fi. RV sites run from $40 a night, pull-throughs go up to 100 feet, and tent sites are available. For a group or a family reunion, the barndominium sleeps 11. See rates and dates on the booking page, or call or text (254) 629-1197.
Make it a weekend: kayak the Leon River from our private launch, or fish Lake Leon about 10 minutes from the park.
In Cisco, Texas, near Lake Cisco, about 20 minutes (est.) from Eastland on I-20.
Nothing. The trails are free and open to the public, per KTXS in March 2026.
The zoo operated from the late 1920s into the early 1930s, according to the Cisco Chamber of Commerce as quoted by KTXS.
Yes. The city added a scavenger hunt for kids, plus restrooms and benches, per KTXS. Wear closed shoes, since the paths cross stone and roots.
RV sites start at $40 a night, with pull-throughs up to 100 feet. Monthly sites are $500 for a back-in or $650 for a pull-through, plus metered electric. The park is open year-round with free Wi-Fi.
The Old Zoo Nature Trails are a free, easy hike through a 1920s zoo by Lake Cisco. Stay 20 minutes away at a quiet, clean, family-friendly riverfront park with free Wi-Fi, from $40 a night.
Call or text (254) 629-1197, or book online.
