White Rock Lake at Dawn

Five miles east of downtown. 1,015 acres, 9.3-mile trail, the city's most democratic public space. Enter at the Bath House Cultural Center on the east shore — 1930s Art Deco bathhouse turned gallery.

Seven AM: water flat and silver, pelicans fishing in formation with synchronized precision. The Sunset Bay area on the west shore is where the skyline appears — glass towers rising from the prairie in a cluster that looks like someone built a city on a dare.

October through April when the heat relents and migratory birds arrive. Full loop is 9.3 miles, about two hours walking. Feels like leaving Dallas and returning to it in the same walk.