The Outdoors in Kaufman, Texas

Kaufman City Lakes Park is the centerpiece of the town's outdoor recreation — 232 acres built around its lakes, with fishing, walking and hiking paths, and open natural areas for wildlife watching. It's the kind of everyday green space a town this size doesn't always have, and it gives residents room to fish, walk the dog, or spend a morning outside without leaving the city.

The park anchors Kaufman's parks system, which fills out with smaller neighborhood parks and ballfields around town. For casual outdoor time close to home, City Lakes Park is the first stop.

The nearest big water is Cedar Creek Lake, a large reservoir a short drive south of Kaufman that straddles the Kaufman–Henderson county line. It's one of the busier recreation lakes within easy reach of the eastern Metroplex, known for bass and catfish, boating, and a ring of lakeside communities, marinas, and waterfront restaurants.

For a town of Kaufman's size, having a reservoir this big and this close is a real perk — a full day of boating or fishing is barely half an hour away.

To the northeast, Lake Tawakoni is another large reservoir within easy reach, and Lake Tawakoni State Park on its south shore offers fishing, hiking, swimming, birdwatching, and geocaching along the water. It's a straightforward drive from Kaufman for anyone who wants a state-park setting for the day.

Between the two lakes and the city's own park, Kaufman covers most of the outdoor bases — a park in town, and two big reservoirs bracketing it to the south and northeast.