When someone mentions spring-fed rivers, crystal clear water and limestone bluffs, one normally thinks of the Texas Hillcountry near the city of Austin, not to mention the five-hour road trip required to get there. Little do most D-FW citizens know about  our little oasis right in the heart of Richardson and Garland, Texas and we hope to keep it that way - just a secret known to us dog lovers who truly appreciate the beauty and serenity of nature. This extended corridor of spring-fed creeks runs for many miles and is second only to those found in the Hillcountry.  Because we are confident that the priorities of our suburbia will not change anywhere in the near future, we are certain that our hidden springs will remain a secret only to those of us who value nature over more materialistic and human-oriented social activities. Only a very small minority of the citizens in our city actually make the time to engage in hiking and exercising their dogs on a daily or weekly basis. While the citizens of our glitzy metropolis focus on fashion, the arts,  pee wee soccer and their slavery to corporate America, the rest of us will be sitting on the Austin Chalk, dipping our toes in the bubbling springs while our dogs chase Frisbees and drag logs through the water in a game of tug-o-war. When the day is done, we will hike back through the woods on the earthen trail to find our way back to civilization until the next day is here.

As an added measure to protect the secrecy of these environmental treasures, not just everyone will be able to access these pages. Only if you are a local member of the Hike & Swim group, will you be given the key to access the comprehensive list of maps and directions found within.  All you need to do to gain access is to attend a Hike & Swim activity where you will be given the username and password for all of these pages. If you don't have a dog, borrow your neighbors! The dog will appreciate you for it! We hope this measure of protection will keep our pristine creeks and streams from being over run with people who do not respect the fragile nature of this environment.  Please remember, we carry out what we carry in...

In the following pages you will find:

  TRAILS: A comprehensive list of trails and parks along our spring-fed creeks.

  MAPS: Detailed maps showing meeting place for the week, trail details, put-in points and much more!

  EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION: An opportunity to subscribe for our personalized weekly notification including not only our meeting time and location but also other important dog events occurring in our city.

  HEALTH TOPICS: A compilation of information on how to keep the vet away and your dog healthy - from diet & nutrition to spay neuter facilities.  

  AREA HIKING GROUPS: A list of hiking groups in Texas that our members will enjoy browsing!   

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO HIKE & SWIM!

To protect the privacy of our members who use their work computers for email and who do have internet access at work, we request that you please set up a free, not-for-profit, wildlife friendly, web-based email at Care2.com with  notification set to your work email. This simple step will allow you to keep your personal emails private.   After registering, please set the notification feature to be your work email address. This way your private email will not be readable by anyone at your company, including your boss!!! :) Each time you receive an email to your Care2 account from Hike & Swim, a generic notification alert will be sent to your work email address telling you that you have mail at Care2. The content of the Care2 email will not be revealed. However, if you do not have internet access at work, then you are stuck using the company email system. If you have any trouble setting up Care2, please send an email for help!

 "How to Feed Your Breed of Dog" by William Cusick: My editorial comments, recommendations and analysis based on this ground-breaking book on how to feed your dog so that they no longer shed or have health issues.

Canine Commissary, is the only pet store in D-FW to stock pet food with human grade meat and economical prices. My favorite brands found there are: California Natural (a concentrated food,) Steve's, Farmore, Nature's Recipe, and Nutro Natural Choice.

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