There are so many reasons to love Farmers Branch, the City in a Park, and Gussie Field Watterworth Park is one of my family’s favorite spots in our city.
My son absolutely loves walking through the wooded trails behind the play area along the creek. There are swinging benches that we always stop by along the trail. We usually stop to skip rocks on the creek or walk across the pretty bridges along the way as well.
The one thing this park is lacking is a fence around the perimeter to deter kids who might be attracted to the water in the adjacent Rawhide Creek. I also wish there were more shaded areas for the hot summer months. My favorite time to visit this park is during the fall.
The creek is beautiful with a pretty water fountain, beautiful picturesque pedestrian bridges and lots of ducks. And if you visit during the annual Fishin’ Fun event, the creek is stocked with catfish and there are fishing poles available to borrow and free bait to use.
The playground is nestled in behind the beautiful Rose Garden at Gussie Field Watterworth Park and beside Farmers Branch City Hall. I love that this park is away from busy streets and surrounded by several benches.
The Rose Garden is a popular spot for weddings, receptions and an excellent backdrop for your Instagram photos. Beside the park there are tennis and basketball courts as well as public restrooms. It’s a popular park to rent for parties and family reunions. The pavilion area includes 11 picnic tables and two large grills.
Keep an eye out for the two Little Free Library stands along the walking paths at the 12-acre Gussie Field Watterworth Park. You don’t want to miss them. I have found some great novels and children’s books in those, and it’s a good spot to donate the books you have finished reading or your kiddos have outgrown.
The playground was updated a few years ago as a Rotary Club Signature Project. Before the project, there weren’t inclusive playgrounds in the Farmers Branch community. It is a great example of the community working together to make a difference for area children.
In Spring of 2016, Farmers Branch opened the fully-accessible playground at Gussie Field Watterworth Park. The Rotary Club of Farmers Branch, the Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch and the City of Farmers Branch partnered to open the updated playground.
The largest playground structure includes a wheelchair accessible ramp leading to more play areas. There are multiple sensory rich features as well that will engage kids of all ages. There are echo tubes, unique textures and educational sections as well. It’s easy to spend several hours at Gussie Field Watterworth Park.
My daughter loves going down the slides and pretending to captain her own ship in the playground. She also loves sitting in the swing and watching the fountain in the creek. I’m so grateful we have this beautiful park in our city. It’s honestly a hidden gem in Farmers Branch.
Gussie Field Watterworth Park
2610 Valley View Lane
Farmers Branch, TX 75234
Gussie Field Watterworth Park isn’t the only inclusive park in DFW! You may have heard about the awesome Cottonwood Park in Richardson. Here’s a list of other parks that may be near you with similar inclusive features:
Flag Pole Hill Park Playground – 8015 Doran Circle, Dallas 75201
Hope Park – 8000 McKinney Rd, Frisco 75034
Jack Carter Playground – 2800 Maumelle Dr, Plano 75023
Bonnie Wenk Park – 2996 Virginia Pkwy, McKinney 75071
{Opening June 15, 2019}
