Parks

Bar C Ranch Neighborhood Park

Dedication

2024

Size

16.79 acres

Additional amenities

Bench
Playground
Pavilion
Table
Trash receptacle

Fun facts

Located in northwest Fort Worth, Bar C Ranch Park connects to Northwest Community Park (the fifth largest park in Fort Worth) via Big Fossil Creek.

Recreation

The park features a playground and picnic pavilion. Most of the park is an intact wooded stream corridor along Big Fossil Creek.

History

Prior to City ownership, the site was in agriculture. A rural residence was located here from at least 1942 until 2005. From pre-1942 until 1950, the surrounding uplands appear to have been ranching land. In 1950, farm terracing was graded in the northwest of the site and beyond. Over the years, the wooded riparian corridor developed. By 2005, the Bar C Ranch neighborhood began developing. By 2023, all land surrounding Bar C Ranch Park was developed.

Geology

The majority of the park is comprised of Early Cretaceous Fort Worth Limestone and Duck Creek Formations. Big Fossil Creek runs through the park and derives its name from the large fossils that are found along it; including burrows and marine megafossils such as pecten, oysters, echinoids, and ammonites. About 25% of the park is comprised of Early Cretaceous mudstone and claystone from the of Pawpaw, Weno Limestone, and Denton Clay formations.

Soils

The park consists mostly of Frio silty clay deposited from flooding events in Big Fossil Creek. While the Frio soil constitutes an alluvial deposit, the other three soils were formed in situ from the underlying bedrock. Sanger soils contain clayey upland soils that overlies the area’s geology, and includes all of the Big Fossil Creek watershed.

Ecology

The park is entirely riparian bottomland woodland sheltering Big Fossil Creek. Along the margins of the stream riverine wetland species can be found. Big Fossil Creek connects habitat and provided important food and shelter for wildlife.

You can find more at the iNaturalist link under the "Related information" section.

Reserve this park on ActiveNet