Terry Park is Heath's public window onto Lake Ray Hubbard

So much of the Heath shoreline is private backyards and gated subdivisions that it's easy to forget the public has a way to the water too. Terry Park, at 599 Terry Lane, is that way in, a lakeside community park right on Lake Ray Hubbard, run by the City of Heath and listed by TPWD as a public access point.

It earns the trip beyond just the view. There's a two-lane boat ramp with two courtesy docks, so you can launch without fighting the crowds at the bigger Rockwall ramps, plus walking trails, a covered pavilion, BBQ grills, a children's playground, and a swing bench set up to face the sunset over the water.

Evenings are when it shines. Heath sits on the eastern shore, so the sun goes down across the lake, and the swing facing west is no accident. For a family that doesn't own lakefront, this is the spot to picnic, launch a kayak, and still watch the same sunset the waterfront homes pay for.