19. Northshore at Murrell Park

Removing the mundane from life by doing mundane(ish) things

This is my third consecutive trip out to Northshore on a Friday morning. A few weeks prior I had finally decided that I'd had enough of the mundane and a bit of adventure might be a way to satisfy the itch. So I texted some friends to let them know I'd be out on the trails if they wanted to join and made my way out.

I suppose there is a bit of irony in attempting to remove the mundane from life by doing the same thing over and over. But getting out into nature is rarely a mundane event. There is always something new to grab your attention. Something new to experience.

This morning, Roger and I continued exploring the different parts of the trails that we've run together so many times before. It feels like a much larger area to explore when hiking vs. running simply due to moving through the trails at a much slower pace. I'm here for it, either way.

There are three main access points to Northshore:

1. Rockledge Park on the southeast end of the lake, operated by the City of Grapevine.
2. Twin Coves Park on the northwest end of the lake, operated by the Town of Flower Mound.
3. And right in the epicenter, Murrell Park, also located in the Town of Flower Mound, and the only facility still managed directly by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

We began our adventure today within Murrell Park, meeting up near the MADD Shelter.

MADD Shelter

We've used the MADD Shelter as a meeting place for so, so many years, and I've always wondered about its history. A brief bit of research revealed that it was likely built in 1996, about 13 years before I began visiting regularly.

But I wanted to learn more, so I reached out to the North Texas Chapter of MADD directly. It turns out that they, too, are trying to learn more about the shelter in preparation for this year's (2026) North Texas Move with MADD event held at Lake Grapevine. After a bit of back and forth, here's what I (and they) have learned thus far:

The MADD Shelter was dedicated in memory of Scott Andrew Boyles (1966–1992) by the North Texas Chapter of MADD, along with his family and friends, following his death in a drunk driving crash. The shelter was created in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as both a memorial and a peaceful place for the public to enjoy the beauty of Lake Grapevine while remembering those whose lives have been impacted by impaired driving.

I unfortunately did not take any photos around the shelter this time. Next time, I will. If you're looking for the shelter, you can get to it by following the road from the Murrell Park entrance to the Twin Coves Marina. It will be on your right a little bit before you get to the marina itself. Or better yet, start on the trail from either end of the lake and arrive there by the trail itself.

A brief history of Lake Grapevine

While the reservoir project itself broke ground at Denton Creek on December 5, 1947, the origins of Lake Grapevine date back to October of 1919 in Dallas. The construction of the Grapevine Dam begin in 1948 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the purpose of "flood control, recreation, and water supply."

The reservoir was impounded on July 3, 1952 by the USACE when they damned Denton Creek, a tributary of Trinity River. The reservoir is 72,800 acres, has a max depth of 65ft, can hold 181,100 acre/ft of water, and has 60 miles of shoreline. USACE maintains the reservoir to this day.

If I were to make a guess, 1952 is likely the year when this abandoned boat ramp was constructed (pictured below). Murrell Park is full of old oddities like this, giving it a much different character than the city/town parks on either end of the lake.

While the reservoir's primary purposes are flood control and to act as a municipal water reservoir, it's secondary function is why I regularly visit: to provide recreation and open-space areas. There are certainly many more adventures for me (and you?) here, including a through-hike/run along with a tour around the entirety of the lake.

If you'd like to learn more about Lake Grapevine, the Grapevine Public Library has a seven-part series of posts entitled The Origin and History of Lake Grapevine, 1919-1953:

1. Beginnings
2. From the Local to the National Stage
3. The Trinity River Project Goes to Washington
4. Denton Creek Surveyed and The Fight for a Dam and Reservoir Heats Up
5. A Community Prepares and Construction Begins
6. Earth and People Start Moving
7. A New County Lake Is Born