Entry No. 29 — the Dallas file — filed under: outdoor
Lakeside Park Teddy Bears
Tucked into a pocket just off a picturesque wooden bridge along Turtle Creek sit a family of granite teddy bears - three four-foot cubs and one roughly 10-foot, 20-ton giant. They were commissioned by developer Trammell Crow and presented to Highland Park on Christmas Eve 1995, and they've sat quietly by the creek ever since, easy to miss if you don't know to look right after the bridge.
The story
On Christmas Eve 1995, real estate developer Trammell Crow and the Harlan Crow family handed Highland Park a remarkably eccentric gift: four granite teddy bears dumped into a shaded clearing along Turtle Creek. Carved by Vermont sculptor J.T. Williams, the cluster features three four-foot cubs and one ten-foot, 20-ton behemoth wearing a carved bow. Williams reportedly drew design cues from the bronze bears that once greeted shoppers outside the FAO Schwarz at NorthPark Mall, converting retail nostalgia into 40,000 pounds of solid stone that will outlive every mansion on the block.
Because the town never put up a formal marker, local word-of-mouth dubbed the pocket 'Teddy Bear Park.' That secrecy eventually imploded when camera-toting crowds turned the quiet creek bank into a relentless portrait studio. Visitors spilled off the path into the private alleyways of neighboring Willowwood Circle homes, prompting homeowner complaints about midnight wanderers and drive-by wardrobe changes. The Highland Park Town Council eventually intervened, building designated access ramps and stone steps to steer visitors away from backyards and officially branding the spot 'Teddy Bear Garden.'
What it's like
Park on Lakeside Drive near Lexington Avenue and walk toward the wooden footbridge spanning the Turtle Creek Dam. The second your shoes cross the bridge, turn immediately into the clearing on your right—if you keep strolling down the main trail, you will walk right past them. On sunny weekends, expect a minor circus of portrait photographers, toddlers scaling the giant bear's granite lap, and families queuing for holiday card shots. Aim for a early weekday morning or right before dusk if you want to inspect J.T. Williams's masonry without dodging someone's family photoshoot, and keep your voice down out of respect for the residential fence line a few yards behind the trees.
The move: Cross the little wooden bridge in Lakeside Park and find the bears hidden in the pocket just to the right, then keep strolling the shaded Turtle Creek banks - low-key, free, and quietly romantic.
📍 Before you go The park runs along Turtle Creek roughly between Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway; park free on the street along Lakeside Drive, with Lexington Avenue the closest cross street to the bears. There's no signage, so aim for the wooden bridge over the creek dam and check the pocket immediately to the right after crossing. This is a quiet residential Highland Park neighborhood, so keep voices and parking respectful. Spring is the showpiece season, when azaleas light up the Turtle Creek corridor. Easy to pair with a longer shaded walk down Turtle Creek Parkway or over to the Katy Trail on the neighborhood's east edge.
- 📍 Highland Park
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Lakeside Park, Lakeside Dr near Lexington Ave, Highland Park, TX 75205
Hours: Public park, daylight hours; street parking on Lakeside Drive
Pair it with
- Alive and Well - Frequency Dome — Less than a mile away at The Terminal, trade outdoor granite sculptures for a curved sound bath where crystals and sub-bass frequencies hum through the floor.
- Freedman's Cemetery Memorial — Drive 1.7 miles south to balance Highland Park's whimsical stone gift with a solemn 1860s burial ground honoring Dallas's formerly enslaved community.
- Giant Eye Sculpture (Joule Hotel) — Head three miles south into Downtown Dallas to trade a 20-ton stone bear for Tony Tasset's 30-foot fiberglass eyeball staring out from a hotel lawn.
- Olfactory (Dallas) — Head 1.3 miles east to West Village after your creek walk to custom-blend your own fragrance at a nine-base scent bar.
Good to know
How much does it cost to see the Lakeside Park Teddy Bears?
Nothing. Access to Lakeside Park is entirely free, and street parking along Lakeside Drive is also free.
Where exactly are the bears located inside the park?
Aim for the intersection of Lakeside Drive and Lexington Avenue. Cross the wooden footbridge over the Turtle Creek Dam and look into the pocket immediately to your right.
Can you climb on or touch the bear sculptures?
Yes. The durable granite sculptures are meant for public interaction, and visitors frequently sit in the 10-foot bear's lap or lean on the 4-foot cubs for photos.
When is the best time of year to visit?
Spring is peak season along Turtle Creek when the park's azaleas bloom, though any quiet weekday morning offers ideal conditions before crowds arrive.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: hellolittlehome.com · medium.com · peoplenewspapers.com · hptx.org · passporttoeden.com
last checked: 2026-06-06