Running, Art, and One Very Suspicious Bird

My Dallas Trail Story:

Running, Art, and One Very Suspicious Bird

I’ve been a runner since middle school, and at this point, my feet probably know the Katy Trail better than my own house. It’s my daily escape — a place to breathe, think and take in the beauty of Dallas. Thanks to projects like the private-public partnership between Dallas Park and Recreation (@dallasparkrec) and The Loop Dallas, more people across the city will soon have the same opportunity to lace up and enjoy a safe, connected trail system — making our urban core even more vibrant and accessible.

My name is Lynn McBee and this is My Dallas Trail Story.

When I’m not out on the trails, I’m busy wearing a few different hats. I serve as President and CEO of the Young Women’s Preparatory Network (@ywprep), work with organizations like For Oak Cliff (@4oakcliff), The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center (@bridgehomelessrecovery), the AT&T Performing Arts Center (@attpac) and tackle workforce development in Dallas. It’s a fulfilling balance of work, community and staying connected to the heart of Dallas. But no matter how packed my schedule is, I always find time to hit the trail. It’s my moving meditation, my reset button and sometimes — an unexpected shock.

You see, I love the art along the trail — the way it transforms an ordinary run into a moving gallery experience. But there’s one piece that gets me every time. Turkey Vulture, a bronze sculpture by Will Boone, perches on its rock with the kind of eerie stillness that makes you second-guess whether it’s watching you. No matter how many times I pass it, I jump — every single time. I know it’s there. I tell myself it’s there. And yet, somehow, it still manages to spook me. Every. Single. Time.

But that’s the magic of the Katy Trail. It’s not just a path — it’s an experience. Whether I’m running my favorite 5.5-mile route home and back from the American Airlines Center, grabbing a bite at Katy Trail Ice House or just enjoying the ever-changing sights and sounds of the city, the trail is where I feel most connected to Dallas.