Miller Springs Nature Center

Miller Springs Nature Center

Miller Springs

Miller Springs Nature Center is a 260-acre scenic natural area in the historic Tennessee Valley, which is located in the cities of Belton and Temple. The nature preserve is open to the public, at no charge, each day of the year. Visitors enjoy hiking and biking this parkland, which has more than 10 miles of trails divided into several loops.

Physical Address:
Hwy 2271
North of Lake Belton Spillway 
Belton, TX 76513

Hours:
8 AM-Dusk

History:
Miller Springs opened as a park after construction of the Belton Dam and Lake in 1954. Owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers, camping and fishing were popular activities on both sides of the dam. The area was left open to the public with no controls from the 1960's-1980's, and vandalism problems subsequently occurred during that time. From December 1991 to March of 1992, some 22 inches of rainfall in the area caused the lake elevation to rise 40 feet. Water overflowed the spillway for 42 days, reaching a peak depth of nearly 4 feet. The water flow down into Miller Springs created new canyons and exposed geological formations. In 1993, the Miller Springs Alliance took over the lease and maintained the area, with a desire to protect it and see it used for educational and environmentally sustainable activities. The alliance operated using volunteers until 2018, when the City of Belton & City of Temple took over the lease to maintain the area. 

Amenities/Recreational Opportunities:

  • Hiking, biking, and dog walking (10-plus miles of trails) 

  • Bird watching (25 acres of wetlands)

  • Picnic Areas

  • Fishing

  • Map of Miller Springs Nature Center (Map is posted at several locations in the park)

How You Can Help:
Volunteers help keep Miller Springs Nature Center functioning and clean. To be added to an email list and receive notification about future volunteer dates, please email parksandrec@beltontexas.gov. Civic or volunteer groups looking for opportunities/projects, please fill out this form or reach out to our department for more information.