hagerman national wildlife refuge

cookr

Huge driving, hiking, biking area with great views of birds and animals right on Lake Texoma. Free entry to park and new visitor center. Several viewing stations, information, helpful volunteers. Cute gift shop, spotless restrooms and many picnic areas. Free tram tour on the weekends, call ahead for reservations.

ChuckF788

We've been coming the Hagerman for many years. It has developed into a wonderful venue for those of us who appreciate nature. The Visitor's Center is a great addition and adds a great depth and understanding to the refuge. The volunteers we encountered were wonderful and exceptionally helpful. If you're going, and want to experience the wonders of nature, wait until late fall or spring and you will be rewarded. The hiking is also great and not physically challenging.

SangerCrain

This wildlife refuge has 5 beautiful, well-maintained hiking trails up to five miles long, as well an auto wildlife viewing route, fishing, picnicking and a beach (though swimming is not permitted). We most enjoyed, however, the tram tour of the refuge--it was led by an impressive volunteer who was very knowledgeable about birds and wildlife. Tram tours run Saturday and Wednesday at 10 and Sunday at 2, but we were advised to call for reservations as they do fill up. They also have free, monthly activities for kids and wildlife lectures for adults. This refuge is a fun, free day-trip from Dallas for couples and families!

txusmc94

As a disabled Veteran I found Hagerman to be wonderful. The trails were great for a novice hiker and they even had some for a more adventurous hiker. The array of wildlife we saw kept the children with us amazed.

khristystrange

Looking for a quite place to day hike? Hagerman is a great place for those just starting to get in shape and for those who just want to hike and photo wildlife. Several trails are handicapped accessible, at least for a portion of the trail. There are several trails all in varying lengths and levels of difficulty. It's only about an hour from Dallas so it's perfect for a day trip.Be sure to visit the Visitor's center for information about the refuge. They also have a great, but small, gift shop with low cost items.

khristys2014

We are trying to get in shape by hiking. This is a great place to start. There are several trails of varying length and degrees of difficulty. Visit the visitor's center for information about the refuge and don't forget the gift shop! We plan on going again when the lake is up in order to see more wildlife.

showme2traveler

Nice area for bird watching. Nice visitor center. Worth a visit. This was our second visit. We liked it so much the first time we had to go back.

332MichaelW332

Having recently returned from Kenya where everything is a safari, a walk on the beach, a boat ride to a island, a car ride through a national park--I think I would consider this site to be a safari for birders. Out in the open on native Texas prairie (similar in feel to the serengeti) you can see all type of birds as well as catch different fish, and see deer. Located in an area like a national park with a visitor center and guided tours at 2 PM, you don't feel like you are anywhere near civilization, yet it is only 1 hour north of Dallas farthest northern boundary, near Sherman. It is, perhaps, Dallas' best kept natural secret. When I was there there were hardly any other visitors. One unique feature, the preserve is also the cite of many working oil wells. So if you've never seen one, you can also do that here! There are hikes as well as car drives. It's very dusty, as is the true prairie. Do don't go in your Sunday best!

Tnwjoyce

Watch for Eagles and lots of other wildlife..knowledgable volunteers to educate about the area, and the animals that visit the preserve.

kamybear

Just returned from Hagerman. This is a really nice U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service park with a wonderful "new" visitor center. There is no charge, but donations are welcomed. The park visitor center is staffed by a dedicated volunteer staff. On Saturdays, the park offers a tram tour provided by the enthusiastic and informative volunteers. I recommend the tram tour, and the nature trails are nice. This park is a day trip from DFW. Great winter birding!

e_knott74

While we were in town for a few days visiting family, had some time to spare so we drove out to the refuge. Found it on trip adviser. Was surprised at the facilty, really nice. Migrating ducks and geese everywhere.They also have some nice hiking trails. Worth the time to come out and explore by walking or driving.

brooke23

I love visiting Hagerman. The refuge is a great place to do a little birding. The newly built visitors center has great interactive learning centers for children & adults. They also usually have some type of presentation on the weekends. They usually start early (9-10am) since it tends to be so hot during the summer. Most the tours are self guided. You can get a map at the center and go at your own pace. Some places are closed off during mating season though. There are clear signs indicating this. Fun place for families or couples.

83rons

Being amateur birders we opted to visit the Refuge. We were not disappointed as there were many species of birds migrating through the area. The sky was full of white pelicans as we approached the refuge. What a magnificent sight. The visitor center is relatively new and is a beautiful facility. The staff was great and they were obviously very proud of their facility. They even loaned us a pair of binoculars to use as we toured the refuge. I hope that we are able to visit the area again as the bird populations vary from season to season.

445georgef

Loved the staff and refugee. The gift store was a real value. ie hickory walking stick for $15.00.. A few of the dirt roads rough. The heat in mid afternoon suspended activities

TDTX

I was staying at Eisenhower State Park and decided to visit the Wildlife Refuge. I highly recommend it. The visitors center is beautiful and if you are so inclined, you can sit out back and look over the refuge. I highly recommend the tram tour. The tour guide was extremely informative and had a real passion for birds. I do not consider myself a bird person but with a pair of binoculors, I got into it. We went in mid-March and while there were not too many birds, I still enjoyed my time there. The employees in the visitors center and were extremely nice.