Trinity River Audubon Center

My family and I have been here once in spring. I cannot say that I’m delighted, but I’m not regret that I came here. Quite an interesting park and there definitely is something to see, but I don’t think that we will come here the second time. I can say one drawback is that while walking under the feet often fall debris. I give them four of five.

Was not too happy about my experience here. For having such a beautiful visitor center, I expected this place to have better marked trails and less trash. «The Forest Trail» was not clearly marked. There were lots of dead ends due to flooding, and the lady at the visitor center didn’t seem aware of this when we asked her about this particular trail. There was so much trash along the river scenic points– it made me sad that no one had taken any initiative to clean it up and was not worth the entry fee. The hours on the visitor center website did not match the closing time that was given to us at the visitor center, it seemed like they wanted to close at 3 p.m. an hour early to get everyone out. We had just driven out there from Richardson so this was disappointing. Beautiful visitor center, just wish this park was cleaner and more user friendly. :(

Took my Cub Scout Den on Friday. It was a spectacular outing! Michael, in particular, was excellent. We did the «pond studies» unit which my boys LOVED. Scooping up critters from the pond… and then looking at them uner magnification in the lab — wow! Makes science fun! We also enjoyed the easy hiking and the beautiful grounds. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this place to Scout Groups, and anyone who has kids. They do an fantastic job of teaching.

Family and I were out and about on errands in Dallas on a Saturday afternoon and wife suggested that we check out the Trinity River while it is flooded after all the rains in May, 2015.
Honestly, I ended here by chance, I typed ‘Trinity River’ on my WAZE GPS and this was the first hit on the search results… so I was like, lets go! It is a little off the beaten path (on loop 12 close to Hwy 45) and not particularly easy to find if you have never been here, but your trusty GPS should get you right to the parking lot.
I’ve never been here before and it was a pleasant surprise for my wife and I since the place is close to Dallas downtown, just inside the city limits on the south side, but will give you the feeling like you’re out in the country. It’s also free to get in.
When we arrived there was a handful of cars and people at the venue. There was a crew preparing the main building for a wedding so we quickly checked out the building and the exhibits and the short trails around the building that overlook the flooded Trinity River at the time
I also found out from the friendly staff that that the place is located on a former landfill. They reclaimed a condemned landfill that was illegally utilized for years. The thought, effort and design that went into the building housing the Trinity River Audubon Center is mind-​boggling.
Everything is made from recycled materials, down to the floors, even the windows are designed at an angle so the birds don’t fly into them, every detail was done with awareness for the land and the animals. The facilities, programs, classes and hiking areas follow in line with attention to detail and the environment.
The place may be out of the way for some, but if you are interested in what the facility has to offer along with what can be accomplished environmentally or architecturally it is worth the drive.
If you are into birding, hiking, trails, rafting, then this is the place for you. They also do some great science modules with school children which are very hands-​on. The –1 star was because some of the exhibits in the main building were closed and not operational at the time of my visit.
If you are going to do the trails, bird watching, or other outdoor activities, remember to bring your sunscreen, hat, water, and bug repellent. The mosquitoes and bugs can be merciless.

Really beautiful venue in the spring. Attended The 6^th Annual Scissor-​tails & Cocktails fundraiser to help out with the auction checkout. Must say, I had a most spectacular time for a really wonderful cause — the money raised went to kid’s educational conversationalists programs.
The auction had a lot of great items from nearby artists, restaurants, hotels, etc. pretty much anything you can imagine from many retailers. So for the price of a ticket, you get a wide variety of auction items without too much competition, live music, photo ops with live birds of prey, hors d’oeuvres by six Dallas celebrity chefs, cocktails and majority of belly delights by Bolsa Mercado, an amazing collection of original artist-​designed birdhouses, s’mores by the campfire… Really a great time.
Could have easily died of a food induced coma and been one happy camper. If see the event advertised next year, definitely check it out. Individual tickers were $ 75 each or can purchase sponsorship packages. Worth every cent.

Nice romantic wedding venue. If you wanted an outdoor wedding the trail and trek to the actual ceremony was actually beautiful and scenic. Great entrance and procession setting.

As usual, very happy with visit there.

I recently stopped by for the first time on an unseasonably warm January day. As you first walk up from the parking lot you’ll see the uniquely designed main building. It’s $ 6 for non-​members to have access to the facility and grounds. I could already tell I’d be coming back so I joined for $ 45 for the year.
There are several main walking/​hiking paths throughout the property and all are well marked. I enjoyed the path leading down to the banks of the Trinity. You’ll have great views of a large bend in the river from the south end of the property.
All of the trails are clean, well maintained and easy to follow. They’ve done a great job of maintaining (or partially recreating) the natural landscape of this area. Hiking through the trails is very peaceful and quiet. You’ll also have the opportunity to see native birds in this natural setting. Inside the main building you’ll find plenty of information on native birds of the area as well as up to date sightings from other visitors.
I had a great first visit and look forward to coming back, especially in the Spring.

This place is amazing! It is easy to find, parking is a breeze, and the architecture and design is breath taking. I came here early Sunday morning for a run and got mesmorized and lost in the beauty of this place. There are trails that vary in distances and paths are clearly marked. Trails are also very kid friendly.

Upon walking up to the building you will notice it’s very modern and made with reclaimed wood. There is a nice little educational center for kids that I enjoyed even as an adult.
Then you exit the building and can take various trails to see different vegetation/​animals.
Originally I came here back in undergrad for a bird class I was taking for my bio degree. I spotted at least 10 diff kinds of birds here! Sparrows, downy woodpecker (my fave!!!), some Hawks, American robins, cardinals, etc. I’ve only been here twice and each time in the winter. I can’t imagine being out here in the sweltering heat of the summer so I actually liked the winter scenery. The land is pretty big and you can spend anywhere from 1 to 3 hours here.
A refreshing nature getaway in the middle of our city.

A fantastic place for birdwatching, for kids, for lunch or a great day out in nature. With it so close to the city, it’s amazing how few people know about this great landmark in Dallas.

Joined immediately; I was so impressed.
Ignore the kind of sketchy and dumpy neighborhood through which you must pass to enter this oasis of the city life. Once inside, it is beautiful, calming, and stress-​free. Their actual center is a beautifully designed Gold LEED building, which is really impressive when you see how much glass looks out into the surrounding area. It is a really comfortable building, that I absolutely want as my retirement home. Seriously.
The trails are varied and go through the different areas of their preserve — from prairies to woodlands to the river. They have several small ponds on the property, which are excellent for watching water fowl, such as egrets, ducks, cormorants, and the like. Turtles and frogs are plentiful as well. I know for a fact they have at least one bobcat on the property, as I’ve smelled its markings, seen prints and scat, but have yet to actually catch a glimpse of the elusive cat.
The water ponds are really, really low right now due to the drought, however some of them still have quite a bit of water, allowing glimpses of several water species.
A note to those of you who come here expecting to see wildlife as if this was a zoo: you won’t. Look, slow down. Walk quietly, softly, and slowly. Listen for the birds, and stop and look around you. Bring binoculars if you seriously want to see creatures. I sat and watched a family of ring-​necked ducks on the back of a pond that no one would ever see if they didn’t slow down, be quiet, and look in earnest. Be patient. Contrary to our instant-​gratification lifestyle, wildlife does not exist solely to entertain us. We must appreciate it and seek it ourselves, immersing ourselves in THEIR habitat, to enjoy what they have to offer… and then leave with them being none-​the-​wiser we were ever there.
In plain English: slow down, enjoy, and don’t litter!

I can’t really give it less than a 2 because it was free as part of a reciprocal program for another membership that my family has. All it cost me was time and the gas to get here. The whole things was a bit hard to figure out though even though in our case it was a planned event. We just went wandering on our own as everyone was staring at each other confused. It was a chilly (45 degrees) cloudy morning, and we walked pretty much the entire trail and saw nothing but a couple of vultures in a dried up pond that smelled of dead fish. All of the areas marked as water were pretty dry. The walk itself is nice. I might stop for the walk if I was in the area and it was free. Maybe it is nicer in the summer and the birds are more active, but I doubt I will drive an hour and pay to find out.

Wow, what an incredible find. Right in the middle of Dallas we felt like we were in a wilderness. Beautifully maintained trails, gorgeous building, and lots of programs for folks to get to know more about birds. We were so impressed we joined up on our first visit and plan to spend a lot of time here.

I was intrigued to come visit the Trinity River Audobon Center after hearing that one of the Nasher XChange art pieces is installed here. We drove about 10 minutes south of downtown into a kind of dumpy industrial area, but were so pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful little nature oasis!
The art piece I was looking for greets visitors driving down the path to the center. It is a cool outdoor exhibit called «Flock in Space» made out of metal pipes and concrete that resembles a flock of birds in flight — quite arresting and visually intriguing! A really modern and beautiful building houses the center and has some neat little indoor exhibits about wildlife and the history of the Trinity River in Dallas. It looks like you can also book part of the space for weddings or other events and the facilities are really nice.
The gentleman at the front desk showed us the various walking paths that meander around the campus. The trails are all very short (the suggested time to completion is very generous), easy, and well-​maintained. There is a lookout point over the Trinity River (which is actually a real river and not just a drainage ditch like it is in downtown Dallas!) as well as some paths that wind around some small ponds. There are a lot of beautiful Texas grasses and plants growing around the area. The trees were all bare as I visited in winter, but still quite beautiful looking. It looks like there is also a bike path that goes along the eastern edge of the area.
All in all, this is a very small (less than 1 mile in end-​to-​end length, though the trails wind around inside) but beautiful and peaceful nature preserve that feels totally removed from the city even though it is just a short drive away. I heard that the entire campus was recovered and renewed on top of an old landfill site — but you’d never know it from the natural feel of the site now. Go give it a visit!

The Audubon was a beautiful and unique place for our wedding! Surpisingly, many people have not heard of the Audubon or do not realize that events can be held on site. It was such an awesome facility though a bit off the beaten path as far as location. The staff, especially Rose, were delightful! The caterer is through Bolsa Mercado. Food was incredible but responsiveness of their staff was mediocre as we had to follow up and information promised by a set date was not provided. Other than that, the Bolsa staff were sweet and great the evening of. I would highly recommend this location for a special event as we had a terrific experience!

I went here for the first annual Paws on the Prairie and was pretty excited just to get out with my pooch. This isn’t usually a place you can bring your domestic pets, so it was a real treat. I’m all for reclaimed space and it was nice they could do ANYTHING with an old landfill. I think it would be really pretty in the spring and will have to go back and check it out… its not very exciting during winter and not much mammal action either. :)

Love it! I won’t say that this is particularly exciting or scenic, but it’s nice to know that it’s reclaimed nature space (once a dump… literally). The trails are clear and clean. I got some fresh air and vitamin d on a gorgeous day. While there wasn’t much see much in terms of wildlife (thought the claim is made that the area has much to offer), I still had a great time taking a leisurely stroll outdoors. Heard some wacky sounding toads/​frogs too — just didn’t see them.
The one unfortunate thing is dogs are not allowed on the trail. Major bummer because I love hiking with my 4legged children. We did find out that there is a Dallas City owned trail near the entrance which does allow dogs since it is paved. I will have to check it out on my next trip.
My favorite thing is actually the center itself which is housed in a beautifully designed building. It’s just beautiful and it’s an interesting juxtaposition of architecture and nature. I believe they rent it out for events — great place to have a smashing reception/​party.

This place looked cool but I did not see ONE of the 200 something bird species they claim to have on their grounds and all the lakes were all dry, I won’t be coming back.

Audubon is always a great place to learn about the local nature, plant, and animal species. The new center in south Dallas is situated close to the Trinity river and introduces the audience to that. The building is nicely designed and has plenty of space to roam around. It exhibits fun and educational presentations for kids and also adult classes about nature, recycling, etc.
Do you know the river used to pass through downtown Dallas in the early 1900s? There is an exhibit that shows what happens to Dallas in the event of big flood and another one that challenges kids how to reroute a river.
There are plenty of paved dirt trails around the center leading to various ponds. They were saying that there is a 5-​year plan to expand the trail all the way to north Dallas. It would be nice to be able to bike all the way there sometime in the future!