Trinity River Audubon Center

My (now husband) and I got married at the Trinity River Audubon center on November 14, 2025, and let me just say that this place is magical as a wedding venue. We have always cherished nature, conservation, and birds, so we thought this venue was perfect. Not only is the place perfect, but you also have Boxwood hospitality to help you when you do a wedding with Trinity River. We got so many compliments on the space and it’s such a beautiful venue. We were debating between this venue and others, and I’m so glad we went with Trinity River Audubon Center!

Very serene. Trails are great, not strenuous so pretty easy for anyone. Watch out for poison ivy if you step off the trail. It's on some trails, so tennis shoes recommended. Views are lovely and there's enough to hike for a good long walk. Saw more birds this time (my first time was in summer and later in the morning, so it was too hot for birds to be very active.) Thoroughly enjoyed, even in the rain.

A lovely center with excellent trails and kind staff. My friend and I enjoyed walking the trails in search of birds. She has limited mobility and was grateful for the benches along the trail ( as was I). We were able to see some lifer birds on our trip and so many native Texas plants. The entrance to the center is a little confusing to find but otherwise it's amazing!

We are here to attend a wedding which I think this is a great venue for it! Or if you are a natural lover, family with young children, this is the perfect place for you! They have education canters, trails and many other things and activities to do! Also great for wedding or special events up to maybe 120 people for indoor seating.

Today after lunch I visited Trinity River Audubon Center after flagging it in places I want to visit a while ago. Ten miles South of Downtown Dallas sits the 120+ acre former dumping site of tires, auto parts, trash and other unwanted waste that burned and was repurposed by the City of Dallas to the current iteration. It is now a natural habitat for birds and other wildlife open to the public Tuesday through Sunday 9am-4pm. The property houses a large main building with educational information explaining the importance of a nature and wildlife conservation space and water flow especially in a metropolitan area. There are a few miles of hiking trails(mostly flat land) comprised of natural dirt, crushed stone and low decks that keep you just above water to fully appreciate the space and understand its relevance. It is a great activity for people young and old who are new to the city or like me who have lived in the Dallas area my entire life. #trinityriverauduboncenter #audubon #dallas #DallasParks #wildlife #trinityriver #thingstodoindallastx

A beautiful nature preserve that's just a quick drive from Dallas!! Amazing place to spend the day just walking around or taking photos!

Beautiful nature center with an interesting history. It used to be a dump, literally, until it was abandoned and eventually acquired by the city, which cleaned it up and turned it into a visitor center. You can see tons of different wildlife, walk the trails and spot great flora and mushrooms too. Lots of shade but bring a hat because there is lots of sun too. Parts of it get flooded or very muddy when it rains, and parking is plentiful. There is a gift shop and a small cafe. Restrooms are always clean. They have a classroom area where they have art or science classes on some weekends. Fun for the whole family, but no dogs allowed. Free entry but they recommend you reserve tickets online ahead of time due to limited entry.

Such a beautiful space to walk around. There’s trails throughout the property, bird blinds you can sit in to watch the birds near water and the Audubon center’s architecture is really great.

Brought our toddler here for Science Sunday and it was led by a wonderful and patient guide Sophia. The staff was wonderful. The grounds and building itself are well kept and architecturally serene. Great place for a sunday morning.

The park is very nice, however, do not be fooled by the " handicap accessible " signage throughout the parking lot. The only way to access the grounds is by way of approximately 300' of a gravel walkway and then you arrive at a concrete area to encounter two floor to ceiling heavy glass doors with no openers. It's nearly impossible to access with a wheelchai. The boardwalk would be perfect if not for it's disrepair only making it more difficult to wheelchair thru... very disappointed

My husband had a photo shoot scheduled for a lovely couple, so I decided to join him. This park is amazing the birds are everywhere and it's so beautiful! The layout is perfect it has an amazing building right in the middle of the park and it's surrounded by trees and lakes! This place makes a beautiful wedding reception if you have a small group. I'm definitely coming back in the fall to do the trails and discover all the birds. Inside you'll find a brand new building with restrooms and information center even a small kids interactive space. I definitely recommend this place for everyone.

Multiple short trails, all less than 1 mile long. There're not a lot of people here even on weekends so it's nice. The entrance fee is $6 and you pay at the big building to access the trails. We saw a lot of grasshoppers, they were everywhere, not many birds.

Love, love, love this jewel in South Dallas! I can't believe that this beautiful nature center was built on a remediated toxic waste sight. How cool is that? The trails are fun (be prepared for lots of mud). The building is amazing and you can rent it for your wedding tax-free! Proceeds from the rental go back into the Center. Watch this amazing video about how the Center came about: https://youtu.be/SPQMffI-ubI

Spent a Sunday hiking the scenic trails. It was winter and still beautiful. Looking forward to seeing the Audubon Center in the spring and summer when the trees have green foliage and the flowers are blooming. Overall, just a nice place to get away and relax in nature.And it's only $6 for adults.

Trinity River Audobon Center (TRAC) was an easy choice for our wedding venue - in Dallas, but not "Dallasy"; a beautiful setting outdoors; reasonable cost; and an extremely capable and professional events manager, Boxwood Hospitality. We contracted Boxwood immediately prior to the onset of the pandemic for an October 2020 wedding. After twice changing the event date, life just took over for us - we married in a much smaller "pandemic" ceremony and then became pregnant. Our priorities had changed and we decided to cancel the big event. Lynn and her team surpassed our expectations in accommodating our circumstances and sent a touching card congratulating us on our pregnancy. We will miss working with Boxwood and highly recommend their outstanding service.

A MUST BRING FOR THE KIDS AND AND ADULTS WILL LOVE IT TOO! Such a jewel in Dallas that not enough people know about. This area had been a landfill. They have reclaimed the area and Mother Nature has taken care of the rest. The building has award winning beautiful architecture and wonderful interactive & teaching areas for the kids.

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.

This part of the review is for the hike and bike trail adjacent to the Trinity River Audubon Center (TRAC). While not affiliated with the Center, it does offer many of the advantages without entering the TRAC's grounds. Actually there are two trails although I've only biked on the "classic" one. It is an approximately 8.8 mile out and back trail (4.4x2) that is practically flat with only a few "hills". The trail goes through grasslands, over the Trinity River and through fairly dense woods. Along the way, if you're lucky, you'll see some wildlife. Also, the trail is fully paved from beginning to end. In addition there are benches and a water fountain (non functioning) for your convenience. Unlike the White Rock Trail, which I normally ride, this trail is underutilized. On a recent Sunday afternoon ride I saw few cyclists, fewer hikers and three or four folks on horseback. Access is easy and convenient. You can park right next to the trail and get going. And It ends at the Trinity River below Loop 12. One hint: coming from east Dallas, I prefer to take Jim Miller rather than Buckner. Fewer lights and a more stress free drive. A great escape for hikers and novice cyclists.

This is a pretty and quiet spot inside the city. It was built on top of an illegal dumping ground. You can read the story about that inside the center. If you have a bike or need to wear out small kids (ages baby to 10), then this is a nice outdoor park in which to do that. The "hiking" trails are pretty short for adults. Every third Thursday is Free - a great way to just check out the park. Also, they host a lot of events, which I've read (via other Yelpers) are a lot of fun. The indoor portion of the center is a beautiful venue, so I imagine their fundraisers are nice. The bike trails were paved and looked a lot longer than the the walking trail. We saw a large hawk, two rabbits, various birds, and of course the muddy banks of part of the Trinity River. It was a beautiful day and nice to be outside, but I wished we had brought bikes and a picnic lunch. There is also a kayaking area. I mostly love the fact that this park was reclaimed from such destructive behavior.

We had our Wedding here and it was fantastic! the staff was helpful and the venue was gorgeous. We had a wonderful time and plan to go back and hike the trails and look at the ret of the property!

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!

Really beautiful venue in the spring. Attended The 6th 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.

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.

Real good place to learn about what's with nature. Also how a forest developed just by being nature. The city of Dallas had put on a Arborist Class together today for us to go and look at different types of trees. Also it's right on the trinity river close to the new Golf Course.

This place is excellent. The trails are well maintained and marked, there are lots of picnic tables and scenic stopping points. There is a lot of wildlife tracks that can be seen and lots of birds as well. Parking is a dirt lot and it costs $6 per person to get in.No dogs allowed.

First off, let me say that I love the fact that it's a rehabbed space from an old dumping ground. They did great wonders around the area! We came here for a company picnic. Trails were nice but really narrow. Scenery was nice but not spectacular for anything above 3 stars. They have kayaking but it's ridiculously priced! Kayaking is $30 for 1 hour for a double kayak. This is crazy when I can usually pay $20 for a single and kayak for HOURS! Also, I'm not really sure where you would kayak. There wasn't much water. They had two little "lakes/ponds" (whatever you want to call them), but this isn't sufficient for kayaking. I guess the waters for kayaking are hiding from what I saw. Their catering wasnt good at all. We had to eat with wooden forks which was HORRIBLE. Try getting it to pierce through salad. I almost had to eat with my hands. Also, the chicken wasn't done. It was nice at the fact it's very nature oriented and has educational things for kids. The building is a wonderful piece of architecture!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Did you know that the Trinity River doesn't just run in a straight line between high levees? I've lived in Dallas my whole life, and until I visited the Trinity Audubon Center, I'd never seen the Trinity in its natural state. It curves; it eddies; it flows. It's a real river. (Albeit, still a murky, silty river.) In addition to the river trail, the center has lots of trails to ponds, wetlands, and forests. I'm no birdwatcher, but I'm sure during birding season it attracts lots of species. Plus, the building, designed by Antoine Predock, is amazing. It's really a gem for the city that, literally, is minutes from downtown. Check it out.

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 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. :)

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. :(

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.

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.

Beautiful, peaceful, well maintained, pristine nature preserve with the coolest history!

Today was my first time to the park and I have to say that the nature area was great and the trails were good to walk. Unfortunately on the way out of the park I was approached by someone I'm guessing is staff, she pulled over in her civic while I was walking out with my dogs [who were on leash] to proceed to tell me that dogs are not welcome at the park, because apparently in nature, dogs aren't animals. She then went on to tell me that one of the reasons they don't allow dogs at the park/in nature was because they run an educational nature program for kids that has them dissecting poop samples and that they don't want the kids dissecting dog poop... Interesting that a staff member would openly admit that not only does the educational staff [who I would make the blanket assumption has some level of education or nature training] cannot tell the difference between dog poop and varmint poop... Pretty poor showing on the part of this person and great to know what my tax payer dollars are going to support at this Public Park.

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!

Had a really negative experience there and would not recommend it to anyone. We were blocked from entering because we had a dog with us. We explained "dogs are not allowed because they might urinate close to the trinity river. After our lecture we were told to leave. My two kids were devastated and never want to go back

The trails are cool, not much of a draw. There are other trails in the dfw area that are better. The little museum isn't much. If you're outdoorsy, it's worth checking out. If you're not outdoorsy, but want an outdoorsy adventure, there are better places.

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.