Prairies & Lakes · Outdoors & Wildlife

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

A Lake Texoma refuge west of Sherman with wetlands, prairie and agricultural habitat attracting huge concentrations of geese, waterfowl and other birds in winter.

Photography: William L. Farr · Wikimedia Commons

Plan the visit

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge at a glance

Where is Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge?: Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is near Sherman, Texas, in Grayson County.
When is the best time to visit Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge?: Late fall through winter for geese and waterfowl; spring for migration and wildflowers
Do I need to plan ahead for Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge?: Wildlife-drive and trail access can change with weather or management activities. Check current refuge conditions.
Who manages Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge?: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The place

Why Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge belongs on the list

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is one of North Texas' most accessible places to see large seasonal concentrations of waterfowl.

What stands out at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is the mix of Winter geese and waterfowl, Lake Texoma wetlands, Wildlife drive, Prairie and wildflowers. Those details make it easier to decide whether this stop fits a quick outing, a family day trip or a longer route through the area.

Check current access and weather before leaving, bring water, and follow the rules of the agency or organization that manages the property. Use the official visitor-information link on this page for the latest details.

The details

Plan the visit

Nearest town: Near Sherman, Texas
Best season: Late fall through winter for geese and waterfowl; spring for migration and wildflowers
County: Grayson County
Entry & reservations: Wildlife-drive and trail access can change with weather or management activities. Check current refuge conditions.

Official visitor information

Quick answer

Planning a visit to Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

What is Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge?: A Lake Texoma refuge west of Sherman with wetlands, prairie and agricultural habitat attracting huge concentrations of geese, waterfowl and other birds in winter.
When is the best time to go?: Late fall through winter for geese and waterfowl; spring for migration and wildflowers
What should I know before arriving?: Wildlife-drive and trail access can change with weather or management activities. Check current refuge conditions.
Where is it?: Near Sherman, Texas, in Grayson County.

Field notes

What to know before you go

Conditions, closures, fees and availability can change. Use these notes to plan, then confirm the latest details with the official site before making the drive.

Things to do

Wildlife drive

What you’ll find

Winter geese and waterfowl

Don’t miss

Lake Texoma wetlands
Prairie and wildflowers

Good to know

Best time to go: Late fall through winter for geese and waterfowl; spring for migration and wildflowers.
Wildlife-drive and trail access can change with weather or management activities. Check current refuge conditions.

Build the trip

Places that pair well with this stop

Nearby places, worthwhile detours and combinations for adding water, history, outdoors or a full weekend around this destination.

Close enough for the same trip

Nearby places

Places ordered by straight-line distance when reliable coordinates are available.

Denison · Grayson County · Prairies & Lakes
Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II and the 34th U.S. president, was born in Denison in 1890. The modest birthplace provides a Texas starting point for a life that became central to both global military history and the American presidency.
Best season: Year-round; spring and fall are usually the most comfortable for outdoor portions of a visit.Updated Aug 2026
- Dwight Eisenhower
- presidential history
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Approx. 14 miles away
Bonham · Fannin County · Prairies & Lakes
Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site
The home preserves the private world of Sam Rayburn, the longtime U.S. House speaker and one of the most influential Texans in 20th-century national politics. The contrast between Rayburn's national power and his relatively modest North Texas home is the site's most revealing story.
Best season: Year-round; spring and fall are usually the most comfortable for outdoor portions of a visit.Updated Aug 2026
- Sam Rayburn
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Approx. 36 miles away
Grapevine · Tarrant County · Prairies & Lakes
SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium
A family-focused aquarium inside Grapevine Mills with an underwater tunnel, rescued sea turtles, sharks, touchpool experiences and themed marine-life exhibits.
Best season: Year-round; especially useful as an indoor North Texas family stop during summer heat or bad weather.Updated Aug 2026
- Underwater tunnel
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Approx. 56 miles away
Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
George W. Bush Presidential Museum
The George W. Bush Presidential Museum on the SMU campus in Dallas interprets the 43rd presidency through permanent galleries, presidential records, a full-scale Oval Office, decision-making exhibits, changing exhibitions and the adjacent Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park.
Best season: Year-round indoor museum; fall through spring is especially pleasant for adding the free 15-acre Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park and a longer SMU campus walk.Updated Aug 2026
- Presidential history galleries
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Approx. 62 miles away
Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
Frontiers of Flight Museum
Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field traces aviation and space history through aircraft, spacecraft, airline artifacts and distinctive experimental designs tied closely to North Texas aviation heritage.
Best season: Year-round indoor museum; a good all-weather stop near Love Field, with especially easy planning on an arrival or departure day.Updated Aug 2026
- Historic and experimental aircraft
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Approx. 62 miles away
Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
Meadows Museum
The Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University is one of the leading collections of Spanish art outside Spain, pairing works from the medieval era through modernism with rotating exhibitions on the SMU campus.
Best season: Year-round indoor museum; spring and fall are pleasant for combining the visit with a walk through the SMU campus.Updated Aug 2026
- Spanish art collection
- SMU campus
- Old Masters through modern art
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Approx. 62 miles away

Build a better day

Pair this stop with something different

Nearby parks, water, towns, history and outdoor places that complement this destination.

Mount Vernon · Franklin County
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is a Northeast Texas Main Street town with a restored courthouse square, museums, an active arts community, Bankhead Highway history, nature preserves and quick access to pine-lined Lake Cypress Springs.
Best season: Fall through spring for downtown, nature trails and lake-country drives; warm months for Lake Cypress Springs recreation with heat and storm planningUpdated Sep 2026
- Franklin County Courthouse
- Main Street Plaza District
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Approx. 98 miles away
Clarksville · Red River County
Clarksville
Clarksville is a Red River County Main Street town older than the Republic of Texas, centered on an 1885 courthouse, preserved downtown square, Old Jail Museum, historic creek walk, early churches, antiques and nearby lake-and-nature recreation in Northeast Texas.
Best season: Fall through spring for downtown walking and nature trails; spring and fall for community events and comfortable Northeast Texas outdoor timeUpdated Sep 2026
- Red River County Courthouse
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Approx. 100 miles away
Mineola · Wood County
Mineola
Mineola is a walkable Wood County railroad town with a National Register downtown district and a city-owned nature preserve on the Sabine River offering birding, hiking, mountain biking, equestrian trails, fishing and camping.
Best season: Fall through spring for downtown walking and preserve trails; early mornings are best for birding and summer outdoor activityUpdated Sep 2026
- Mineola Downtown Historic District
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Approx. 105 miles away
Graham · Young County · Prairies & Lakes
Graham
Graham is a north-central Texas courthouse town built around an unusually large downtown square, with western-trail history, public art, local shopping and dining, and easy access to Lake Graham, Lake Eddleman and the wider Possum Kingdom country.
Best season: Fall through spring for downtown walking and regional drives; warm months for lake recreation when weather and water conditions are suitableUpdated Sep 2026
- large downtown square
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Approx. 113 miles away
Glen Rose · Somervell County · Prairies & Lakes
Dinosaur Valley State Park
A Paluxy River park near Glen Rose where 113-million-year-old dinosaur tracks appear in the limestone riverbed, backed by more than 20 miles of trails through rugged North Texas terrain.
Best season: Spring and fall for hiking; track visibility depends on Paluxy River levels
- Main Track Site and Ballroom Track Site in the Paluxy River bed
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- More than 20 miles of hiking and biking trails
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Approx. 119 miles away
Breckenridge · Stephens County · Prairies & Lakes
Breckenridge
Breckenridge is a Stephens County courthouse town with an oil-boom history, a mural-rich downtown, local museums and two major nearby lake landscapes—Hubbard Creek Reservoir and Possum Kingdom country—within an easy west-of-DFW road-trip corridor.
Best season: Fall through spring for downtown, murals and museums; warm months for lake recreation with heat and water-level checksUpdated Sep 2026
- Stephens County Courthouse
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- oil-boom history
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Approx. 140 miles away

Add some water

Nearby water stops

Lakes, rivers, springs and coastal places that can fit into the same trip.

Karnack · Harrison County
Caddo Lake State Park
A cypress-and-Spanish-moss East Texas park on the maze-like waters of Caddo Lake, with paddling, fishing, CCC cabins and easy access to one of the state’s most distinctive wetland landscapes.
Best season: Fall through spring for cooler paddling and hiking; spring is especially good for birding
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Lampasas · Lampasas County
Hancock Springs Park
A historic spring-fed city park in Lampasas built around one of Texas' oldest continuously used public swimming pools, with cool artesian water, mature shade and a strong connection to the town's mineral-springs history.
Best season: Late spring through summer for swimming; spring and fall for a quieter park visitUpdated Aug 2026
- Spring-fed Hancock Springs Pool
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Spicewood · Burnet County
Krause Springs
A privately operated Hill Country swimming destination near Spicewood with spring-fed pools, a small waterfall, cypress trees, gardens and camping on a family-owned property.
Best season: Late spring through early fall for swimming
- Spring-fed swimming pool
- Natural swimming hole and waterfall
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Approx. 239 miles away
Austin · Travis County · Prairies & Lakes
Barton Springs Pool
Austin's landmark spring-fed swimming pool in Zilker Park, supplied by the Edwards Aquifer and holding near 68–70 degrees year-round beneath limestone slopes and mature pecan trees.
Best season: Year-round, with summer the busiest season and cooler mornings quieter
- Spring-fed year-round swimming
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Approx. 247 miles away

Add some Texas context

Historic stops nearby

Historic sites, small towns and road-trip stops that add context to the route.

Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
Nasher Sculpture Center
Nasher Sculpture Center is a compact Dallas Arts District museum devoted to modern and contemporary sculpture, combining Renzo Piano-designed galleries with a landscaped outdoor sculpture garden.
Best season: Year-round, with fall through spring especially pleasant for spending time in the outdoor sculpture garden.Updated Aug 2026
- Modern and contemporary sculpture
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- Renzo Piano architecture
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Approx. 66 miles away

Keep the day outside

More outdoors nearby

Parks, caverns and outdoor destinations that pair naturally with this stop.

Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
A 66-acre botanical garden on the shore of White Rock Lake, known for large seasonal flower displays, formal garden rooms, mature trees, the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden and changing spring and autumn festivals just east of Downtown Dallas.
Best season: Spring for major flower displays and fall for cooler weather and seasonal gardens; summer is best near opening before afternoon heat buildsUpdated Aug 2026
- Sixty-six acres of formal and seasonal gardens
- White Rock Lake views and mature landscape
- Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden
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Approx. 64 miles away
Fort Worth · Tarrant County · Prairies & Lakes
Fort Worth Zoo
Fort Worth Zoo’s aquatic side includes the Great Barrier Reef habitat, where saltwater tanks showcase Australian fish, corals, invertebrates, eels and blacktip reef sharks.
Best season: Fall through spring for comfortable walking; in summer, arrive early and use indoor or shaded habitats during the hottest hours.Updated Aug 2026
- Great Barrier Reef habitat
- Blacktip reef sharks
- Australian aquatic wildlife
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Approx. 78 miles away
Glen Rose · Somervell County
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
A drive-through conservation center near Glen Rose where giraffes, rhinos, antelope and other species roam large Hill Country pastures tied to endangered-species breeding and education.
Best season: Fall through spring for cooler driving and more active animalsUpdated Sep 2026
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Approx. 123 miles away
Jacksonville · Anderson and Cherokee counties County
Neches River National Wildlife Refuge
Neches River National Wildlife Refuge near Jacksonville protects biologically rich bottomland hardwood forest and river habitat in East Texas for migratory birds, resident wildlife and the ecological integrity of the Neches watershed.
Best season: Fall through spring for cooler forest exploration and migration; spring brings strong songbird activity.Updated Sep 2026
- Neches River bottomland hardwoods
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Approx. 150 miles away

Make a weekend of it

Build a full weekend

A mix of towns, food, history, parks and water that can turn one stop into a fuller itinerary.

Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
Dallas Museum of Art
A major downtown Dallas museum in the Arts District with collections spanning thousands of years, from ancient Mediterranean and Asian works to European, American and contemporary art.
Best season: Year-roundUpdated Aug 2026
- Dallas Arts District location
- More than 25,000 works across global collections
- Free general admission
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Approx. 66 miles away
Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a major Dallas family and science attraction in Victory Park, with eleven exhibit halls spanning dinosaurs, Earth systems, engineering, energy, space, human biology and hands-on discovery.
Best season: Year-round indoor attraction; especially useful during North Texas summer heat, winter cold snaps or rainy weather.Updated Aug 2026
- Natural history and dinosaurs
- Science and engineering exhibits
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Approx. 66 miles away

People also visit

Similar destinations, favoring the same region and the shortest available distance.

Karnack · Harrison County
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Karnack protects bottomland hardwood forest, wetlands and former Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant lands beside the Caddo Lake ecosystem, with trails, wildlife viewing and layered military-industrial history.
Best season: Fall through spring for comfortable hiking and birding; spring adds strong songbird activity and lush wetland scenery.Updated Sep 2026
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Approx. 168 miles away
Austin · Travis County
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The University of Texas at Austin's native-plant botanical garden in South Austin, where designed gardens, prairie restoration, an arboretum, family garden and nature trails show how Texas wildflowers and native landscapes can be beautiful, resilient and ecologically useful year-round.
Best season: Spring for wildflowers, fall for comfortable trails and native grasses, and year-round for designed native gardens; bloom timing always depends on weather rather than a fixed calendar dateUpdated Aug 2026
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Approx. 254 miles away
Houston · Harris County
Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center
A 2,800-acre pocket of wetlands, prairie, ponds and woods on Houston’s northeast side, with free entry, accessible trails, fishing and an 82-foot observation tower overlooking the park and distant skyline.
Best season: Spring and fall for comfortable trail weather and birding; the park is open year-round
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Approx. 285 miles away
Houston · Harris County · Prairies & Lakes
Houston Zoo
Houston Zoo no longer has a stand-alone Kipp Aquarium, but aquatic animals remain part of the zoo, with the Galápagos Islands habitat carrying forward a major marine and coastal focus.
Best season: Fall through spring offers the most comfortable outdoor zoo weather; summer visits are best started early with indoor and shaded habitats during peak heat.Updated Aug 2026
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Approx. 290 miles away

Keep exploring the region

More in this part of Texas

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Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
The Dallas World Aquarium
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Best season: Year-round; its largely indoor experience is particularly useful during very hot, cold or rainy Dallas days.Updated Aug 2026
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Approx. 66 miles away
Houston · Harris County · Prairies & Lakes
Downtown Aquarium Houston
A central Houston aquarium-and-entertainment complex combining themed aquatic exhibits, stingray encounters, a shark train, restaurant space and family rides.
Best season: Year-round; indoor exhibits make it weather-flexible, while cooler evenings are better for combining the aquarium with outdoor rides and downtown walking.Updated Aug 2026
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Approx. 287 miles away
Dallas · Dallas County · Prairies & Lakes
Children's Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park
A kid-scaled public aquarium in Dallas’s Fair Park built around eye-level exhibits, touch experiences and approachable marine-life learning for younger visitors.
Best season: Year-round; pair it with Fair Park museums and outdoor spaces when weather is comfortable.Updated Aug 2026
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Approx. 67 miles away
Houston · Harris County · Prairies & Lakes
Houston Interactive Aquarium & Animal Preserve
A north Houston interactive animal attraction combining marine exhibits with birds, reptiles, mammals and bookable in-water or behind-the-scenes experiences.
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The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
A Dallas history museum inside the former Texas School Book Depository that examines President John F. Kennedy's life, the November 22, 1963 assassination in Dealey Plaza, the investigations that followed and the event's lasting place in American memory.
Best season: Year-round; weekday mornings are useful for a quieter gallery visit, while mild fall and spring weather make it easier to spend time outside in Dealey Plaza afterwardUpdated Aug 2026
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Fort Worth · Tarrant County · Prairies & Lakes
Fort Worth Stockyards
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Best season: Fall through spring for comfortable outdoor walking; summer visits work best with indoor breaks and cattle-drive viewing planned around the day's heatUpdated Aug 2026
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Texas Explained

Understand the Texas behind the trip

Go beyond the destination with the systems, landscapes and history that explain why this part of Texas looks and works the way it does.

Texas RegionsSee how geography changes landscapes, climate and travel across the state.Read guide →Cultural RegionsUnderstand the settlement, migration and traditions behind different parts of Texas.Read guide →Farm-to-Market RoadsLearn the road system that still shapes how many Texas destinations connect.Read guide →

Explore all 10 Texas Explained guides →

Continue exploring

Build the weekendStart a Texas itinerary with Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge already on the route.More like thisMore places across Texas with the same kind of appeal.Explore the regionSee what else belongs on the route.Check the calendarAdd festivals, fairs and seasonal events.Look nearbyFind stories and places tied to Sherman.