Hiking Trail Reservations - 2025

Thank you for your interest in visiting Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center!

There is no fee for reservations or trail entry. However, we ask that all visitors consider making a donation to support keeping our sanctuary open and the maintenance of our trails. Donations may be made in person, through our online donation portal at https://dogwood.audubon.org/donate, or here on Ticketleap at the same time as making your online reservation. Please note that Ticketleap charges processing fees. You may avoid the fees by following the link to our donation page.

We also have a gift shop with a large variety of bird and nature-related gifts. Items in our store are curated by our onsite staff. All purchases directly support our sanctuary and conservation mission. A large portion of our products have been selected based on eco-conscious efforts, location made, and brand values (supporting small businesses, minority and women-owned businesses, etc.). We carry local, raw and unfiltered honey as well as bird-friendly coffee, maple syrup, and chocolate. We have a large selection of books, field guides, and puzzles for all ages. We also carry games such as Wingspan (plus expansions and accessories), Ecologies and expansions (designed by a biology teacher), Audubon Bird-Opoly, card decks, kids' games, and more. We offer a variety of native flower and grass seeds from Native American Seed. Other items available in our gift shop include Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center branded souvenirs, hand-carved hiking sticks, plush animals, stationary, candles, and art. Some of our featured artist collections include Rachel Ignotofsky's books and puzzles; Stan Tekiela's books; stickers and other items featuring the whimsical artwork of Mackenzie Myrick; and various items featuring Charley Harper's bird art. Many of our gift shop items are now available for purchase online, including our collection of unframed lithographic "elephant folio" art prints from Of Birds and Texas: The Art of Stuart and Scott Gentling. We love to work with local artists! If you are interested in selling items through our gift shop, contact us.   

Hours:

REGULAR HOURS: We are typically open Wednesday to Saturday from 9:00a-4:00p and Sunday from 11:00a-3:00p. Last trail entry is ONE HOUR prior to our close time. At close time, we lock access to the trails as well as the gate to the circle portion of the parking lot. Please exit the trails and circle parking area prior to closing time.
EXCESS PRECIPITATION: If we have experienced heavy precipitation and the trails are muddy, we will close the trails in order to prevent erosion and manage our expenses. The gift shop, indoor bird blind, Nature Play, restrooms, and water fountains will be open during regular hours unless otherwise noted on our Facebook page. For more information on why we close trails due to precipitation, visit here. 
HOLIDAYS & DAYS OF RECUPERATION: We are closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and most holidays. We are typically closed for an extended period between Christmas and New Years. Check our website for posted holiday hours.

The gravel parking lot closer to FM 1382 (outside of the parking lot gate) does not have access restrictions. If you would like to hike the Balcones Trail or explore nearby, vehicles should be moved to this area after our closing time. The gravel parking lot is shared by our visitors, users of the Balcones Trail (multi-use concrete trail along FM 1382), and Cedar Mountain Preserve. See information about nearby trails on our website. 

The stated Restrictions below apply to all visitors. By accessing our property, you agree to the Restrictions below.

We manage our preserve as a bird and wildlife sanctuary. As such, we manage daily visitor capacity and require that usage of our trails be quiet so that others may enjoy the peace of our sanctuary environment. We cannot guarantee entry for walk-ups, especially on busy days with nice weather, but will accommodate when possible. Large groups of 10 or more individuals may be broken into smaller units if trails are being used by an authorized group for bird walks or meditation. Online reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekends.

Please keep in mind that Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center is private property. Failure to observe the stated Restrictions may result in visitors being asked to leave the property and/or may force closure of the trails.