Go Outside

What Kind of Naturalist Are You?

NATURALIST DESCRIPTION

The Naturalist-In-Training

Fascinated with all things outdoors? How could you possibly choose?
You don’t need to pick a topic to be a student of nature. What will it be today? A walk through the woods, a painted prairie in full bloom, a bird’s flight through binoculars, or a fossil from an ancient ocean? With so much to discover, there’s no time to waste. Nature calls!

The Outdoor Adventurer

Bring on the unpaved trails, rushing water, and rocky slopes! Obstacles are a welcome challenge for the Outdoor Adventurer. An adrenaline seeker, you love all things active that test your skills. Mountain bikes, hiking boots, kayaks, and more, outdoor adventure is the best kind of fun.

The Birder

From cranes to songbirds and everything else in between, the Birder has eyes fixed on the sky. When bird calls get stuck in your head instead of the latest hit single and you can read flight patterns better than social cues, you might just fit this character.

The Botanist

Fascinated with all things plants? Why look up when you can look down? There is so much to discover when the grasses, the trees, and the flowers all have a story to tell. From the prairies to the woods and beyond, the botanical world is full of wonder and complexity just waiting for you to take notice.

The Entomologist

Iridiscent beetles, flittering fritillaries, a flash of dragonfly wings–for the Entomologist, excitement comes from your next big little discovery! When bug nets and headlamps become your favorite fashion accessories and your Friday night lights involve a white sheet and moths, this whole kingdom of life in miniature may be your calling.

The Forester

Called to the woods, the Forester is in awe of the gentle giants of the plant world. A welcome environment for all, trees provide shade and shelter for many kinds of life. Find something new around every bend each time you walk down a winding wooded trail.

The Geologist

The history of the distant past is written in the land. Landscapes, rocks, and fossils tell a vivid story of ancient oceans, lands, and life. Uncover your Geologist and hold in your hands a moment in the deep time of natural history.

The Wetlander

Are your daydreams filled with the warm feeling of sunlight on your skin, birds chattering overhead, and sparkling water? Caught in the currents and swept along like the shimmering fish and underwater plants, you simply can’t resist. For this character, a rushing river, the salty coastline, or a sunrise over the wetland never fail to amaze.

The Wildlife Biologist

Channeling your inner “Crocodile Hunter,” reptiles, birds, and critters have never intimidated you. Through the woods, under the logs, into the water, discovery awaits! When animals are easier to understand than people, and you follow more muddy tracks than Instagram pages, you might just be a Wildlife Biologist.

 

22 Dallas-Area Parks for the Naturalist in You

Explore the What Kind of Naturalist Are You? Interactive Map.

 

Park

Feature for the Naturalist

200 acres of Blackland Prairie. Upland riparian forest ecoregions with creeks. Nine miles of paved, dirt, and DORBA trails, some with interpretive signage. Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Site. Partner in American Kestrel Partnership. Monarch migration stopover. Parking lot biofilter for rain runoff.
100+ acres of upland forest on limestone hills. Highly rated for off-road biking—features one of the most difficult DORBA trails in DFW. Blue Trail—6 mile beginner, more family friendly, bypasses difficult terrain. Red Trail—12-mile intermediate/advanced, hills, rocky descents, creek crossings.

400+ acres. East of Rowlett Creek: Home to Texas champion Box Elder. Deep woods on south end. West of Rowlett Creek: Limestone outcroppings and plentiful fossils in Beck’s Branch. A wildflower meadow with loop trail supports a vigorous Eastern Bluebird population.

1200+ acres of rugged limestone hills with pockets of Blackland Prairie along 7,500-acre Joe Pool Lake. Off-road biking/hiking loop maintained by DORBA, with some interpretive signage. Home to over 200 bird species, including the endangered Black-Capped Vireo. Overnight camping, swimming, fishing.
Nearly 10 miles of well-maintained, rugged trails explore 600+ acres of steep limestone hills and soaring 755-feet escarpments with epic views. Lush valleys, riparian corridors, and ponds. Blackland prairie restorations. Butterfly garden. Site of native Texas orchids. Great spot for birders.
A few miles of gentle trails through 66 acres of Eastern Cross Timbers, Blackland Prairie, and riparian Cottonwood Creek corridor. Natural springs that flow north (a rarity) are found along the creek. Butterfly garden. Center offers naturalist training for children and guided nature walks.
Three hiking trails of varying difficulty trace the canyon floor up to the hill tops—one trail with a view all the way to Arlington! Dogwood grove flowers in spring. Superb bird watching. Rich in native plant species and pollinators. Excellent visitor center with talks and events for all ages.
Quiet, deeply wooded preserve along Trinity’s Elm Fork with 14-acre pond, wetlands, and wildflower meadows. Loop walking path through the woods and along the pond.
Nearly 315-acre park with wetlands and Lemmon Lake, plentiful migrating waterfowl, year-round shorebirds. Paved lakeshore trail part of extensive Great Trinity Forest system that leads to Trinity River Audubon Center.
Wetlands purify wastewater and provide habitat for waterfowl and wildlife. Home to nesting pair of bald eagles. Sightings of over 260 varieties of birds. Fantastic views of the wetlands from the one-mile boardwalk and a trail to the Trinity River. Water education center. Monthly public days.
1100+ acres where Blackland Prairies and Eastern Cross Timbers meet. Bobcats, wild turkeys, river otter, beaver, wide variety of reptiles/amphibians. Wading and woodland birds and the iconic dickcissel in its prairie habitat. Two blinds for wetland wildlife viewing. 10+ miles of trails, including boardwalks and paddling trails. Pollinators, damselflies, dragonflies, and beetles galore! Guided walks/workshops.
1100+ acres where Blackland Prairies and Eastern Cross Timbers meet. Bobcats, wild turkeys, river otter, beaver, wide variety of reptiles/amphibians. Wading and woodland birds and the iconic dickcissel in its prairie habitat. Two blinds for wetland wildlife viewing. 10+ miles of trails, including boardwalks and paddling trails. Pollinators, damselflies, dragonflies, and beetles galore! Guided walks/workshops.

1100+ acres where Blackland Prairies and Eastern Cross Timbers meet. Bobcats, wild turkeys, river otter, beaver, wide variety of reptiles/amphibians. Wading and woodland birds and the iconic dickcissel in its prairie habitat. Two blinds for wetland wildlife viewing. 10+ miles of trails, including boardwalks and paddling trails. Pollinators, damselflies, dragonflies, and beetles galore! Guided walks/workshops.

800-acre park along Rowlett Creek with 13 miles of concrete and soft surface trails through Blackland Prairie, woods, wetlands. Zip line. Equestrian area.
Nearly 100 acres of riparian hardwood forest along channelized creek. Four miles of flat naturalist trails with bird blinds. 15+ miles of DORBA trails. Wildlife tracks in bottomland mud. Pollinator garden.
About 200 acres of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest with some of the oldest (up to 150 years), tallest (100+ feet tall), and widest (trunks 4 feet wide) trees in the county. Paved/soft-surface trails.
Over 100 deeply wooded acres along limestone creek. Several miles of paved trails with picnic areas. Trail links to Galatyn Woodland Preserve.
130 acres reclaimed from an illegal dump. Four miles of hiking trails and boardwalks with bird blinds through wetlands, riparian forest, and Blackland Prairie. Bottomland trail with river access. Pollinator garden. Excellent visitor center. Classes and events for all ages. Perfect place for new naturalists!
Paved 5-mile trail atop levees along channelized section of Trinity River with views of downtown Dallas. Dirt trails in river bottom. Waterfowl, birds of prey, and wading birds when river is up. Ronald Kirk Bridge for bicyclists/pedestrians. Connects to extensive trails going south and north.

Wonderful getaway in heart of Oak Cliff. Gentle 5+ acres on former apartment site. Trails through woods and Blackland Prairie recreation. Pollinator garden. Outdoor classroom for elementary students.

Beloved 1254-acre lake with 10 miles of paved trails. Great birdwatching at northern end, Sunset Bay, and below spillway. Brown pelicans and other waterfowl migrators overwinter. Look for twiggy nests of monk parakeet colony at electrical substation and nearby towers off White Rock Rd. Naturalist museum at Bath House Cultural Center. 250+ acres of Blackland Prairie. Sailboating, canoeing, kayaking.

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Board Meetings are open to all members and to the public. Please contact the Vice President at vicepresident@ntmn.org for meeting details if you want to...
December 4, 2024    
7:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Green Shoots:  Waking Up to a Natural Wisdom  (Iceland Fishing Village) “To be surprised, to wonder, is to begin to understand . . . everything...
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center || 1st Saturday Walk & Talk Bird Tour (AT) Saturday, December 7, 2024  ||  7:30am – 9:30am Join us as...
Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center || 1st Saturday Bird Walk (AT) Saturday, December 7, 2024  || 8:30am – 9:30am  CT Description:  A guided bird walk. It...
Heard Museum || 1st Saturday Guided Trails  (AT) Saturday, December 7, 2024  ||  9:30am – -10:30am CT Experience the ecology, geology, flora and fauna of...
Heard Museum || 2nd Saturday Bird Walk (AT) Saturday, December 14, 2024  |  8am-9:30am CT 2nd Saturday Bird Walks are intended to help beginning and...
TMN-Elm Fork Chapter || 2nd Saturday Trail Walk at Furneaux Creek (AT) Saturday, December 14, 2024   8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Description: Fun for all...
Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center || Guided Tree ID Walk (AT) Saturday, December 14, 2024  || 10am– 11:30am   CT Description: Join us for a guided tree...
Heard Museum || 3rd Thursday Bird Walk (AT) Saturday, December 19, 2024  |  8am – 9:30am CT 3rd Thursday Bird Walks in the Heard Wildlife...
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center || 3rd Saturday Guided Boardwalk Tour (AT) Saturday, December 21, 2024 ||  9:00 AM – 10:30 AM    CT   As...
January 1, 2025    
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Welcome the New Year by strolling with friends on a small-group guided walk along the creek and through the massive trees of Spring Creek Forest...
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LLELA || First Day Nature Hike (AT) Wednesday, January 1, 2025  |  10:00am – 11:30am   CT Description:  Kick off the New Year with an invigorating...
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Chapter Meeting Placeholder. A further description monthly meeting will appear here as the scheduled meeting draws near. Join us in north Dallas at Dallas College...
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center || 1st Saturday Walk & Talk Bird Tour (AT) Saturday, January 4, 2025  ||  7:30am – 9:30am Description:  Join us...
Heard Museum || 1st Saturday Guided Trails  (AT) Saturday, January 4, 2025  ||  9:30am – -10:30am CT Experience the ecology, geology, flora and fauna of...
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