9601 Fossil Ridge Road

Fort Worth, Texas
817-237-1111

Hours:  Open daily (except major holidays) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturdays, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the Refuge gates open at 7 a.m. The Hardwicke Interpretive Center is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Interpretive Center is closed on Monday.

Admission Free

Explore the Texas wilderness that greeted the first pioneers at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. You'll see native wildlife and plants — including buffalo, white-tailed deer and Texas wildflowers — as you discover 25 miles of trails. The 3,500-acre sanctuary is located just 10 miles from downtown Fort Worth. The Hardwicke Interpretive Center includes nature programs, exhibits, and a library.

Stockyards National Historic District

130 E. Exchange Ave.

Fort Worth, Texas

817-624-4741

Guided walking tours daily 1-4 pm

Daily longhorn cattle drive 11:30am and 4pm, weather permitting.

Admission Free, charge for certain attractions
This historic area encompasses 125 acres/50 hectares of cattle pens and renovated buildings once used during Fort Worth's cattle-boom era. A lot of the original complex remains, and you'll still occasionally see horses tied to the hitching posts that line Exchange Avenue. The 10-block district is crammed with galleries, restaurants, saloons and western shops. The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame showcases history's top cowboys and cowgirls. Visitors can also get a taste of the past when a herd of legendary longhorns—descendants of cattle Christopher Columbus brought over from Spain—are driven through each day at 11:30 am and 4 pm, weather permitting. Horseback and carriage rides are available.

Cattle Raiser Museum

1301 West Seventh Street

Fort Worth, Texas

817-332-8551
Hours: Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Admission Charged

Discover the true story of the cattle and ranching industry in the Southwest. Talking mannequins, interactive exhibits, and authentic artifacts give you an up-close look at cattlemen, cowboys, ranch hands, and rustlers. The museum is also home to the largest documented branding iron collection in the world. It's an entertaining experience for the entire family.

The Tarantula Train
Depot locations: Grapevine Cotton Belt Depot, Main St. and Fort Worth Stockyards Station, 140 E. Exchange Ave.

817-625-RAIL or 800-952-5717
Train operates Wednesday – Sunday, call for additional information

Admission Charged

Tracing the trails once used by cowboys and ranch hands to herd cattle, this restored steam train takes passengers on a ride in true-to-the-era style. The name of the train comes from the 1873 railroad map, which showed the city as the central station with routes branching off like the legs of a spider. The train uses an 1896 steam locomotive, nicknamed "Puffy," that pulls four 1925-day coaches. It tours approximately 21 miles of the "Cotton Belt Route," traveling the communities of Grapevine, Colleyville and North Richland Hills before concluding in the Stockyards.