Native Grasslands in Texas

Looking for native grasslands in Texas (or nearby) to see, visit, or just learn about for knowledge?

This list is a work in progress – please submit additions, corrections, and updates.

Some of these are on public lands, and others are on private property with limited visitation. Please follow all rules and laws, and don’t trespass.

Many of the sites have native grassland area within a larger site. For these, the “Prairie Size/Size” column will list X/Y meaning X acres of grassland within a larger site of Y size. For many of these sites, the native grassland size is unknown.

RegionNameNearbyOwnershipPrairie Size/SizeGrassland TypesVisitingNotes
Blackland PrairieClymer Meadow PreserveCelesteTNC (private, non-profit)~1000ac/1400acTallgrass prairiePeriodic field trips only
Blackland Prairie Parkhill PrairieBlue RidgePublic – Collin County Parks52/436acPublic Park
Blackland PrairieWhite Rock Lake PrairieDallasPublic – Dallas Parks~250acTallgrass prairie, limestone/chalk prairiePublic park
Blackland PrairieHeard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary McKinneyPrivate, non-profit289acRestored tallgrass prairieOpen to Public
Blackland Prairie Crawford Memorial Park Prairie Pleasant Grove (near Dallas)Public – Dallas Parks and Recreation~27acTallgrass prairiePublic park1
Blackland Prairie Arbor Hills Nature Preserve  Plano
(NE Dallas)
Public – Plano Parks~200acPublic Park
Blackland PrairiePaul Mathews PrairieGreenvilleNPAT (private, non-profit)100acTallgrass prairie Periodic field trips only
PineywoodsMary Talbot PrairieNew BostonNPAT (private, non-profit) 115acPeriodic field trips only
PineywoodsTalbot Brothers PrairieNew BostonNPAT (private, non-profit) 336acPeriodic field trips only
Fort Worth Prairie (Cross Timbers and Prairies) Fort Worth Nature CenterFort WorthFort Worth Parks? /3621acPublic Park
Fort Worth Prairie (Cross Timbers and Prairies) Tandy Hills Natural AreaE Fort WorthFort Worth Parks160acPublic Park
Fort Worth Prairie (Cross Timbers and Prairies) Stella Rowan PrairieFort WorthFort Worth Parks160acPublic Park
Fort Worth Prairie (Cross Timbers and Prairies) LBJ National GrasslandsDecatur (Fort Worth)Federal – USFS? /20,250acPublic LandHigh quality remnants in many units
Blackland PrairiePost Oak Preserve Seagoville (SE Dallas)Dallas Independent School District?/335acPost-Oak Savanna (in E half of preserve)Open to Public1
Blackland Prairie Kachina PrairieEllis (Dallas)TLC (private, non-profit) 30acContact before visiting
Blackland PrairieTridens PrairieParisTNC (private, non-profit) 97aSilveus Dropseed/Longspike Tridens prairieContact before visiting 1 Historical marker, viewable from road
Blackland PrairieSmiley-Woodfin PrairieParisPrivate2100acSilveus Dropseed/Longspike Tridens prairie Private – No public visitation1 Historical marker, viewable from road
Blackland PrairieGambill Goose RefugeParisCity of Paris?/600acSilveus Dropseed/Longspike Tridens prairie Open to public
Blackland Prairie (NE)Daphne PrairieMount VernonPrivate w/ NPAT conservation easement922acPeriodic field trips only
Blackland PrairieCedar Hill State ParkDallasTPWD?/1826acTallgrass prairieOpen to public1 Small remnants in park
Blackland PrairieBurleson PrairieTemplePrivate~300acTallgrass prairie (remnant + restoration)Periodic field trips only 1 2 3 4
Blackland PrairieIndiangrass Prairie PreserveAustinAustin Parks & Recreation~10ac/200acTallgrass prairiePeriodic field trips only
Grand Prairie (Lampasas Cut Plains)Simpson PrairieCrawford/Valley MillsPrivate w/ NPAT conservation easement75acPeriodic field trips only
Post Oak SavannaTanglewood PrairieTanglewoodTLC (private, non-profit) 31acPost oak savannaPeriodic field trips only
Edwards PlateauBalcones Canyonlands NWRLago VistaFederal – USFW?/27,500acMixed-grass prairie, oak savannaOpen to publicDoeskin Ranch unit, Indiangrass Trail
Edwards Plateau Enchanted Rock Natural AreaFredericksburgTPWD?/1643acOak savannaOpen to public
Coastal PrairieAttwater Prairie Chicken NWRSealyFederal – USFW?/10,541acTallgrass prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieLawther – Deer Park Prairie Deer Park (Houston)NPAT (private, non-profit) 51acCoastal prairie Periodic field trips only
Coastal PrairieArmand Bayou Nature Center PrairiePasadena (Houston)Private, non-profit654/?acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieNash PrairieWest Columbia (Houston)TNC400acCoastal prairiePeriodic field trips only
Coastal PrairieMowatny Prairie West Columbia (Houston) TNC101acCoastal prairie Periodic field trips only
Coastal PrairieBrazos Bend State ParkNeedvilleTPWD?/4897acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieUniversity of Houston Coastal CenterLa Marque (HoustonPrivate non-profit200acCoastal prairieBy special arrangement only
Coastal PrairieTexas City Prairie PreserveTexas CityTNC (private, non-profit)?/2303acCoastal prairieVolunteers and appointment only
Coastal PrairieAnahuac NWR AnahuacUSFW?/34,000acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieBrazoria NWRBrazoriaUSFW?/44,413acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieSan Bernard NWRBrazoriaUSFW?/54,000acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieJustin Hurst WMABrazoriaTPWD?/15,612acCoastal prairie (cordgrass)Open to public
Coastal PrairieMad Island Marsh PreserveBay CityTNC (private, non-profit)?/7063acCoastal prairiePeriodic field trips only
Coastal PrairieMad Island WMABay CityTPWD?/7200acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieAransas NWRAustwellUSFW?/115,324acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieMatagorda Island WMAAustwellTPWD?/56,688acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieMustang Island State ParkCorpus CristiTPWD?/3954acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieGalveston Island State ParkGalvestonTPWD?/2013acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieSan Jacinto Battleground State Historic SiteLa Porte (Houston)THC?/455acCoastal prairie (restoration)Open to public
Coastal PrairiePowerhorn Ranch WMA/State ParkPort O’ConnorTPWD?/17,351acCoastal prairieNot yet open1 2 3
Coastal PrairiePadre Island National SeashoreCorpus CristiNPS?/130,434acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieRefugio-Goliad Prairie ProjectVictoriaPrivate?/?Coastal prairiePrivate, no public visitation1
Coastal PrairieLaguna Atascosa NWRBrownsvilleUSFW?/97,000acCoastal prairieOpen to public
Coastal PrairieEunice Cajun Prairie Eunice, LAPrivate non-profit10acCoastal prairie (restoration)Open to public
Coastal PrairieDuralde PrairieMamou, LAUSFW?/334acCoastal prairie (restoration)Open to public
Rolling PlainsMaddin Prairie PreserveColorado CityNPAT1114acMixed-grass prairiePeriodic field trips only
Rolling PlainsCaprock Canyon State ParkQuitaqueTPWD?/15,314acMixed-grass and short-grass prairieOpen to public
Trans-PecosDavis Mountains State ParkFort DavisTPWD2709acMountain desert grasslandOpen to public
Trans-PecosDavis Mountains PreserveFort Davis TNC?/33,075ac/102,675ac(easements)Mountain desert grasslandOpen to public
Trans-PecosBig Bend National ParkAlpineNPS?/801,163acMountain desert grasslandOpen to public
Trans-PecosMarathon Grasslands PreserveMarathonTNC (private, non-profit)2701acMountain desert grasslandClosed to the public (visible from road)Frequent black-tailed prairie dog and pronghorn antelope sightings
Trans-PecosChinati Montains SNAMarfaTPWD?/38,137acMountain desert grasslandNot yet open to public
Trans-Pecos Davis Mtns areaAlpinePrivate, mixed?Mountain/desert grasslandVariousDrive the Fort Davis, Marfa, Alpine, Marathon area
High PlainsPalo Duro Canyon State ParkCanyonTPWD?/16,402acShort-grass prairieOpen to public
High PlainsRita Blanca
National Grassland
TexlineFederal – USFS?/92,989acShort-grass prairie Open to public
High PlainsAlibates Flint Quarries National MonumentFritchFederal – USNPS?/1371acShort-grass prairieOpen to public
High PlainsBuffalo Lake NWRCanyonFederal – USFW?/7664acShort-grass prairieOpen to public
High PlainsGrulla NWRArch, NMFederal – USFW?/3230acShort-grass prairie Open to public
High PlainsMuleshoe NWRMuleshoeFederal – USFW?/6440acShort-grass prairie Open to public
High PlainsLake Meredith NRAFederal – NPS?/44,878acShort-grass prairieOpen to public1 2 3
High PlainsYoakum Dunes Preserve/WMALubbockTPWD/TNC?/14,037acShort-grass prairieClosed to public1 2 3

Other Sources