Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve — Attraction in Southlake

The Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve is an excellent way for the family to connect with nature. Located on the south side of Grapevine Lake in Southlake, it has an educational nature center with 785 acres of woodland and prairie, as well as 20+ miles of trails.

The nature center is front and center when you park. To the right of the Nature Center, there is a "Pollinator Garden" that is fenced in with a set of rules one must follow when inside. To the left of the "Pollinator Garden" there is an old, big red barn. In the field behind the barn there is a nest of man made bird houses and a bat house, both on poles. Behind the Nature Center there is a pavillion with a fire place. Behind the pavillion there are trails that are indicated by where the grass has been mown down. All you have to do is follow the paths with signs and you will eventually loop back to the "Pollinator Garden" if you know the basic direction you are heading (I say this because there were plenty of trails that we did not go down since we only had a few hours until the preserve closed and didn't want to get too far away from the Nature Center before it did close). Some of the trails allow horses and others are only for humans (which are indicated by signs found on the trails). All along the sides of the trails we found bushes of what appeared to be blackberries or mulberries. There was even a blackberry (or mulberry) tree at one point in the trail which we found because there were blackberries (or mulberries) that had fallen on the ground since it was hanging over the trail. Near the blackberry (or mulberry) tree there was a fenced in horse guard leading to a trail that we didn't go through but will surely do so on a future visit.

All in all, this was perfect outing for the family. Some things to remember: 1) Follow the rules on the sign when entering the park 2) Go to the restroom before hitting the trails (there is a porta potty near the "Pollinator Garden") 3) Bring plenty of water to imbibe in while walking the trails 4) Have fun...

I live literally across the street from the Nature Center entrance. It’s beautiful here anytime of year! Great place for young learners during the summer camps/classes. Too bad dogs are not welcome here, as if they are not part of nature. I don’t know who thought up that rule, but it needs to be revised- so many more people would visit if they could walk their dogs and enjoy nature together. The board claims that dogs will disturb the wildlife. They are under the ridiculous assumption that the wildlife stays in the preserve. Someone should explain how this wildlife visits us- they come up into our yards every evening! One doe had a baby in my backyard a couple of weeks ago and frequently leaves it here for hours. They are not disturbed or harmed by anything,...

Beautiful hidden gem! This reserve has lots of parking and is hidden behind in a little oasis of its own. The gates are open from sun up to sun down and it’s free. There is ample parking and a really cute pollinator garden with various flowers and bushes/trees. The trails are nice and well maintained. There’s small trails and a larger trail section which goes onto and around lake grapevine. The trails have various signs explaining the history, wildlife, and plants around the area. Note that there’s NO DOGS allowed on the trail (Fido will have to sit this one out). They have clean bathrooms (port a potties but well maintained) and several picnic area tables to relax under. Very nice area outside of the city to hike, hear the waves and birds,...