Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge — Attraction in Whitesboro

I've only visited a couple of times and still have a lot of exploring to do, but...

My first impressions of HNWR are positive. The park is clean. Large visitor center. Trails are well-marked and well-maintained. The roads need a little work, but they're passable, even in the old Family Truckster.

This is not a "things to do" park, as far as I can tell, so don't expect an amusement park when you arrive. This is a quiet, mostly pristine space that accommodates human visitation.

Dogs are welcome. Leash required on the trail. There's room to walk your dog off-leash away from the designated walking trails. (Please clean up after your sweet babies. 😉)

Lots of lakefront shallows to fish. It's nearly always super windy there, so come prepared. Bring water!

Yesterday I saw about 300 geese land on the lake at sunset. It was breathtaking. I saw a 6-7 lb. catfish swimming in the shallows, his back totally exposed above the water, silver and shining in the late afternoon sun.

There is a day area that's been full every time I've been there. Even in January, when the lake was frozen over, the day use area was in use. But if you're interested in solitude, there is plenty of open space in the park where you can find a quiet spot to sit and breathe. The open part of the park is never crowded. That's where we spend most of our time.

There are multiple active oil leases in the park, but the pumpjacks are quiet, and on especially foggy days, they actually add something a little spooky to the visit. It's kind of cool.

Highly...

Been here several times over the past two years. Stunning lake Texoma scenery and great variety of wildlife. Unfortunately invasive feral hogs also call this place home. Though I have not seen any in broad daylight, I have heard several warning grunts and have seen one running in the distance while on the meadow pond trail. Though they aren’t outright aggressive, they’re not an animal I want to encounter. They aren’t pretty, they can charge (though uncommon), and they greatly damage the ecosystem. I would still highly recommend the meadow pond trail, just be aware of the hogs and stay on the trail. With a variety of habitats, several hikes, and lake Texoma coast, this place offers not only scenery, but also boasts a variety of wildlife. I have seen deer, roadrunners, snow geese, pelicans, snowy egrets, blue herons, white-tailed kite, diamond back water snake, killdeer, snapping turtle, gar, bold eagle, kestral, northern shoveler, night heron, and...

I live near the Refuge and hike/explore it often. My two retrievers love it. The water's edge at Lake Texoma is easy access at several points. The historical Red River forms the lake behind the Dennison Dam. The Refuge management has maintained several walking paths of varying lengths up two 3 miles and more. Occasional flooding occurs when heavy rains blanket the huge watershed. The flood levels and water backups are amazing. The power of water never ceases to amaze me. To see any wildlife other than migratory bird flocks, you have to walk the trails at sunset when the fauna become active. There is just enough car traffic during the day to keep the animals bashful. Learn your animal poop and paw prints. By these you...