FAQs

Unlike a park, the primary focus of a preserve is to maintain and/or restore natural ecological conditions to protect native plants and wildlife. Preserves may be open to the public for hiking and educational opportunities, but they might not offer as wide a variety of recreational opportunities as a park. Visitation and amenities at a preserve are limited in order to prevent deterioration of the land. Also, nature preserves often do not have paid employees to pick up litter and perform other maintenance, but rather depend on volunteers and donors to help with the upkeep of the habitat.

The preserve is jointly owned by the City of Dallas, Dallas County, and the Town of Cedar Hill. Audubon Dallas holds the managing contract.

Group volunteer days happen regularly at the Preserve. Conservation-in-Action Workdays areheld on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. Summer hours are 8am-11am. Winter hours are 9am-12pm. Volunteer activities frequently include habitat restoration and trail maintenance. Click here for more information or contact crp@audubondallas.org for questions and comments.

Yes! The Preserve has programs like the Junior Ranger program, bilingual guided hikes, Young Naturalists programs, pollinator garden workshops, moth nights, night hikes, story times, chalk walks, and more. Check out the calendar or follow our Facebook and Instagram for more information.

During the summer, most people will be at the gate right at 6:30 am and finish their hike before temperatures start rising. We are open Tuesday-Sunday, 6:30 am until sunset. The gate will be locked one hour after sunset. We are closed to all on Mondays.

There is no entry fee, but because we rely on volunteers and donations to maintain the Preserve, a donation of $5 or more is encouraged. There are two donation boxes. One is in front of the education building and the second box is in the main parking lot.We also accept donations through QR code with multiple signs posted throughout the entrance area.

There is a gravel parking lot and marked spaces inside the Preserve. Overflow parking is available down the street at Park in the Woods Recreation Center, 6801 Mountain Creek Parkway. Please respect the neighborhood parking signage.

Yes and no. On some holidays landing on Mondays, the preserve opens as a fundraising day. For holidays landing on other days, the preserve will open as usual. Please refer back to the rolling banner on this website, the Cedar Ridge Preserve Facebook page, or Instagram page for the most up-to-date information.

The Preserve closes for a few reasons such as heavy rain, heat warnings, and cleanup and maintenance. Trails in this area are especially susceptible to rain. Typically, the trails close after a few days of rain when the trails become saturated. To keep our trails from eroding, we close specific trails from a few days to a few weeks. We may also close the entire preserve to the public if we deem that all trails are saturated. It is important to remember that most trail work is done by volunteers and additional work may not be possible immediately.

The Preserve may also close in summer heat when the heat index is above 105 and there is an official heat warning from the National Weather service. This is done for visitor safety. Cedar Ridge Preserve staff also leaves coolers of water along the trails for visitors.

The preserve may also close for rain and/or ice storm cleanup and maintenance. Entire trees or tree limbs may have fallen on the trails and will need to be removed. Notices will be posted whenever there is a planned maintenance or improvement project.

Yes, there are restrooms at the entrance near the main parking lot, but not along the trails. A water fountain is located right in front of the restroom building as well.

No, the trails at Cedar Ridge Preserve are for pedestrian traffic only. Additionally, horses, one-wheels, scooters, any motorized-vehicles, etc., are not allowed on the trails. Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association (DORBA) maintains biking trails in nearby areas such as Cedar Hill State Park and Big Cedar Wilderness.

Yes. Dogs must be kept on a physical leash and under owner’s control at all times. Electronic dog collars do not fulfill this requirement. Dog waste must be picked up and deposited in trash cans at the entrance. Leaving dog waste on the trail or nearby, bagged or otherwise, is prohibited.

No, external speakers are not allowed at the preserve. Please leave them at home. Please consider the effect on the resident wildlife and other visitors to the preserve. Ifusing cellphone speakers, they should only be audible within 10 feet. We highly highlyrecommend earbuds.

Fire/Rescue Station 12 is a quarter of a mile from our gate, and they know the trails and use our UTV. Most injuries are sprained ankles. Animal problems are more likely to be dogs than snakes. The biggest issue is dehydration and heat exhaustion. Take water and your cell phone. Pay attention to where you are – trail name and mile marker. Stay on the trails. Allow plenty of time. If you are feeling unsure of hiking safety, we recommend hiking with a friend or group and having a charged phone. Call 911 if youneed emergency services.

There are venomous snakes at the Preserve. If you see one, give it a wide berth and leave it alone. It will usually go on its way by itself. Snakes and other animals are protected species at the Preserve.

No, all natural specimens and archeological artifacts are protected by state law. Flowers, moss, stones, trees, seeds, etc., can not be collected. Butterflies, snakes, lizards, other insects, etc., can not be collected.

There are several hiking trails, with varying degrees of ease/difficulty. Click here to see Trail Profiles.

Each trail has different canopy cover, but there is a good amount of shade throughout the Preserve. Typically, the prairie area closest to the pond is unshaded.

The Little Bluestem Trail and Butterfly Garden are ADA accessible.

There are picnic tables, but cooking is prohibited in the Preserve. Additionally, NO fires may be started at the preserve.

We welcome family visits! However, parties are not allowed. As a preserve, our number one priority is the natural habitat and the wildlife. There are no fields for ball games at the preserve. It is also highly recommended you not bring any soccer balls, footballs, volleyballs, etc., along the trails. For parties and field games, please consider Park-in-the-Woods Recreation Center right outside the preserve.

Yes, please email crp@audubondallas.org to reserve the space for your group.

No, please stay on the marked trails.

Yes, Poison Ivy along with Poison Oak and Poison Sumac grows along most of the trails.

Yes, there is a lost and found at the education building. If the building is closed, there is a cubby on the door for found items. Staff usually keep items for up to a year after which they are either donated or thrown away.

No, vendors are not allowed on the property.

No, camping is not allowed at the Preserve. Hanging hammocks is prohibited anywhere in the preserve.

No, drones are not allowed at the preserve without prior permission.

No, hunting of any type is not allowed.

Fishing is allowed on a catch and release basis only.

There is a pond at the preserve, but swimming is not allowed. We suggest not letting dogs in the pond either as there is no flowing water. There are multiple creeks withm flowing water throughout the preserve. Additionally there is a hose available to rapidly cool off dogs.

Water is only available at the water fountain in front of the restroom building.