ARRIVAL: Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is open from dawn to dusk. The Visitors Center opens at 9:00 a.m. To beat the heat, take advantage of the best light, see the most wildlife, and, possibly, get some sunrise photos, I plan to arrive at about 6:00 a.m. It should light by then. On July 18, 2026, according to Photo Pills, astronomical twilight will start at 4:34 a.m., nautical twilight will start at 5:13 a.m., the blue hour will start at 5:48 a.m., the golden hour will start at 6:00 a.m., and sunrise will be at 6:17 a.m. Admission to Hagerman is free.
Meadow Pond Trail
LOCATION Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge
(903) 786-2826
www.fws.gov/refuge/hagerman/
WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT
As I thought about dealing with the heat of summer, it seemed a good idea to minimize the heat by arriving first thing in the morning. I have never seen Hagerman NWR looking so beautiful as on the day I was there for reconnaissance. With all the rain this spring, the place was overrun by wildflowers.
Hagerman NWR is a great place to photograph flowers, insects (including butterflies) birds of all sorts (water birds, perching birds, raptors, vultures), landscapes, and waterscapes. In short, it’s a nature photographer’s dream, especially if we arrive early while birds are active and the heat isn’t.
TRAVEL
Hagerman NWR is about an hour north (and a little west) of the Heard Nature Center in McKinney. Drive north on Central Expressway (U.S. 75) to westbound U.S. 82 in Sherman. Drive west on U.S. 82 for a few miles and exit onto northbound Texas Highway 289 (Preston Road). Drive north on Texas 289 for about four miles and turn left (west) onto Refuge Road. Follow Refuge Road until you arrive at Hagerman NWR. I have included a map of Hagerman NWR below. Trails are marked by red dashed lines. You can get more information on the Hagerman NWR Web site.
Once you arrive at Hagerman NWR, there are several options for photographers.
Small Arm of Lake Texoma from Haller’s Haven Trail
Option 1: For those interested in macrophotography of flowers or insects, the butterfly garden next to the parking lot outside the Visitors Center (on the right just as you arrive at Hagerman NWR) is an excellent opportunity. This option involves little walking, since you would just be walking around the butterfly garden on the edge of the parking lot. This may be a good place to end the day for anyone worried about the heat as the later morning warms, since there is little walking and it is next to the air-conditioned Visitor’s Center.
Option 2: For photographing water birds or wildflowers, continue past the Visitors Center and turn left onto Wildlife Drive. A little after the bridge, a series of roads to the right (traveling away from the Visitors Center) are named for various types of birds. Those roads take you out to ponds and, ultimately, to Lake Texoma. The ponds are good locations for photographing water birds. There is little walking involved, since you can drive to a location and shoot from near your vehicle (or from your vehicle if you like).
Option 3: For landscapes, waterscapes, water birds, wildflowers, and lotus pads and blossoms, park at the trail head for the Meadow Pond Trail at end of Wildlife Drive. Hike 2 to 2.5 miles each way along the Meadow Pond Trail to Meadow Pond. (Meadow Pond is a large pond well past Deaver Pond along the Meadow Pond Trail. So, don’t stop when you get to Deaver Pond. There’s still a way to go.) Hagerman NWR has an open van that can carry nine passengers. Let me know in the comments when you register if you are interested in going out to Meadow Pond, but you feel you may not be up to the hike. If there is enough interest in Meadow Pond from HNP members who are unable to hike that far, I will explore the possibility of having someone from Hagerman NWR drive a group out and back in the van. I can’t make any promises, but I will try if there is a need.
Option 4: For more opportunities to photograph water birds, turn right onto Bennett Lane where Wildlife Drive dead ends at the Meadow Pond Trail Head. Follow Bennett Lane until you start seeing small, square, green signs with a single letter. (“L,” “H,” or “B,” for example.) Some signs may be slightly obscured by vegetation. The signs identify dirt roads that go to the right (again, traveling away from the Visitors Center), out toward Lake Texoma. These roads take you out to various pads where oil pumps are located. The Hagerman NWR staff told me that Pad L, Pad H, and Pad B tend to be particularly good for water birds. The day I was there, an owl (obviously not a water bird) had been spotted somewhere along Pad L. Again, there is not much walking involved, since you drive to a location and shoot from that location (or from your air-conditioned vehicle).
Option 5: After passing the Visitors Center, continue straight on Refuge Road past Wildlife Drive. Follow Refuge Road on its winding path to Haller’s Haven Nature Trail where you will find a two-mile round trip hike. Park and follow the trail past Dead Woman Pond (I’m not sure I want to know how the pond got its name.) and over the foot bridge for excellent opportunities to photograph perching birds, raptors, vultures, fungi, wildflowers, landscapes, and waterscapes. There is some elevation gain, but nothing too strenuous, and the trail is well marked, though unpaved.
Option 6: After passing the Visitors Center, continue straight on Refuge Road past Wildlife Drive. Just a little way down the road, before crossing the water, turn right to Myer’s Photo Blind Trail (less than one-tenth of a mile hike each way). I did not visit this site, but, apparently, there is a photo blind overlooking a small arm of Lake Texoma.
Canada Geese Crossing Wildlife Drive at the Bridge
LUNCH
Napoli’s Italian Restaurant is located on Preston Road (Texas Highway 289) in Pottsboro. It is about ten minutes from the Visitors Center at Hagerman NWR. The restaurant was recommended by the staff at Hagerman, so I tried it. The food was good, reasonably priced, the service was excellent, and there is plenty of room for us.
The restaurant opens at 11:00 a.m. I am guessing that everyone who arrives early at Hagerman NWR will be more than ready for lunch by then. So, we will meet at the restaurant for lunch at 11:00 a.m. I will need to give the restaurant a count of how many they need to prepare for. So, when you register, please let me know in the comments if you plan to join us for lunch.
Napoli’s Italian Restaurant
13015 Texas 298 (Preston Road)
Pottsboro, Texas 75076
(903) 786-2383
https://napolisrestaurantandbar.com/
SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT
Wide-Angle Lens for landscapes and waterscapes. (A zoom lens adds flexibility.)
Macro Lens, Extension Tubes, or Close-Up Diopters for macro shots of flowers, plants, or insects.
A telephoto lens (A zoom lens adds flexibility.)
Tripod or monopod (Optional)
If you have one, you may want to bring a super-telephoto lens (300mm or more), or teleconverter(s), or both to capture bird images when you can’t get close enough for a shorter telephoto lens. (A zoom lens adds flexibility.)
Extra Batteries and Memory Cards
Water
Snacks
Long sleeved shirt and long pants for protection against mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers.
Hat for protection from the sun.
Insect repellent
Sucscreen.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Contact me if you have questions:
Tom Martin
HNP Field Trip Coordinator
(469) 261-3045
Map of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge