Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bessie Heard was born in 1886, the eldest of five daughters of one of Collin County's founding famil-
ies. She never married but instead poured her energy into civic pursuits, including establishing this
museum and sanctuary in 1964. She died in 1988 at the age of 101. Miss Bess, as she was affection-
ately known, was passionate about encouraging children's love of nature, and her legacy continues to
grow with the facility's ever-expanding array of exhibits and events.
Kids will love the 25,000-square-foot education center with its exhibits on dinosaurs, snakes, and
geodes. The 289-acre center offers more than 6.5 miles of trails and is home to more than 240 species
of animals. You might catch a glimpse of flying squirrels, alligator snapping turtles, and the occasional
bobcat.
A sign as you enter the trail warns about the dangers of copperhead snakes, whose reddish brown
color can blend in with the sandy dirt trail. Keep an eye out as you walk for snakes that may be sun-
ning themselves on the trail.
To sample a variety of ecosystems, this hike combines the 1.0-mile Bluestem Trail, named for a
grass that grows to 4 feet tall, and the 1.0-mile Wood Duck Trail.
From the education center, exit to the back patio and look for the trail marker. Veer left and head to-
ward the center's outdoor animal exhibits. True to its sanctuary designation, Heard provides a home
for wayward and injured animals, including several exotic species as well as Texas natives. There's
also a new butterfly garden.
Detour through the exhibits and pick up the trail again, veering right into the blackland prairie. Here
an educational marker explains that Texas has retained only a tiny fraction—less than 0.04 percent—of
the twelve million acres of blackland prairie that once covered the state. The trail winds through a for-
ested wetland and becomes a boardwalk over the mud. The Bluestem Trail ends near a large picnic pa-
vilion. Go right and pick up the Wood Duck Trail, a boardwalk over a pond where several benches
provide ideal spots for wildlife watching. The trail curves back around to rejoin the Bluestem Trail.
Turn around and retrace your steps back to the education center.
