Hagerman NWR, Texoma, Brushy Creek, Sandy Creek

The Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is only an hour from the DFW metroplex and has a boat launch from which you can explore several creeks or Lake Texoma itself. Non-motorized boats are allowed all year, and the launch is the first right (L Pad) off the gravel road (Bennett Lane) on the west side of the refuge past the Big Mineral Public Use Area (huh?). If you paddle right from the launch point you can go up Big Mineral Creek, if you paddle left you can explore Sandy Creek, Brushy Creek, or go out towards Lake Texoma. I have generally been careful to not paddle in the main bird watching areas; people taking the auto-tour are usually birding. The lake can be a bit windy, so it’s worth watching that or the trip back can be a slog. Also, at low water it may not be possible to get out to the lake from the launch site, you run aground in shallow mudflats. The scenery changes from season to season and so its worth to do trips at different times of the year. The route shown here was done early spring and goes out to the lake and up the Sandy and Brushy Creeks as far up as was possible.