Are you interested in getting up-close-and-personal with the Fort Worth Herd but have no idea where to start? Here are five ways to see the drovers and longhorns.
Twice-Daily Cattle Drive
The world's only twice-daily cattle drive runs every day (with the exception of three holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter) down East Exchange Avenue.
Both of the cattle drives, which occur at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., are about eight minutes long. The drive starts at the Fort Worth Petting Zoo (157 E. Exchange Ave.) across from Stockyards Station and concludes just beyond the Livestock Exchange Building. Two of the best viewing spots, in our opinion, are in front of the Livestock Exchange Building (131 E. Exchange Ave.) and the RFD-TV Building (130 E Exchange Ave.), which are located directly across the street from each other. Standing on the sidewalk on either side makes for a great view because the drovers push the cattle right in front of you --- that’s even better than watching high-definition television.
Note: There are no reservations needed to watch the drive. We encourage visitors to arrive 30 minutes prior to find parking and an area to stand and watch as the streets close five minutes before each drive.
Before the Cattle Drive
Crowds gather early along East Exchange Avenue to see the cattle drives. At approximately 11:20 a.m. and 3:50 p.m. each day, eager visitors can watch the drovers (cowboys) ride southbound down Coliseum Alley, between the Livestock Exchange Building and Cowtown Coliseum, to get in position for the cattle drive.
Fort Worth Herd Observation Deck
Meet the drovers at the Observation Deck located next to the Livestock Exchange Building every Friday through Sunday from 1:30-2:30 p.m. for the free “Fort Worth Herd Experience,” formerly “Behind the Scenes with the Fort Worth Herd.” The drovers offer a history lesson on the cattle drives of the 1800s, and how they were instrumental in rebuilding the Texas economy after the Civil War. The drovers also make themselves available to answer any questions visitors may have, including why the Fort Worth Herd exists, how it operates and how are the animals cared for.
Say "Howdy" on Exchange Avenue
While a handful of drovers interact with visitors at the Viewing Deck, the remaining drovers (only five to six drovers work each day) are parked on horseback along East Exchange Avenue greeting visitors. In addition to this, two drovers ride along West Exchange Avenue from 1:30-2 p.m. exchanging pleasantries with visitors.
Book a Special Appearance
The Fort Worth Herd is available for special events. Book an appearance by emailing theherd@fortworth.com. Programs can be made to fit any time frame or budget. For additional information, visit www.fortworthherd.com or the Fort Worth Herd’s Facebook page.
The most popular special event is our Educational Program, which mainly features us hosting school-aged children from various school districts to learn about what life was like on the cattle drives between 1866-1886. The program complements the information the students receive in the classrooms in their respective school districts.
Donations are greatly appreciated - no registration required. Text the word THEHERD to the number 41444 to donate from your cell phone. Data rates to apply.
