Fort Worth Stockyards Tour: Cattle Drives, Saloons, and Gunfights
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Fort Worth's Stockyards district has been the beating heart of Texas cattle country since the 1860s. On this walking tour, you'll follow Exchange Avenue through 150 years of Cowtown history, from the era when four million longhorns passed through these pens to the gunfights, outlaws, and Hollywood productions that followed. You'll also discover why this half-square-mile district became the last civilized stop before the American frontier.
The tour starts at the Stockyards Station sign on East Exchange Avenue, where original brick streets and century-old buildings set the scene. You'll explore the former hog and sheep pens of Stockyards Station, now home to local shops and souvenirs, before heading to the Fort Worth Herd pens, where you can learn the names of the longhorns that cowboys still drive down this street twice a day. Along the way, you'll hear how a group of cattle barons incorporated their own city in 1911 – 508 residents sitting on what would be 300 million dollars in assets today.
From the Cowtown Coliseum, the world's first indoor rodeo arena, you'll head toward Billy Bob's Texas, which began as a prize cattle barn before becoming the world's largest honky-tonk. You'll pass the Stockyards Hotel, where Bonnie and Clyde chose a corner room for its sightlines in every direction, and finish with a cold beer at the White Elephant Saloon. The tour ends at Mule Alley, converted horse and mule barns that once supplied animals to both World Wars.
On this 60-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:
- Watch the Fort Worth Herd – the world's only twice-daily cattle drive – move down Exchange Avenue
- Step inside the Cowtown Coliseum, where Elvis performed four times in 1955 and '56
- Visit the John Wayne Experience, where thousands of unopened fan letters are being read for the first time
- See the Livestock Exchange Building, once called the Wall Street of the West, and its $3 honor-system museum
- Spot the filming location used for the Yellowstone prequel 1883, still unmarked on any tourist map
- Walk the Texas Trail of Fame, where Geronimo, Chuck Norris, and John Wayne all have stars
Fort Worth has been telling this story for 150 years. This tour makes sure you hear it properly.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Anderson
I was born in Brazil, grew up in Germany, moved to the United States twenty-five years ago, and have called the Dallas-Fort Worth area home for over a decade. That kind of background does something to the way you see places: you learn early to notice what locals take for granted, to ask the questions nobody thinks to ask, and to find the stories hiding underneath the surface.
I've traveled extensively around the world, and the habit I developed in every new city was always the same: skip the obvious, dig into the history, find the stories behind the landmarks, and track down where the locals actually go. When I turned that same approach on DFW, I discovered a region overflowing with stories that most visitors, and plenty of residents, have never heard.
My tours blend deep historical research with real local knowledge, the kind you only accumulate by living somewhere for years. I want every listener to feel like they're exploring with a well-read friend who knows the backstories, the hidden corners, and the best places to eat and drink along the way. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a lifelong Texan, my goal is to help you see your surroundings with fresh eyes and take home a few great stories.
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Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 15
Coliseum
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In 1907, local businessmen raised a quarter of a million dollars, broke ground on what would become the Cowtown Coliseum, and by February 1908, it was done. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, eighty-eight days, and one of the largest livestoc...
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Fort Worth Stockyards
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Fort Worth Stockyards Station
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Fort Worth Stock Yards Sign
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Stockyards Museum
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Cowtown Coliseum
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John Wayne: An American Experience
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Billy Bob's Texas
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White Elephant Saloon
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Hookers Grill
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Mule Alley
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start location131 E Exchange Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76164, USA
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Total distance2km
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Final locationMule Alley, Fort Worth, TX 76164, USA
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Distance back to start location267.51m
Directions to Starting Point
The tour starts on the east side of the Stockyards, at 157 E Exchange Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76164. Look for the Petting Zoo and the Stockyards horseback riding stables, just before the large "Stockyards Station" sign stretching across East Exchange Avenue; the tour starts just a little before that sign if you are coming from the parking lot, on the north side walkway (same side as the horseback riding stables).
If you're driving, continue east past the station entrance and you'll find paid parking lots on both sides of the street. Most use a QR code system: scan the code on one of the signs around the lot, enter your license plate number, and pay by phone. No paper ticket and nothing on your dashboard. Pro tip: take a photo of your license plate before you walk away so you don't have to trek back to your car. Parking typically runs $10 to $25 depending on the day and time. The north side lot (on your left as you drive in) has more spaces. The south side lot fills up faster but is closer to the station.
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Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
The tour passes plenty of places worth a stop, including restaurants and bars. Stockyards Station has many souvenir shops, including The Candy Barrel (old-fashioned sweets), KO Trading (affordable souvenirs), and Longhorn General Store (Texas-made goods since 1992). The Cowtown Coliseum is free to walk into when no event is scheduled. The John Wayne Experience is the standout museum in the district. Billy Bob's Texas is worth a look inside, though it's best after dark. The White Elephant Saloon is a great stop for a cold Shiner Bock. Up the hill on West Exchange, Hooker's Grill serves burgers and Frito chili pie in a building used as a film set for 1883. In Mule Alley, you'll find Cowtown Winery (tastings), Melt Ice Creams, and Second Rodeo Brewing (craft beer, live music, big outdoor patio). Hotel Drover's 97 West Kitchen and Bar and its outdoor Backyard area with fire pits are worth exploring even if you're not staying there. Lucchese, near Hotel Drover, has been handcrafting cowboy boots since 1883.
Best time of day
The tour works year-round, but spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) are the most comfortable seasons. Texas summers regularly hit 100°F (38°C), so if you're visiting June through August, start early and aim for the 11:30 AM cattle drive. Winter is mild, with daytime temperatures typically in the 40s to 60s°F (4 to 16°C). You can start the tour anytime, but the one thing you don't want to miss is the cattle drive at 11:30 AM or 4:00 PM (daily). For the best flow, arrive about 45 minutes before either drive. That gives you time to start the tour, reach the third stop, pause for the cattle drive, and then pick up right where you left off. The tour walks you through exactly how to do this. Weekday mornings are the quietest if you prefer a more relaxed pace. Weekends draw bigger crowds, especially Saturday afternoons and evenings, and that's actually part of the fun; the Stockyards come alive with energy, live music, and people-watching when the district is packed.
Precautions
In summer, bring water, sunscreen, and a hat. The tour is predominantly outdoors with limited shade on some stretches of Exchange Avenue. Wear comfortable shoes; most of the walk is on flat sidewalks, but some sections cross original brick streets that can be uneven. During the cattle drive, stay on the sidewalk at all times. These are real longhorns with real horns, and the cowboys will remind you. The Legends of Texas gunfight show uses real guns firing blanks; the report is loud and echoes off the surrounding buildings. If you have young children or are sensitive to loud noises, be prepared or keep your distance. Bring a portable phone charger if your battery tends to run low; the tour relies on GPS and audio playback for 60 to 90 minutes.
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