Twice a day, every day of the year but three, traffic on East Exchange Avenue gives way to a string of Texas longhorns and the cowhands riding herd on them. The Fort Worth Herd’s cattle drive is free, it lasts only a few minutes, and it still draws a crowd along the curb. Here’s how to time it, where to stand and what else to fit into your visit.
Cattle drive times: 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The drive runs daily at 11:30 a.m. and again at 4 p.m. in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, on the city’s North Side in Tarrant County. According to Visit Fort Worth, the only days off are Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Everything else is a go, weather permitting.
That “weather permitting” part matters. The Trail Boss can call off a drive for storms, heat or other conditions on site, and the steers themselves get a vote, since these are working animals and not show ponies. If you’re driving in from a distance, check the Herd’s social media that morning before you commit.
The Stockyards sit about 45 minutes west of downtown Dallas and roughly four hours north of Houston, so the 4 p.m. drive makes an easy target for a day trip with time for supper afterward.
Where to stand for the best view
The official Stockyards site points visitors to the sidewalk in front of the Livestock Exchange Building at 131 East Exchange Avenue. That stretch puts you right where the longhorns pass, and it’s close to the Stockyards Visitor Center at 130 East Exchange if you need a map or a restroom first.
A few practical tips:
- Get there 15 to 20 minutes early, especially on weekends and holidays, so you can claim a spot at the front of the curb.
- Stay on the sidewalk. Longhorn steers can weigh well over a thousand pounds, with horns that can stretch around six feet across.
- Keep little ones close and hold the selfie stick back. The drovers will thank you.
- The whole drive goes by fast, so have your camera ready before the herd rounds into view.
Who the Fort Worth Herd is
The Herd formed in June 1999 and marked its 25th anniversary in 2024. It’s run as a nonprofit that leans on donations and sponsors, and every steer in it was donated, most of them still carrying the names their former owners gave them. All of them are steers, not bulls, which is a fun fact to share with the kids while you wait.
The riders are called drovers, and they’re the real deal: experienced horsemen with ranch backgrounds who feed, water and doctor the cattle in addition to moving them down the street. Visit Fort Worth calls it the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive, a nod to the city’s long history as a stop on the cattle trails north.
Get closer with the free Behind the Drive visit
If watching from the curb isn’t enough, the Herd hosts a free Behind the Drive experience on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. at 129 East Exchange Avenue. It’s a chance to see the longhorns up close, meet the drovers and hear about the traditions behind the drive. It slots nicely between the two daily drives if you’re making a full day of it.
There’s also a newer ticketed arena show at Cowtown Coliseum built around the longhorns. It’s separate from the free street drive, so check the Coliseum’s current schedule and prices if that interests you.
Rounding out a Stockyards visit
The drive is the main event, but the brick streets around it are full of Western-wear shops, saloons and old stockyard buildings worth a slow walk. Plan on paid parking in the district’s lots, which fill quickly on busy weekends, and wear comfortable shoes for the uneven brick.
Hungry after the 11:30 drive? Joe T. Garcia’s, the family-run Tex-Mex landmark, is just south of the Stockyards on North Commerce Street. If you’d rather keep rolling toward a small-town square, Granbury is about an hour southwest.
Good to Know
- Where: East Exchange Avenue, Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, Fort Worth (Tarrant County). Best viewing is in front of the Livestock Exchange Building, 131 E. Exchange Ave.
- When: Daily at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., weather permitting. No drives on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day.
- Cost: Free to watch.
- Behind the Drive: Free, Fridays through Sundays at 1:30 p.m., 129 E. Exchange Ave.
- Drive time: About 45 minutes from downtown Dallas; roughly 4 hours from Houston.
- Tip: Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early for a curbside spot.
Hours, dates and prices can change. Check the Fort Worth Herd page before you head out.
It only takes a few minutes for the herd to pass, but there’s something about hearing hooves on Exchange Avenue that sticks with you. Come early, find your spot on the curb and let Fort Worth show you where it got the name Cowtown.
Featured photo: Andrew Postell via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
