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Tucked into the folds of the soft rolling hills of north
central Texas, situated beneath the Lewisville Dam, the Lewisville Lake
Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) occupies a unique ecological
position in the landscape of North America. It is here where the
northwestern-most extent of the bottomland forests stretch fingers into
the southern end of the tallgrass prairie of the Midwest; where the Elm
Fork of the Trinity River winds its way out of the sandy uplands of the
dry Cross Timbers into the deep, rich soils of the Blackland prairies;
where agricultural lands intergrate with ranching and a rapidly growing
urban expanse.
With its diversity of habitats, LLELA is home to a
profusion of wildlife. Within its boundaries one may find mammals such
as bobcat, river otter, deer, and mink, along with birds such as wild
turkey, painted bunting, and dozens of waterfowl species. LLELA is
dotted with sloughs, wetlands, creeks, and dry channels, the landscape
features originally wrought by the Elm Fork and its tributaries during
flood events. These remain filled by rainwater, flooding, and
groundwater discharge, where one may find many ducks, turtles, wading
birds, wood ducks, and other waterfowl.
LLELA, also known as the Lewisville Wildlife Management
Area, was created in the early 1990s by a consortium of local, state,
and national government agencies, who have obtained a 25 year management
lease from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Today, the LLELA consortium
is comprised of the University of North Texas, Texas A&M University,
the City of Lewisville, and the Lewisville Independent School District.
Mandate
The mandate of the LLELA consortium is to develop the area for:
- the preservation and restoration of native habitat and biodiversity
- environmental education, and
- environmental research.
Management Goals
The principal goals of management at LLELA are to preserve
and protect native biodiversity and to restore degraded ecosystems,
communities, and native biodiversity while providing compatible
educational and scientific use of LLELA lands
Hours of Operation
LLELA is opened 7 days a week.Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Winter Hours (November 1 - Feb. 28(29)): 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Summer Hours (March 1 - October 31): 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For the protection of our wildlife, NO PETS are allowed at LLELA.
Entrance Fees:
$5.00 per vehicle, Credit Cards Only.
Season Passes: $60 per car - This pass is
valid for one year from the date of purchase and allows one vehicle and its
occupants to enter LLELA without purchasing a day pass. The annual pass holder
must be in the vehicle. Not transferable to another family member. Annual
passes also allow entry to Lake Park and Tower Bay. Primitive Camping:
- Friday and Saturday nights.
- Check-in no later than one hour before closing.
- Check-out time is by 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.
- Cost: day-use fees plus $10.00 per campsite per night.
- Potable water is available in several locations in the campground.
Group Camping: available for Scouts and other community groups. Call 972-219-3550 for rates and information.
Brochures, Observation Lists (to be used for sightings along trails, etc.) and Maps:
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