Dynamite & Mill Creek Ranches Tour

Dynamite & Mill Creek Ranches Tour, Milford, Ellis & Hill Co.

*This tour is offered by donations. Suggested donation amount is $20; but please donate any amount you believe this special tour is worth. Donations benefit Native Prairies Association of Texas (conservation & land trust organization) & are non-refundable.  The deadline to sign up is Oct 1^st.

Located near Milford and Italy, the Dynamite and Mill Creek are large cattle Ranches, with a combined 2900 acres. Both ranches work with TPWD to manage the properties with rotational grazing, mechanical brush control and prescribed fire. In 2024, they were one of the recipients of the Lone Star Land Steward Award from TPWD. The ranch is on high quality Blackland Prairie, including Austin Chalk remnants.

We will meet around 8:45 am at the main house and barn located off FM 308. Restrooms are available at the house. See the Google map link below. Our tour will be on ATVs. Registration is required, with a limit of 25 people.

Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MQggaGr4wDAJDeMW9

Here’s a small list of species we might expect to see: Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani), Gayfeather (Liatris mucronata), Small Palafoxia (Palafoxia callosa), Common Goldenrod (Solidago altissima), Old Field Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis), Downy Ragged Goldenrod (Solidago petiolaris), Rough Goldenrod (Solidago radula), Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida), White Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum), Hall’s Dalea (Dalea hallii), False Gaura (Oenothera glaucifolia), Prairie Agalinis (Agalinis heterophylla), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Canada Wildrye (Elymus canadensis) and Southeastern Wildrye (Elymus glabriflorus).