Southfork Ranch

At a glance

History

A family home on the prairie

In 1970, Joe Duncan built a mansion of about 6,000 square feet on a 200-acre property in Parker for his family. The ranch sits on Hogge Road, which shares its name with one of the families listed in the city's history among Parker's first farmers. At the time, Parker had been incorporated for only a year and was still mostly cotton land and pasture.

Becoming the Ewing ranch

In 1978, Lorimar Productions chose the property as the location for a new CBS series, Dallas. Lorimar wanted to film on location in North Texas, and the Duncan home became the exterior of the Ewing family's ranch, Southfork.

The Duncans continued living there during the early years of filming. Lorimar built a full mock-up of the interior on a studio set in California, but kept shooting exteriors at the real ranch through 1989. After 1989, the series was filmed entirely in the studio.

As the show grew, the family began receiving requests to hold parties and events at the ranch and started hosting them under a tent outside the house. In 1985, the Duncans moved away, and Southfork became a tourist and filming property.

The Dallas series

Dallas premiered on April 2, 1978, as a five-part limited drama airing on consecutive Sunday nights. By the fifth episode it ranked in the week's top ten, and CBS ordered more scripts. The series ran 14 seasons and 357 episodes, from April 2, 1978, to May 3, 1991, and produced the spin-off Knots Landing.

Later productions returned to the ranch:

• J.R. Returns (aired 1996) and War of the Ewings (aired 1998), reunion movies with Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, and Patrick Duffy. Wikipedia notes War of the Ewings was the only time dramatic scenes were filmed inside the actual house.
• The Return to Southfork, a non-fiction special.
• Dallas on TNT, the revival that premiered on TNT in June 2012, filmed at the ranch, and ran three seasons.

After Larry Hagman died in 2012, a memorial service was held at the ranch that December.

What Southfork is used for today

Southfork today is both a visitor attraction and a large event venue.

Tours and exhibits

Daily tours combine a guided visit to the Ewing Mansion with self-guided exhibits:

• Check-in at Miss Ellie's Deli, where guests receive a ranch map
• Lincoln and Longhorns, displaying a 1978 Lincoln Continental from the series (the ranch's tour page credits it to Jock Ewing, its event-space page to J.R. Ewing, with the license plate "EWING 1")
• Ranch animals near the check-in area
• A trolley ride to the Ewing Mansion for the guided tour, which takes about an hour
• Dallas Legends Museum, with memorabilia, cast interviews, and clips
• A theater showing Dallas episodes throughout the day
• A gift shop with Dallas-themed merchandise

Event and conference center

Southfork's conference center has more than 60,000 square feet of indoor space and more than 100,000 square feet of outdoor space. Its main rooms include:

The ranch hosts weddings, corporate meetings, holiday parties, reunions, and large outdoor events. Catering is in-house, and outside alcohol is not permitted. The ranch has no hotel, but overnight stays in the Ewing Mansion are offered for up to four guests as part of a package.

Ranch experiences

Packages sold through the ranch include:

• Live Like a Ewing: J.R.'s steak dinner, champagne, and a private mansion tour
• Live and Dream Like a Ewing: an overnight stay in the mansion with dinner and breakfast by the pool
• Chuckwagon Dinner: barbecue served from a chuckwagon, with optional add-ons
• Day on the Ranch and Equestrian Day: horse education, a trail ride, a mansion tour, and lunch, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Trail riders must be at least 8 years old and 48 inches tall, weigh no more than 240 pounds, wear closed-toe shoes, and arrive 30 minutes before their ride.

Visiting in 2026

Hours and tour times

• Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Guided tours start at 10:15 a.m. and run every hour. The last tour starts at 4:15 p.m.
• Be at the gift shop 15 minutes before your tour time.

General admission (2026)

Prices are plus 8.25 percent sales tax. Group rates apply for 15 or more guests.

Closures and changes

• Closed to the public October 16 and 17, 2026 for a private event.
• On November 14, 2026, tours are limited to the 3:15 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. slots.

The ranch posts other closures on its website and social media, so check before you drive out.

Practical notes

• Tickets: buy online in advance or at the Guard Shack on arrival. Walk-ins are accepted, and advance booking is recommended on weekends and holidays.
• Parking: free on-site parking for tour visitors. Some events charge for parking.
• Accessibility: the visitor center, Ewing Mansion, and main areas are wheelchair accessible. Contact the ranch ahead for specific needs.
• Pets: only service animals are allowed on tours and in the mansion.
• Food: no outside food or drink in the mansion. Snacks and drinks are sold on site.
• Photos: allowed throughout the tour. Professional shoots must be booked in advance.
• Getting there: Southfork is in Parker on Hogge Road. There is no transit service, so plan to drive, use rideshare, or book a third-party tour shuttle.
• Lodging: the ranch lists nearby hotels in Plano and Allen, about 6 to 8 miles away.

Last reviewed October 2026. See something out of date? Email info@grisak.com.