Branch Davidian Memorial Park Reviews

I didn't agree with who they were, and I didn't agree with what happened to them, but it was important to me to see the memorial to all those that died. The GPS is a little off when it comes to the sight, and it is out in the middle of know where, and their are no signs or directions for it, but once you arrive you will see a memorial wall, and as I arrived a person was leaving, and a group arrived as I was leaving.

This was interesting. Quite a shame to see all of the names of the people that died in 1993. It was very small and remote. Done tastefully, however.

The original compound was destroyed by fire during the siege, As we approached the property gate we found it open and drove inside. A memorial is near the entrance listing all the names of those who died during the event. A short road led to the chapel, which looked newly built. The chapel was locked to visitors. There were fliers available at the front door explaining the story of the 1993 siege and a donation box. Remnants of the 16' deep pool, foundations of the gym and other buildings are still visible. We were there about half an hour and didn't see a soul, but there were homes off in the distance.

Very interesting to see this area in person. Wasn't sure how open this is to visitors based on things I had read, but it seems to have changed in recent years. The gates were open and I was able to drive down to the new chapel. There is a sign that says not to go beyond that as there are houses further down the road and it is private property.

We drove miles to see this (it's not in Waco, but a small city miles away), the info we had looked nothing like what is there now. Apparently the community continued to exist after this tragedy and it's gates with "No Trespassing" signs on the open gate. We didn't want to break the rules so we weren't able to see any of the memorials that are outlined in the visitor's guide. Totally not worth the drive, don't bother.

Nice experience, but don’t go out of your way from states away. If close-by, passing thru - go. Original survivors are not on the property. Don’t leave a donation as it doesn’t go to help who it should. Couldn’t enter church. Humbling experience. Wish the survivors and their families could be on the property as they desire.

I have been to this memorial before. Now that my dtr is almost 17 and has learned about what happened here i decided to drive herr to pay our respects. Much to my horror, a Trump 2024 flag has been installed in the memorial. What a horrid desecration! I turned right around and drove back out!

It was a rainy, Friday morning when my girlfriends and I planned to see this place. Well, it was my plan and I just asked them to see this place with me. I know the reason why I wanted to see this place. It is now part of history how this place went down. I remember watching this on the news. Such a sad event that many people, children especially had to die. I wanted to pay my respects to the people and the people who assisted in this event. The day seemed eerily congruent to said place. Low clouds, scattered showers and light wind during the day I visited. The grounds were well-kept. A nice memorial on the side to remember everyone who did not make it. Nice, colorful trees and a pond on the side. Not much to see but a whole lot to remember.

The land looks very different from how it looked in photos from 1993. The pool is still there; the buried bus can still be seen (although it is smashed up and hidden in grass and trees); the underground storm shelters are still there and filled with water; there are some cement slabs that were part of the original foundation. There is a chapel that was built by survivors and volunteers in 1999. We’ve heard that the chapel isn’t always open, but we were allowed to go in. There are memorials on the land for the Branch Davidians that died, the ATF officers that died, and for the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing.

As others have stated, donations are not required and none of the money goes to the survivors. The man that runs the property is not a survivor. If you would like to help out the survivors, you can donate through their website (Waco survivors).

Despite what happened there, the land is very peaceful and beautiful.

The trip out to the compound satisfied my curiosity but little else. There was a fence & locked gate at the entrance. We could barely see a marker or monument (not sure what it was) beyond the gate. Visitors are definitely not welcome.

I always wanted to see this to try to understand this tragedy...I think going by today did that. As others have said, there isn't much to see, but it's the spirit of the place that you have to experience. The current church building is on top of the footprint of the original building, and next to is is a pit where women and children died of gas inhalation. The cement pool is still in the back, filled with filthy water. The gate was half open, and despite the many discouraging signs, you can drive in. It's a sad place.

You can enter as long as the gates are open. No one was around when we went. We left the car outside the gates so as not to bother anyone. We took a few pictures of the monuments and left. I have read they prefer no one go past these monuments so we didnt venture further.

We went there,we parked nobody to be seen office closed tues.1.00 pm
Took photo and left. Very disappointing

It was really sad what happened to the people here back in 1993. I was expecting so much more of a memorial and memories of the victims. What I saw was one memorial at the front of the property then a church full of political stuff and signs asking for donations so members of the branch can rebuild. Then I heard one of the "guides" telling a guest how great of a guy David Koresh was. Seriously?! I seem to remember things a bit differently. So, unless you like having others' views pushed on you with the in your face propaganda then don't bother. It honestly isn't worth it. AND I got a very creepy feeling here. I can't explain it but I won't be back.

The site is simple and humble. The entrance gate was open and we went in. We didn't go into the chapel. We looked at the memorial walls with names of the victioms. The site is outside Waco in farm country. It is not hard to find and we were glad that it was not commercialized. This is a sad chapter in our counttry's history.

Unless you just want to see the place that was under siege for 50 something days there is really nothing to see except a small building that the remaining few that are at the site use as a Church. Everything else is gone and nothing but flat land to look at.

The family and I stopped by on Thanksgiving. The gates were closed but a young lady drove up and opened them for us. Took us to the chapel where we received the "quick tour" as the families there were getting ready to eat dinner. You could feel the history from the disaster all around and seeing the "bus" was very chilling. While the guide really tries to point out they weren't a cult and the Branch was not a compound, the young people that lived there seemed very uncomfortable with us being around. It was well worth the drive out there and the 30 minute tour.

Drove out here with my wife. It’s a ways from town. Not much out here but was neat to see. Might do it again

I wasn't expecting much on this little detour. Having seen some photos of the memorial online, I figured that was the extent of the scene. Instead, after passing the memorial onward a few hundred feet to the church, for the next three hours or so I found myself subsumed in the subculture of post-siege Waco, and the deep, elaborate history surrounding the inception of the Davidian faith and ultimate (more or less) collapse. With children, animals (mostly dogs and horses), and residents abound, it was akin to visiting any other small rural Texas community, but with the focal point being the tragic remains of the compound and the small church right by it. Small groups of tourists flow in and out, while the people whose lives are permanently tied to the event (survivor Heather and tour guide Eddie) usually spend their time in the intimate church building educating people on the nuances of what happened and why. The presentation by the passionate, eloquent, and charismatic guide Eddie is secular and objective in nature. Being not of the Dravidian faith, he's not there to preach, but merely to shine light upon the evidence and history that's accumulated on the subject. The degree of passion and commitment my friends and I observed in him was unprecedented in our tour experiences, and he does it all free of charge.

I could write a book on what we experienced there, but suffice it to say that this is worth your time if you have even a modicum of interest in the culture surrounding Koresh, the siege, or the negligent, hack-job federal assault brought to you by many of the same individuals responsible for Waco.

En route from San Antonio to Dallas, I decided I would take the 15-minute detour out to the "Mt Carmel Massacre Site". I felt like it was something I 'had to do' since I was in the area.

I'd say it was a complete waste of time, except for what I observed.

First of all, it is out of the way. Remote. Unremarkable area of the state. Ho-hum.

When I drove up to the property, there was a sign warning trespassers away. Pass at your own peril kind of stuff. Creepy. I saw a building standing off by itself towards the left. Straight ahead of me - just behind the sign warning me to go away - was a building, the victim wall (pictured on this site), and a slab of engraved granite.

Welcome to the New Mount Carmel Center.
The Stone Church.
THE BRANCH.
The Lord Our Righteousness.

I was at the right place.

Then I noticed a middle aged woman in a dress. She ran behind the building behind the victim wall. She peeked out from behind the building once or twice. Again, creepy.

I thought all of THOSE people were gone from here. I guess not.

I snapped a couple of pics and left. Didn't wanna trespass at my own peril. Didn't want to find out why the woman was hiding behind the building. Curiosity killed the cat. I'm not a cat. Why tempt fate?

So I drove off on my merry way... looking behind in my rear view mirror as the BIG truck followed me all the way out to rt 340. Then they turned around.

C-r-e-e-p-y.

If you know the history and are interested, go here. It was closer to Waco than I thought and the gates wide open for us. Others were there so we braved going past the gates. There is a memorial with a nice setup and a donation bin. They ask to pay $5 to enter the gated area. We did that and went right up to the old complex. The new chapel that they have built was open so we went in and a lady greeted us and spoke to us a bit on the history. Very welcoming, almost like a museum, but also a bit eerie and heavy to be standing in the exact spot of the Davidian’s and to see the names of the lives lost, including children.

I agree with reviewer Anna L... This visit was much more worth it than Magnolia. This is history and is visibly stirring, not touristy or recruiting.

If you go, you know the story and no matter which side you support, it is truly heartbreaking and was definitely not the government's finest moment.

The people at the ranch are all friendly and welcoming and the Branch Davidians deserve our compassion and empathy for their experience.

What a sobering place to visit! I remember the news coverage of the David Koresh drama. I always watched the movies that have been produced about the seize of the compound by the Feds. Be sure and stop at the front gate entrance....

After stopping at the memorial just through the gates, we drove up to the small church. We were unsure whether we would be welcomed (fully aware we were just being nosey tourists who had for so long heard and learned about the Waco siege), but we were greeted by friendly faces and soon offered a tour by Eddie. Eddie gave us a brief history of the church and his understanding of what happened that day, which he had formed through personal interactions with many survivors. We appreciated that Eddie's intention was not to sing David Koresh's praises, but rather aimed to provide is with as factual an account as he could. He also showed us around the property and explained what happened where. I will definitely be re-watching Waco documentaries with new perspective and context.

Definitely worth visiting and seeing the other side of what we've been told. They try very hard to make clear that David Koresh took their beliefs in a strange direction and preyed on true believers. Regardless, what the government did here is unforgivable.

its a piece of history,sad for the lives lost. you can drive in take some photos and leave within just a few minutes. If your in Waco its a worthwhile quick visit

Not open Sundays. Don’t try to go on a Sunday because it’s not open. Hours are incorrect on trip advisor. GPS didn’t work every well in the area.

It was a short distance from town. A little hard to find since it wasn't well marked. Wnt through large gates and were happy to see a memorial. More memorbilia in th church. Surprised to see people still following the faith and living there.

There's 2 sides to every story and I was shocked that there was no marker to memorialize the dead agents who were killed. I would have thought the FOP or someone would have bought a small area near the entrance to remember them.

I recall the house burning on the news footage and Waco, TX getting re-branded wacko but little more. I made a quick stop here, about 15 minutes outside of Waco and was amazed at how many children's names there are on the wall. Obviously a somber place, an opportunity to reflect on stubbornness, government intervention and unbridled devotion.

As you approach the gate, you will see signs that say Private Property, but also a sign saying "visitors welcome, $10 donation suggested." If the gate is open, go right on in. There is a visitor center immediately to your right, but it may be closed. If it is closed, proceed straight ahead to the church/visitation building. Inside was a person who told the story of that fateful day, and inside the building are many pictures and diagrams of the former compound and the tragic standoff that ended with the loss of many lives, many of them children.

You are welcome to wander the grounds of what used to be the compound, although there is not much there to see. There is a concrete pool area that is still there, along with a few concrete slabs and foundation lines of former buildings. There are still some charred and twisted metal remains of a school bus that was once parked next to the compound. There are several stone monuments to the victims of this incident, both for victims from the Branch Davidians AND for victims from the FBI/ATF.

It is a chilling site that leaves you with a profound sadness. No matter whose side you were on in relation to the standoff that occurred here, it is still a site of great human loss, and you can feel the air of that tragedy on the property even today.

This is something I have wanted to do for many years. It was not what I expected at all, but I still enjoyed the experience.

My husband and I took one of our daughters for a visit to Waco this week and while there we thought we would drive out to Mt. Caramel and look around. Not knowing what to expect, We were delighted upon arrival to find a man named Eddie who walked us through a detailed, accurate, and intriguing history of not only the Branch Dividians but also the Mt. Caramel commune and the tragic events that took place feb. 28, 1993. Eddie was highly educated in not only theology and history, but he also had details about the personal accounts of the surviving members. He gave a lot of facts and let us who were listening draw our own conclusions. It was truly fascinating and heartbreaking. He was so interesting and passionate about it that even our 12 year old daughter stood out in 109 degree heat listening intently—without complaining! I told him he should write a book because he has so many facts and insights about the events that no one else has—and I truly hope he does.

Lovely place which will show you there are two sides to every story. While there I noticed a lot of the other people that came in brought their pets and did not pay the donation. Please people read the sign as you enter and pay the donation. You are on someone else’s property out of the kindness of their hearts. Help them move forward from the grief and treat them with the respect they deserve!

If the gate is open you can visit. Nice to see the other side of the story and gain a perspective that the Clinton loving, leftist media does not want you to know.

The Mount Carmel site memorializes the events of 1993 very well. I didn’t care to see the atf memorial but I can understand it. The people there are friendly and we’re happy to answer our questions and spend time with us. We intended to be there for an hour at most…..well, several hours later we were still there. The land is beautiful and overall just a very peaceful place. We would love to go back and most likely will.

WhenI found myself in Waco for business I couldn't help but wonder what had become of the Branch Davidian compound. It's such a critical element of US history. I was a child living in OKC at the time of the siege and the bombing of the federal building and had several friends who were impacted by it.

I hesitantly drove out on a Friday afternoon around 3pm and the gate was open. there were other people visiting, but it wasn't crowded by any means. I walked to the back pool area with no problem and people do live on the compound and were coming and going. The dogs are not leashed but did not bother at all. I noticed a woman who was talking to one of the women who lived in one of the homes on the compound and struck up a conversation with her. Turns out her and her husband lived on the compound and she was visibly guarded against any potential judgment I might have, but was forthcoming with information and dare I say...friendly.

I consider myself to be very spiritual I found myself at peace there. I didn't spend more than 30 minutes there and don't plan to return, but I'm happy I visited and paid my respects to the lives lost there.

People have such mixed thoughts on the Branch Davidian Compound but it is a stop that should not be skipped. The spokesperson lives on the compound but was very unbiased in her presentation. It is a tragedy what happened there but it is part of our history and should not be ignored or forgotten.

Watching the documentary on Netflix. Those religious fanatics actually still behave like their opinions should be heard and cry over how they were treated. When will their insanity and menacing behave end? It's just a nauseating disgrace when Davidians call themselves Americans. Remember history and learn from it when you visit but beware of enabling the remaining Davidians.

Come with the right mindset if you decide to make the short drive out of Waco. This is private property and is still owned by the Branch Davidians. The main gates were open and near the top of the dirt road was the memorial to the 82 people who perished during the 1993 incident. 18 were children 10 years old or younger! Seeing the names and ages of the children really puts it into perspective. Out of respect I recommend that you do NOT go past the memorial site. There are no remains from the original Mount Carmel and the property is under video surveillance (signs are posted). Do not expect to find any physical remains of the carnage left...just go to pay your respects and you will find it is a worthwhile trip.

There is nothing left to see. It is not open to the public and is behind a gate which says no trespassing and something to the effect about security camera as. The countryside was beautiful and peaceful with the fields filled with flowers and a small lake.

Very interesting site. I was very surprised that families actually live there on the property. The site has a sad and eerie presence. I am glad I went but I think it’s a one time visit for me.

We were in Waco visiting Magnolia and decided to ride to the Branch Davidian Compound since it was only a 15 min ride outside of town. It was well-worth the drive. The gate was open so we drove down the road and the wife of a church member met us at the front door of the church built on the site. She was very nice and gave us a brief history and then showed us the grounds. You can see the pool from the old compound and the underground bunker Koresh had built. There is also the remains of the old school bus the tanks flattened. The house that the FBI stayed in is across the road. There are no fees, but they do ask for a donation. If the gate is closed, you can't enter.

My teens have watched documentaries about the branch Davidian and wanted to drive by the memorial to see what they could see left. Not a lot of things creep me out but something about pulling in iron rolling gates to view a memorial with a guy in a wheelchair blocking the driveway really did it. We definitely felt like we were being watched. The car behind us didn’t pull in, they just sat on the driveway and took pics. There was a sign on the gate indicating a $5 donation was expected if you pulled up to the church – personally we did not feel comfortable driving back that far off the road.

Very disappointed this time! Last time I was here many years ago, the bus was still on the property, there was white grave stones for the kids and they had a little building with pictures and things left after the fire. Now all those things are gone, what happen did someone cry they shouldn't be there?? Those poor people seem to be for gotten how sad 😔

Very interesting to see this Texas history in person. $5 per car and you leave the money in a mailbox thing. Not a soul around. I like how they kept it as it was pretty much.

Not much to see except the wall of those who perished there. It's not easy to find........not sure it's worth the trip.

Religion has been a justification for killing, martyrdom and persecuting people for hundreds of years. This site is a grim reminder of what can go wrong between individuals, groups and governments when intolerance and anger override good judgement. Our visit was a "moment" and a reality check.

The site is difficult to find, our GPS led us on a bit of a chase. The open "Gate" and a small pile of debris close to the road are reminders of the tragic event. The area has been reclaimed by man and nature (erases the blood shed there). The location provides a great, panoramic view of Central Texas. There is a small Chapel and several scattered residences on the site. The Memorial Gate was open and somewhat inviting to " come-on-in". We chose not to enter.

Visually, the horror and significance of the event is probably minimal to somebody unfamiliar with the event illustrated by the media..... a grain of sand on the "Beach" of humanity. Things need to be remembered, hopefully to prevent them from happening again and then we move on. When will we ever learn?

It's a very sobering place to visit. You can see the foundation of the buildings, the huge swimming pool, and the underground rooms built by this religious group. Just bear in mind how many people died on these grounds and be respectful.

Some things you need to know are the gates are typically open from 9am to 7pm. Many cars were just stopping at the memorial inside the gate and driving down the road to the chapel and turning around. You need to go in the chapel and find either Heather (at age 9, the last child released) or Eddie (friends with many of the survivors). Heather's story as a survivor was very heart wrenching. She said there are days she is unable to talk about it. Eddie is also full of information and is more than willing to answer any questions. They currently ask only for a small donation of $5.00 per car, because they receive no funding to maintain the chapel and memorial. It was worth much more than that to hear Heather's story and Eddie's knowledge. Definitely worth the drive and time. We ended up spending about two hours with them.

We saw the Waco mini series on Netflix, so we decided to come see the real place. Not much to see here. Only come if you are driving through Waco. Don't make a special trip just to visit this location.

First off they pretty much make you pay to get in. Which since they use the religion tax break is illegal.Their is no guide to tell
You where things were or what it is. The church which is one of the main attractions is locked up and your not allowed to go in. If you walk to the back by the milk barn you will see David koresh’s head stone which has been busted up by a sledge hammer. After asking around I found out it was done by the guy that runs the property because he was jealous of him. He also fells to tell people he wasn’t even in the state when all this went down. I asked how much of that money went towards the survivors and was told none.

First, I'm still not sure it's really open to the public. There are gates with signs that say no trespassing, yet they were open, and no one ran us off. We didn't go beyond the memorial, though, as we saw someone cutting grass by the original compound. There is nothing left of the original buildings. Still not sure what to think about the whole affair, either, but overall, probably worth the somewhat short drive (7 miles) from Waco.

It's worth the trip to see a slice of American history. You have to travel some back roads to get here - I was surprised at how remote the compound is, but that is also part of the story. Once you arrive, there is not much to see, just a small Memorial to the dead, and you can't even really see that if the gate is closed. But I'm still glad I visited. It was sad and interesting.

I visited because it is an important part of Texas history and because I was curious. You can only visit if the gate is open. Luckily for me, it was open that day. There isn't much to see-there is a memorial and a church. You can also walk around the property. Just be respectful as there are people that live on the property. Honestly, I found it to be eerie partly because people died but also because I think Koresh was a controlling cult leader. I would not make a special trip to see it, but if you are in Waco it is worth a visit.

I had wanted to visit this location for a long time and after reading a lot about what happened in 1993, I decided to take a trip to see the old compound location. When my wife and I got to the location which was easy to find, one of the gates was open. There are signs stated POSTED, however, there is also a sign stating that if the gate(s) are open, you are welcome to visit. We drove in and stopped just after entering at the memorial stones and took some photos. Kind of a solemn place looking at all of the names of the people that died in this property. After looking at the stones, we got back into the truck and drove a little further to the little church building not far away. When we got there, a lady drove up behind us and I knew when she arrived, she was going to help us and she was a part of this place. Sure enough, the lady named Alexa invited us inside the church building where she showed us the many photos of the event as well as the history of the church here itself. She never mentioned whether she was a David Koresh person of interest or one of the groups there on the grounds that do not recognize David Koresh. She just told us and showed us photos of the event of the people dying and a group of photos showing the FBI and ATF agents getting trophy photos after the destruction. Alexa also showed us where the sunken school bus was located with remnants of it still there and the swimming pool which was to be a bunker. We saw the small trees planted in memory of each of the 82 people that died as a part of their group. There is even a small memorial of the 4 agents that died in the initial attach against these folks following their beliefs. These 82 people died standing up for their beliefs against our government which could have more easily have captured David Koresh in town when he went to town frequently anyway. You could easily see the farmhouse across the street in which the agents used for surveillance of the Davidians before the siege. So sad to know our government agents would attach so many of it's own citizens with such force with guns, tanks, helicopters, sound blasters, tear gas bombs and such in order to serve a warrant on one man in the compound. The two Davidians that were trying to get in the compound from town during the raid were shot and left hanging in the barb wired fence for two weeks allowing the animals to remove any evidence and after the final take down, the place was bulldozed within 48 hours and removed any evidence for the investigation. Hard to imagine out own government could do this against any citizen of the United States whether they were right or wrong in what they were doing. For me, it was a great visit and would encourage anyone to go there and learn about a dark side of our government against its own people.

I was just like everyone else who has reviewed this site so far. I wasn't sure if I was at the right place or not when I arrived. It's on the right and there's a gate that says no trespassing. Across the street is a ranch house. If you drive by the pond on the right, then you've just passed it. I couldn't see any memorial wall like others mentioned but I was kind of not comfortable looking around for a long time. I parked on the side of the road, snapped a few pictures, read the gate description about the Branch Davidians and left as another truck was pulling up behind me. He was there to do the same thing as well. If you're in Waco and have some time then go see it. It's not TOO out of the way- maybe 10 minutes.

Not much to see. A beautiful memorial with all the names of the victims that lost their lives during this terrible tragedy. There is also a small white chapel that sits where the compound once was. The pool is still there and you can still see part of the underground bunker. I'm glad I was able to visit.

I came to this site for it's historical significance. To get here, I drove down a gravel road. The gates were open and a small memorial was setup to remember the people that lost their lives that day. The audio visual center was open if you chose to enter. I walked in, was creeped out and left.

History buffs will enjoy the visit. The road in is not always open. However, it’s a short walk to the scene that is remembered.

The chapel contains the story as the Davidians want it to be remembered.

The suggested donation of $10 is a fair offering for an extremely dark day in American History.

We could only improve ourselves by looking back our mistakes. Waco was such a failure that shows the authority has no knowledge or respect how to deal with a cult (destructive or not). Innocent kids died here !

The compounds are resided by a young family and a pastor. There is a small church. They are not making money there. Nothing to glorify by the authority, I am sure they won't get any grant support.

It is very quiet and peaceful piece of land sitting there
silently. It also likes a baby is waiting there helplessly for someone to care for. Ambivalent?!

Memorial stones with names on it are in the front.
A small lake, a small pool and some burnt stuff bordered with security cable or something. Standing
there recalling the TV live show of the raid was a chilling experience. How can that happen? It did.

Read about it, you will feel the same way. I love the
site, it is so peaceful.

Read up about the WACO raid before you go, you will be inspired and impressed. Please pray nothing will happen again in the world.

This place was very interesting to walk where all the events took place many years ago. Hallowed ground. Museum in the onsite church. Caretakers very nice and pointed out some key areas.

It's small and WAY out of the way, but still interesting. If you are at all familiar with the history you could almost visualize where everything happened. Chilling.

This was a sobering experience. I watch a docudrama on the branch Davidians. My husband was not in board to go, but reluctantly took me.
We arrived to area, which was not marked and very unassuming. There were private property signs posted everywhere on the fence and gate. The gate was opened, so I got out and as I walked to the entrance there was a small sign that said visitors welcome, $10 donation.
I got my $10 and went in. There is a stone marker at the front, and a Memorial with all the names of the dead. A small wooden box marked donations was there, I opened it and place the only $10 bill in there.
My husband drove the car as I walked the road to the small chapel. There were stone markers along the road, they all had pennies and coins laying on them. The Chapel was open and I went in. Music was playing and it was very creepy. I got a odd feeling and left. To the left of the chapel is what appears to be the original foundation. It is certainly hollowed ground , and there was a profound sadness there.

I would not drive a good ways to see this but if your in the area for a while check it out. It’s quite peaceful place unlike in 1993

There’s not much to see or say to be honest. It’s good to go and absorb what actually happened. There’s a lovely memorial through the gates and a lovely drive through. Pink leafed trees. There’s little to no remains of the compound itself. There is a church on the site which you can enter and read and listen to what the believe in. Make of that what you will.
It’s very rural there’s literally nothing near it other than a massive farm house a mile down the road.

My family is from the area and this is only about 5 miles from where my father and sister live. I visited my parents during the seige and knew many of the individuals or their families who were living there when it happened so this was a somber visit for me. It is not a flashy place and it shouldn’t be. It is somehow fitting for the event that it be exactly what it is. Don’t go expecting anything but what it is- a place where a tragedy happened and a simple memorial that is designed to remember those who died. You don’t have to have a tour guide but if you chose to, it will give you an idea of how and why this event even happened.

Long drive to find a open gate and no trespassing signs. I saw the events unfold whIle in Korea and would be interesting to see where it all happened. Only thing you could see was small momorial outside the gate.

Regardless of your political or religious beliefs this is the location a lot of people lost their lives. Men, women and children died in a tragic fire that to this day swirls emotion and controversy over how it started. This is nothing I would make a special trip to Waco Texas to see. We were in Waco to see and do other things and just decided to take a ride out. It is a bit tough to find so keep your eyes "peeled".

The gate were open so we drove in to the chapel part...There was another no trespassing sign so we stopped there. We Went back to the memorial and read all the names and ages of the people and children...Very Sad... I remember the event being covered on TV..I wish there was oneone around to talk to about it...It looked different than it did on TV because some of the buildings had been removed.

I enjoyed going to this place and reading the stories these folks claim happened. Sure is a different perspective then explained on tv, so who knows. Whatever happened it’s horrible thing that happened to innocent children. There is some monuments for the victims lost and a chapel to replace the old one destroyed by the fire.

A little out of the way, but worth the journey if one is interested in recent events.

Arrived on a Thursday morning and gates were open. We drove right in, traveled back to the church & turned around. Spent about 15 mins. taking pictures & walked around the memorial near the entrance.

IMO: Be respectful.

This is the site of a lot of bad decisions, tragic point in American history. We decided after dinner to drive out and see the place. We arrived after they closed for the day, so we did not pay the gate fee(not sure I would anyway) we just observed from the road. There are still Dividians living there and the church is still used. A monument is there with the names of those who lost their lives as well.

you can drive into the compound and see where the house was and see the church that is there now. You can see the names of the people on the wall

Would not recommend going into building they only try and push their agenda on you really info shared.

The no trespassing signs on the open gates are intimidating but after talking to a couple other tourists, everyone agreed that open gates means you can come in...just not if they are closed. The only life other than a couple other tourists was a stray looking dog. There are little brochures available in a box if you walk up to the church doors. People still live there on the compound which makes it a little weirder as you are practically in their yard when you look and drive around the site and they don't come outside or wave.

It was amazing and very informative. I learned so much more than what I was expecting. I recommend !

We were fortunate to have the pastor there. He knew David K and many of the folks living at the compound. He knows their history and since then, what has happened. He explained many of the articles posted on the walls and was able to talk about what was on the property the day of the FBI assault and what was burned and what has been rebuilt. Always good to hear another side to a difficult story.

Ed gave a very good details about how it happened and the facts coming from the their side I would recommend if you are in the Waco area to go. If the gates are open go in . You may also want leave a donation to help the with their church.

Passing through the Waco area several times, I finally had a chance to drive out to this area and see everything for myself. Eerie feeling as I walked the area where the compound used to be. The swimming pool is still intact. Wish I had more time as I really wanted to have a longer discussion with some of the people I met in the church who were former members of there group. Would have been very interesting to hear their version of the events of those weeks back in 1993. Will need to get back there one day.

The location is well laid out, the memorial is full of information in the church about the history of the group even going back to their founding many years before the siege. The lady in the church was very polite and happy to chat about things and point out items of interest. It was well worth the $10 donation. The memorial to those who died in the Oklahoma Federal Building bombing was nice to see, as well as to the law enforcement people who died there. If you are in Waco it is worth a visit, but I would recommend watching a couple of documentaries on it before going.

Upon our arrival, gracious host, Eddie, came out and gave us a great tour and thorough account. So sad, but inspiring to see someone devoting his life to see the other side of the story is told.

We were in Waco to go to Magnolia Market and before leaving decided to go out and see where all of the stuff we watched on TV transpired. I remember it well as the nation watched that standoff for days. Such a tragic thing and a distortion of true Christianity. We saw it and that was enough.

Drove out there and they were closed. If their not open don’t bother you can’t see anything from the road. They do ask for a donation at the entrance.

Beware! These people are very rude. We showed up at 10:10 on a Saturday with the gate closed but unlocked. There's a sign on the gate that says enter at your own risk. We thought because we were there during business hours and the gate was not locked It's OK to enter. My 70 Yr old mother opened the gate so we could drive through as well as another visitor who was behind us and the lady who lives on the property zoomed up in her car. I thought she was going to welcome us. Instead she went on to ask my mother if she had a habit of opening other peoples gates… I was seriously beside myself. What a rude way to treat visitors during business hours. may I add if you don't want people entering what is known as a public memorial then lock the gate or better yet how about have it open and ready when your hours say it should be . We turn around and left. Upset because we drove 3 hrs to see the memorial, and was not welcomed.

We drove 20 minutes out of the city center to come see this piece of history. You can see some of the buildings from the road and I got a good picture of the gate and granite sign inside the gate.. Not sure what else is there, but we like to experience the history of an area if possible. Glad we went out, but wish the hours had been accurate so we could enter.

The tour guide was very knowledgeable and presented all of the information in a very straightforward manner. He presented both the government’s perspective and that of the Branch’s Dividians he had interviewed. Two of the survivors were present and spoke to us about the day of the raid and the days leading up to it from their point of view. Very interesting and we are glad we went.

First off, it was kind of strange to me to realize how far out in the country this was. There is a gate and signs saying private property, but the gate was open and another sign said visitors welcome. There is a donation box. There's not a lot to see really. A new chapel has been built on the site where the destroyed one was. You can still see the outline of the foundation and some slabs from the destroyed building. The original pool is still there, filled with green water. There are memorials placed around the site for the people that died there, both the church members and the Federal ATF agents. What was so sad was realizing how many people died there, right where you are standing, especially the 18 innocent children 10-years-old and younger. Such a shame. It was very quiet when we were there, just a little breeze blowing in the trees. Very somber.

We were took a tour out there that was very interesting. During the tour some guy in a wheel chair came in and started making a scene. He claimed to be the pastor there, but I have never seen a pastor act like that. He was very rude and disruptive. He was talking about the tour guide teaching about David Koresh. Hello? Why else would anyone go out there? Anyway, long story short the “pastor” goes on a rant about the children that died out there being a sacrifice to God and some other crazy stuff. We got uncomfortable and left. The tour guide met us outside and we told him it was just too awkward to stay inside with that guy. The tour guide apologized for everything, which I’m not sure why because he did nothing wrong it was the “pastor”. Actually the tour was very interesting up until that point. My recommendation would be to find the tour guide, he is a hippie looking guy with long hair and AVOID THE “PASTOR” IN THE WHEEL CHAIR AT ALL COSTS!

Very interesting subject and location of historical significance for Americans... Yet also frustrating since we took the time to drive out there only to find a closed gate. Looked for days online before the trip to try and find out a schedule i.e. days/times to view the memorials but could find nothing. Pretty much luck of the draw if it'll be open or not. We went on a Sunday and it was closed

If you enjoy seeking out places that hold historical value, or just like to say you have been somewhere, then check out this place if you find yourself in the area. Guaranteed to send a chill up your spine. Just knowing what had happened here and seeing it in person made it all the more real. Can't get in and see anything up close, but drive-by worthy all the same.

We, like many others, were just curious about the land so we drove out. When we pulled up to the small church, a man named Eddie was in the middle of a tour and invited us to jump in. He was very knowledgeable about the Branch, the commune, as well as the events that took place during the 51 day siege in 1993. A sweet woman named Heather was also present. Heather was one of the children living at Mt. Carmel and was 9 when the siege occurred. She was actually the last child to be released. She told us her story and what she remembers about living there. She was also willing to answer all of our questions. It was so impactful to hear from Heather and Eddie. Everything we thought we knew about Mt. Carmel was proven wrong. I would highly recommend driving out and experiencing this!

We had a great experience! The people (only a few there)are so welcoming & friendly. Eddie was our guide & couldn't have been more knowledgeable & Michelle is a survivor of that horrible event. These people are amazing & encourage visitors. Very easy to find!

Went by here and was glad I was with someone who knew where to find the place as it seems like you are not in the right place as you enter. We walked the grounds first then went in the church. I was glad we got to go in, that added a lot to the experience. The lady inside was very nice and shared information with us. It’s definitely a somber visit when you see the faces of all those who died there.

I will admit my husband was a little leerie of visiting, but once we got there he realised it's more of a museum type atmosphere. If the gate is open then your ok to visit. There a monument you can stop and visit as soon as you enter. It has the names of the ones who perished during the siege. You drive a little further back to a small chapel which is the sight of where everyting took place. If your lucky you will meet Eddie who does one of the most amazing jobs of tying the compounds history to present day. He is very knowledgeable and passionate. I would definitely encourage everyone to stop by for a visit. Eddie was very personable made the entire visit like we were just friends he was taking on a tour.

A great piece of history! We were here about 6 years ago, and they have added a ton of information. We loved it!

The small memorial by the road was neat but the rest was sketchy. Don’t donate until you walk around the property. Also google who owns the property now. The money you donate at the chapel doesn’t go to the families or the memorial.

It was sad to see where it happened, but wasn’t what we thought it would be.

Very interesting place to visit. There were informational packets available that put things into perspective as to the locations of certain buildings etc.

If you go visit this site, do yourself a favor and look into the history of this and the events that took place here so that you have some general knowledge before hand.

We saw Waco on the map when we were planning our route and decided to make a detour as we remembered all the publicity surrounding the tragedy. The guide book said that the members were friendly and gave tours. This was not what we found. Barbed wire, no trespassing signs and a decidedly eyrie atmosphere. Not worth the long drive.

Having watched Waco: Rules of Engagement a couple months before going, the drive out there was surreal. There’s not a lot to see, but that’s because the FBI burned it all to the ground. To get the best experience go there ready to ask questions and learn the things the media wouldn’t tell us.

I am a history buff and so while in Waco I wanted to visit. Little memorial stones for all the children and memorial stone for some others. Not much to look at really. Feeling of unease as you drove through. Marked it off my list of to dos. Probably wouldn’t choose to do it again though.

It was an experience. I didn’t know that it was still a running religion, so you are actually going into their chapel. While they don’t condone Karesh, they don’t disown him either and do see him as a prophet. Lots of overt political ideology and conspiracy theories are noted around the chapel. The memorial is nice and I mainly wanted to see the site and pay my respects to the lost- minus the obvious. I was a little uncomfortable but now I can say I went there.

We wanted to go by and see the grounds, to pay homage to the tragedy that occurred there. The website indicated that when the weather was bad, the gates would closed, but since it was only mildly drizzling, we thought it would be opened. When we arrived, the gates were shut and we were only able to see the front of a single memorial monument. The original buildings were of course, all destroyed, but the grounds are almost completely empty with only a couple of small buildings. It would seem appropriate to have at least a couple of memorials to chronicle the events and remember the lives lost. There is a plaque with the names, but that hardly tells the story.
We saw people slipping through the gates to explore on foot, but out of respect, we chose not to do that. If you are wanting to see the property, you can drive by, but there is nothing onsite that will tell you anything that you cannot learn online. It is quite a forgotten place.

After reading reviews on here, we were hesitant to drop by for a visit for fear of being unwanted interlopers on a property where Davidians still live and where so many innocent people lost their lives. I will say here at the top, however, we were encouraged to spread the word that if you are thinking about making the trek out to Mount Carmel then please GO; as long as the gate is open, they are accepting visitors.
We found the gate off Double Ee Ranch Rd which was open and we tentatively entered and went to the trailer labeled "Office" and paid two lovely Davidians $10 per car and were given two DVDs of Waco documentaries and encouraged to walk down to the chapel (the driveway was closed because recent rain had turned it to mud). The woman also told us that we could find more information down there and that a survivor was there too and would be able to talk to us about his experience joining the sect and the siege itself. She then added that this survivor was none other than David Thibodeau, author of A Place Called Waco and Waco: A Survivor's Story (which was adapted into the Paramount Network mini-series Waco). Our jaws hit the floor.
We walked down the driveway to the chapel and passed a memorial to the Oklahoma City bombing and sweet, old Black Dog laying on the steps of the chapel. We entered and Eddie (the passionate, engaging tour guide) was already talking to a few people and showing photos of the aftermath of the siege so we joined them. Thibs was sitting at a table behind him chiming in here and there and when Eddie had to go and take a phone call, we all pulled up a chair by Thibs and he answered all our questions and generally talked about whatever came to mind from the history of the Davidians pre-Koresh to how he came to Mount Carmel and what his life has been after 19 April 1993. He was also selling his most recent book which we bought and had him sign, he also encouraged us to find his newly made Facebook page and post the photo he enthusiastically took with us. When we realized that we had been there for almost three hours, after only expecting to spend at most one hour at Mount Carmel, we thanked Thibs and went outside to see the little whispers of the building which remain. There is a concrete slab with a large hole that was the location of one of the corner turrets of the building which was where one of the main tank bombardments was. There is an empty swimming pool. But most strikingly is the one remaining buried yellow school bus which was in the process of being converted into an underground shelter when the raid began.
We walked back down the driveway and remarked at how glad we were that we didn't listen to the negative reviews we had read and went out to Mount Carmel. It was a truly mind-blowing, once in a lifetime, sobering experience and we would recommend it to anyone. What we heard again and again from everyone there is that they actually WANT more people to come so they can tell their side of the story. So if you are in the area and at all interested, please GO.

At first I was hesitant and we actually left but turned around. Very interesting. The church is open and one of the ladies who live on the property actually have us a tour. There’s two sides to the story. Will definitely be researching what really went on.

Donations are not required when visiting. At this time none of the donations go to the survivors. Please do not donate when visiting at this time. Please be aware that no survivors live on the property at this time.

I'm glad we visited. We learned so much more from a different perspective. The media only covers the side that pads their pockets. It was an honor to pay our respects. It will grab you by the heart and at the same time punch you in the stomach to stand in the very spot so many children were murdered by our government. I recommend everyone go. No matter your religion or political beliefs, you need to stand on these grounds.

I'm not even sure why I drove out here. It's really a sad place to visit. But having said that, when you drive down the road you'll come to the gate and inside you can see the memorial to those that died. There are new buildings on the property. There are also Private Property signs hanging around and Beware of Dogs signs. So I got the feeling that you weren't supposed to enter the gates. But what I've read is this: if the gates are open by all means you can enter and visit the memorial. If the gates are closed then you shouldn't. Pretty simple. So if you go and you're not sure if you are allowed to get a close up look at the memorial just keep those rules in mind.

Very far out from town. The pool is left and the school bus that they used as a bunker. The house that the ATF agents used to spy on the branch davidians is still there across the street. There is a new church that is built on the foundation of the compound. Im not sure if you can go in the church or not- I didn't try .Didn't see anyone working there. Several other families were out there looking around. Was hesitant to go in bc the sign says private property but you can. In fact they want people to go out there and learn the story about what happened to them and by who. They have pamphlets in a box on the box of the church with information to take.

Out on the quiet Texas prairie you can drive right up to the property where this tragic event took place. There are no original buildings but some foundations, the pool, a fragment of the school bus and tunnel still exist. A church has been built on the site of the main building. There are memorials to those who died near the entrance. Also, across the street, the FBI house is now an occupied private home. If you find this interesting, it’s worth the drive and not far outside of Waco.

This was what I was most excited to see in Waco. It was very disappointing. Not sure what there really was to see...kids were playing in their yards. Didn't want to enter even though the gates were open.

Place was so eerie, nothing commercial about it. If in the area check it out. It was such a creepy quiet place, and nothing has been altered.

Not much to see, but worth the trip to visit. Sad to think how many people died at this site. Heartbreaking to see the names and ages.

We were curious since we were passing through this area years ago when all this took place. We could see the fire from interstate. So we went there but did feel comfortable traveling down the rough road. Said a prayer for the innocent and Turned around.

Stopped to see coumpound because it was such a part of history in our lifetime. Not much to see but worth the drive out. All buildings are gone and only foundations left. Still active church and group so it was kinda strange to visit.

There is not much to see but there is a chuch standing and there are interesting things to read and see inside. If you remember the raid, it is interesting to see where it stood and remants of the compound.

There is not much to see in this area, with the exception of the memorial wall, unless you know what to look for. We were guided by some previous guests who were lucky enough to have talked with the current owner that had pointed out some areas amongst the land that would not have otherwise been noticed.

I am outraged at the experience my family and I had at the Mount Carmel Memorial! I had my two children and my husband with me and luckily my children are too young to understand what they were hearing. The man there in a wheelchair was trying to convert us to his religion! We went there to give our prayers and respect the dead and find out exactly what happened on the day the ATF attacked the people and he tried to tell us that those children that died during the siege were sacrificed for God!! He said it was Gods plan that David Koresh believed he was God and convinced his “followers” that David Koresh was God and so God punished them by killing them! Honestly, I think he is crazy..When I was heading out I was stopped by another man and he was very apologetic and told us that the man in the wheelchair is not even a survivor! I will NEVER bring my family back there again.

We decided to visit the compound because the event that took place there many years ago was such a historical event. We learned more about what took place. A sweet lady that lives on the grounds talked to us for a while. We also walked around the grounds and saw what is left of the original compound. It was quite eerie but so interesting. I encourage you to go!

My parents and I drove by on Oct 26. It was about 5 pm and we thought gate might be closed but it was open. I drove in and got out and took pics of the monument. No one came out to talk to us, which was fine because my mom was a little frightened of the whole place. There was not much to see but I’m sure if someone had talked to us and shown us around we would appreciate it more. It was an easy drive out from Waco and I’m glad we went because history took place there and it was unfortunately what Waco was known for for many years.

I had watched the documentary on Netflix called "Oklahoma City" It was a great documentary, and I had to visit Waco, Texas. Let me tell you I wasn't disappointed at all. I love history, and I had went to the Oklahoma City Memorial. What tragedy. It was an amazing experience to go and be physically on the grounds of the compound. I'll definitely go back and visit. A lot of things are still there, so to me it was history. Kinda errie, but a great experience. Watch the documentary then visit!!

I believe this place has been getting some bad press as of late which may discourage people from checking it out. As long as the gate is open, visitors are allowed to enter. Due to a lack of funding, there aren't any employees that I know of nor many formalities. There was an extremely helpful volunteer present when I visited who gave a guided tour of the chapel and surrounding area. He was passionate about spreading awareness of the history of Mt Carmel and its prior inhabitants. He presented the information in as unbiased a manner as could reasonably be expected, accepted questions, and encouraged discussions. The main source of his passion stemmed from the knowledge that many who lost their lives there did not or could not desire to have any part in the conflict (children). Regardless of one's personal feelings, spreading this awareness will ideally serve to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.

As a history buff, I drove by the location on a Saturday afternoon. The gates were closed but it is private property with no trespassing signs posted anyway. It was intetesting to see how far out and the location the compound was at. As mentioned before, I am just a history person and wanted to see first hand the place where so many tragically died.

Inside of a chapel are political displays that have nothing to do with religion. It was weirdly shoking, but memorable experience. It's located in a farm country, and easy to miss. Beweare of a fibber when visiting this site. Best day to visit is on Saturday. The place is not what you expect.

Gate was open.
Big dog wandering around.
Memorial kept up and Chapel still there.
Nothing else other than foundation of compound and pool...both filled with stagnant rain water.
Roof of buried bus sticking up out os the ground.
Eerily interesting if you're old enough to remember it.
$10.00.per car donation.

The trip out to the site is a beautiful drive and gives a different feel than Waco, proper. However, when you arrive at the actual site, there is a sign on the (open) gate stating "No trespassing" and "Trespassers will be prosecuted". Right inside that gate is the large stone sign saying "Welcome" to the "New Mount Carmel Center". Not really sure who is welcome, but it did not seem like the curious public is. I'm also not sure what the "New Mount Carmel Center" really is, since there only seem to be a couple of small houses on the property. If you just want a nice drive in the country, by all means, drive out here. But unless you are made of bolder stuff than I am, don't expect to get too close to the memorial.

to know the history and remember watching all this on tv so many years ago, it was kind of eerie knowing this is where all those people died. wasnt too far of a drive and a remembrance of those lives

Outside of town, drove up, description said there were guides to show you around and ask questions, yet no one was there, everything all locked up. The door of the "chapel" had a donation box and some one page flyers with their description of what went on, but it had been copied over so many times it was hard to read. No markers where building were. Total waste of time.

I remember when the events unfolded here and while visiting the Waco Area I decided to drive out to the Branch Davidian Compound. The compound it located in a rural area about 10-miles or so east of Waco. Unless you know what you are looking for or know where you are going you may miss the entrance. Just inside the gated entrance is a stone like sign that says Welcome to the New Mount Carmel. As you drive up the dirt road you will pass a few memorials erected in memory of those who died here. The is a monument in memory of the four ATF agents who died here that lead to the siege and eventually to the tragic fire that took the lives of 76 people. During my visit I did NOT encounter anyone and didn't find any information on how to arrange a tour. I made it as far as the "Prayer Chapel" but did not make if any further as there was a sign that said that visitors must be escorted beyond this point. Not having an escort I could not proceed to see what is left of the fire scene. From talking to people in Waco there is very little to see beyond the chapel other an a few pieces of charred metal. I spent about an hour visiting the grounds between the entrance and the chapel. I am glad I made the trip, but it is not something that I would go out of the way to visit without arranging for a tour and I am not sure How you do that. During my entire visit I encountered only two other people who happened to be tourists. We did not encounter anyone associated with the site.

Always wanted to see where the ranch was. I remember this on the news, and I wanted to see it. It definitely is way out in the country. The gates were open, but the compound looked deserted. I didn't want to drive into the compound not seeing any life there.

There is NOTHING left to see, except for what has been built since the tragic fire took place. It is quite a way outside of Waco, many miles from Waco city limits, but Waco still got the bad rap. There are still a few of David Koresh's followers hanging around in vain for him to come back, which makes it all the more sad....

After digging up the necessary information to locate the property. We decided to drive out and see what was still there. Upon entering the property it will look very deserted. There are signs on the gate stating that if the gate is open head on in. First you will come across a small memorial wall that honors the victims of the tradgegy. From there you can proceed back to a small chapel building that stands were the previous church did. You are able to walk around the chapel and see the ruins from the previous church including a pool, the escape tunnels, and unfinished storm shelters. If you are really lucky you will run into one of the caretakers. They are knowledgeable and were willing to answer any questions we had. They are working to make the site a friendlier location with the hopes of sharing the story of the tradgegy with more people.

My girlfriend and I went today when the gate was open. It’s very interesting. You learn a lot about the perspective of the group, who are very friendly.

I made the mistake of wearing my department police hat. Wow! Bad idea! The man giving the "tour" said that he was not a Davidian (yes he is) and would give an unbiased view of what happened (no he did not). I have read extensively about the raid, as I find it fascinating, wanted to hear what they had to say and see the place. This man basically told everyone that Koresh was a good guy who was misunderstood and that there were still members around who follow what he taught. Then he railed on the government and law enforcement in general. This is when we walked out. Then he left the tour group and followed us! Offering a private "tour" of other places in the compound. We declined and walked to our car. He then got in his truck and followed us down the road, all the way to the highway before turning around. Guessing the rest of the tour group just waited?? Wow! It certainly was an experience we will always talk about!

For me, there's something holy about being at a place like this. The way I see it, here was a group of 'religious' people doing things in their own way and big brother decided to step in and fix something that wasn't broken. Sad. I hope lessons were learned from this tragedy.

The first thing I’ll say is that the road leading to the memorial is really sketchy. Everyone who’s said something about that is completely valid. Like there’s literally nothing around. I probably saw like three cars before I arrived.

DO NOT try to go at night. Even if you’re traveling and you arrive in Waco at night. It’s not worth it. Stay at a hotel and just go in the morning. If you can’t do that just come back a different time when it’s light out. You can’t go inside at night anyway and it’s just not worth the risk. I could easily see someone getting carjacked like it’s not even funny. I went early afternoon and even I was a bit nervous. Bring people with you.

Anyways, the memorial itself was fine and the location is actually quite gorgeous, a bit eerie for obvious reasons but very well maintained.

I’ve seen lots of people talk about how the people who live on the property are like sketchy (they aren’t) and like to force their politics and propaganda down your throat and that’s just laughable. Anyone who has any interest in going here should be well aware beforehand that these people were and are still VERY republican. I mean, I’m a HARD liberal but I’m not gonna argue with these people. I just went to pay my respects and see the place for myself since it’s such a big part of history and I had never been to Texas before.

Go in with an open mind (on the chance that they are even there), don’t argue with them. Pay your respects, take your pictures and leave. Really not that difficult.

If you’re interested in cults or just American history in general, I strongly recommend stopping by. Also leave $10 in the church. They aren’t forcing anyone to pay but you’re on private property taking pics. It’s the least you can do.

David Koresh’s grave is another interesting site to see at the kinda nearby Tyler Memorial Funeral Home - Cemetery and Mausoleum but I will say if you go for that. you will get dirty looks from the locals and cemetery workers. Take your pics, be respectful and leave. It does take a bit to find if you don’t know the exact spot (took me 20 minutes only knowing the section) but don’t give up. Just be respectful.

You should take the drive outside of town even just to see how secluded the compound was. Not much out there besides fields. My teenagers wouldn't get out of the car. I only drove through the gate and checked the memorial. There's something palpable with the energy here and for me, I was close enough. The church up the drive holds more info and history the way they want it remembered if you're up for it. Otherwise, not much else to see.

It's way way out. There is a gate in the drive way, we decided we didn't want to drive in because it was somewhat spooky. We weren't the only one's there, but I did feel that we were being watched from a distance. It's part of history and I wanted to see it. Very small memorial!

Definitely don’t miss this memorial while in Waco. The family that resides there, specifically the wife, was very informative about the tragedy that occurred. Her husband actually knew David Koresh (although not agreeing with all his ways) prior to this massacre. She was very kind answering our many questions.

We were in Waco and had several things on our list but this was not one of them for me. I honestly had forgotten it happened here, I was in high school in another state but vaguely remembered this event. I read up on some of the events prior to going so I was more familiar with it. Friends had suggested we go visit it. There is a suggested donation of $10 a vehicle but not strictly enforced. The day we stopped by, a survivor from the raid, David Thibedaux was there and had just finished up a tour, we were inside the chapel waiting for them to finish so we heard some of what was said but not all.

It was very eerie being there and knowing what happened but it was also awkward hearing David explain his version of it. Someone mentioned them being a cult and he was highly offended by that and he defended David Koresh saying he did not recruit people however his story of how he met David most would feel was a type of recruiting. He also justified Koresh's having children with young girls by saying it was okay with parental consent and they were happy. Another lady who was a survivor was there as well and as we were leaving she was saying they were just waiting for Koresh to return, in whatever fashion it will be.

The pool is still there and filled with dirty water, there is also part of the bus underground they claimed was a tornado shelter, but there was a tunnel to the bus underground. They rebuilt a chapel, inside they have articles about the raid and David Koresh posted around the walls.

I would encourage people to stop by and see the place, it was interesting no matter your beliefs.

Visited on Thanksgiving day. The church that is there now is interesting...nice memorial and information. Charles Pace came out and talked with us awhile as well. Friendly and very interesting...
Signs say no trespassing and private property but if the gate is open go in...the visitor building might not be open but the church is just down the lane and inside the church is a must see! A church member such as Charles may come check on things and say hi...he is very friendly and talkative once you break the ice and say hello. Good visit...

Viewed the memorial and walked the grounds of the former compound. Spoke to a couple of people from the local area who gave some history behind the events. Glad I spent the time there.

After watching the 2018 documentary, we decided to stop by while visiting Waco. Because we geocache, and we were looking for clues, we had the opportunity to really look around. I would say, it is worth stopping by just to see it for yourself.

We stopped by as tourists and ended up staying for a month to do a blog piece for our Humbly Nomadic blog.

Everyone was very nice and made us feel like a member of the community. I really enjoyed meeting survivors and other people living on the property. The tours are very informative and well done. This is definitely one of the best places to stop if in Waco.

You drive up and see keep out/no trespassing signs right next to
$5 suggested donation per visit. The new chapel was closed but had the donation box and a brochure box. Brochure was helpful since it included a map of where things were. Not much left to see. Several nice plaques with explanations. Absolutely beautiful site. I could see why they chose that spot.

My husband always wanted to see if there was a Memorial for all the innocent babies and children and women that die in that bunker. Very hard to find and no signs till you get there. And unless you saw a picture of the new church on the internet, you are not sure you have arrived. There is a gate to get in because if you park the car in the driveway you block people going in and out. There are still people living on that land and luckily a young woman came out and opened the gate for us.
My husband thinks more young people should see this memorial to learn from the mistakes in the past. I wonder who owns that land still. We did not drive or walk too far back so we don't know how many people live in that Compound still and what their houses look like. But it's worth the drive if you are in that area. It's a reminder to our young people to see what can happen when people become fanatics and brainwashed. Of course it is still not cleared who set the fire at the end.

This is one of the first big news stories I remember from my childhood - seeing it in real life was sobering. The memorial stones were worth seeing and it wasn't too long of a drive from Waco. Worth seeing.

Not much to see unless you remember it. The pool is still there and a new Church has been built .there are monuments to the ATF agents along with those killed by the government when they opened fire and the ones burnt up in the fire started by Koresch.Just a sad place and the Davidians still live on sight. I meet a nice lady who let us go back to what the Compound was.part of history I hope never gets repeated .Just sad

How do you talk to anyone to get a tour of the property? I see some of the other reviewers talked with survivors, I would love too.

A moving memorial to this tragic event. You can drive right up to where the old buildings were. If you are lucky enough to talk to someone on the grounds, like we were, you will find that they are friendly and more than willing to discuss the events with you. Although we are not of the same religion, we made a meager donation to support their new church. David Koresh is gone and so are his ways.

After visiting the famous Magnolia Table and Market we decided to stop by this place on our way back to Dallas and I am SO glad we did.

When the gate is open visitors are welcome with a suggested donation of $10 per group at the office which is the second trailer home on the right. After that you drive up to the church. We lucked out that on this day there was a survivor from the raid, author David Thibedaux. He gave us a very thorough accounting of events as they unfolded during the siege as well as events that transpired in the days before. They were very open and welcoming, we never felt uncomfortable. We truly appreciated his perspective as well. Afterwards you can see the concrete slab that remains from the building where the kids bodies were recovered. Also, a short walk along the pool area reveals the blown up bus that they were thought to be using as an escape.

All three of us, 40-50 year old women, actually enjoyed this more than the silos and Magnolia Market. I would definitely make a stop here if you’re in town.

We had this on our bucket list. The gate was open and we went into the church. Ed, a guy who knows all the stories of the compound talked to us for two hours. He had a great perspective on the whole events and the long history of the Davidians. Then, the guy who wrote a book called: Waco, the survivors story by David Thibodeau showed up and talked to us for an hour and gave us his side of the details. We bought his book and CD. We walked the grounds and saw the old school bus from 1993. The place is historical in nature and is a must see and do in Waco. Donations are definitely needed.

On our drive up from San Antonio to DFW we passed through here out of interest. A simple place, with some memorials and a simple chapel where current Branch Davidians are happy to chat informally about their views on what occurred. Glad we came though. Read up on your history prior to coming through, this will enhance the visit.

This horrific event that took place is apart of Waco history. As sad as this was it is what makes us most known besides Fixer Upper now. I advise everyone who goes to see it to look up what it was truly about. I love that they put a memorial there, I just wish it wouldn't have happened that way. It always makes me sad when people talk down on those people's beliefs. Luke 6:37

We stopped here on our way out of Texas and back home to St. Louis. Last-minute decision. Interesting and haunting - not much left to see, but there was a guide there who was part of the whole incident and he had interesting information to share.

It's a bit of a drive but if you need to see this place, there is a small memorial right inside the gate. I had to look up the story and if that interests you then seeing this place you might as well see it for yourself.

First I didn't know how many stars to rate this place. We made the trek out here because we are curious. The gate was open so we drove in even though there were no trespassing signs on it (another family did the same so I figured safety in numbers...) I wouldn't let my mom and my kids and niece venture too far around the property so we mainly looked at the memorials up for all those killed during the siege. It was especially sad to see the young kids who perished. I noticed that koresh is on the memorial as Vernon Howell (I never knew at first that that was his real name). It was interesting to see the land and realize all that craziness that happened 23 years ago. I read online and I think one of the survivors (Clive something?) helps tend the land. Not sure still who is living out there.

This was a must see on my way from Ohio to Austin, TX. The wall to remember the lost soul burned alive by our government, most under 10 years of age brings tears to my eyes....simple, yet beautiful. ...each tree along the road represents a fallen life...

This location is about 15 minutes from Waco and the Interstate. Finding the location was easy once you find Double Ee Road, just keep driving.
This is a very touching memorial site to adults and children who tragically lost there lives. Everything original has been demolished and it is nice to see that someone has done something to leave a lasting memorial.
The events here were worldwide news and should not be forgotten. 80 people died here and that is a tragedy.

This location is about 20 minutes outside of Waco center, so it isn't really near anything, and when you arrive it does feel odd. We didn't go inside the gate to walk around because of a sign that said, enter at your own risk. That coupled with signs asking for donations, we just stuck to being on the outside. Inside there is only a few things to see, and with no organization to the site, we didn't feel it was worth he risk.

Was more intrigued by the location and how far away from civilization. Drove down. Gravel filled roads to get there. It quietly sits off to the side with a gated entrance. No one is around, it's all self guided. There is a church on the site and it's very surreal with the pond and horses and a flowering tree lined drive. Was glad I came but not something I would squeeze in as a 'have to see'.

As many remember we saw this compound burned to the ground after a 51 day siege. It was then bulldozed in a week as 81? peope died, mainly women and children of all races. Babies to pregnant women died as fires were set and roofs fell in and sharp shooters picked off people as they ran out....4 FBI also died... We blamed Janet Reno but she was acting under the Clintons. Visiting the Magnolia enterprises I had a chance to visit Waco for what it was first in the news for...we remember David Karesh. If the compounds gate is open you are allowed in. It was, and I went down a road to where a church now stands on forgotten slabs. A member whose husband left right before the takeover let us into the church. On the walls were pictures of all the people who died there, books and stories. It is surrounded by horses, a abandoned swimming pool and a crushed school bus. There are 80 odd trees going down the driveway granite plaques w/names and ages in ea one were under ea. tree. Now they form a wall which is easier to maintain. One lady like vets there now, she as a child lost 23 family members. There are a few mobile homes and a few ranches of the members who came back. It is a quiet solemn place. The house across the street is still standing it is where the FBI, local police, sharp shooters and ATF stayed. I would suggest you visit while shopping at HGTV’s Johanna and Chips stores. It was a eye opener.

There are no trespassing and private property signs. They only way we knew we could enter was the information on line said if the gates are open you can enter. There is nothing left of the building and just some homes on the property. There is a chapel build there but seemed bizarre

Unless improvements have been made, there's not much to see at, Mount Carmel, the site at which the Branch Davidians were massacred. The front gate is usually locked. Even when open there not much to see at the compound. If you want to be close to the site just to say you've been there that's all right. It's the reason we went on our Western "death tour" which also included Dealey Plaza in Dallas, the memorial in Oklahoma City, The OK Coral in Tombstone, and Columbine High School in Columbine, CO. All were sad days in our country's history, but we felt we owed a homage to the victims and to history.

We were driving through Waco so we decided to find this monument and pay our respects to those that died in the terrible tragedy here. The monument was quite small but seeing all the names was very moving.
I was surprised to see flags here for Trump and Clinton being flown. Seemed like an unusual place for them to be, and especially a month after the election.
Unless you are driving past or especially want to see this, I would not say it was very inspiring.

We visited on a whim driving from Oklahoma to Austin. It was dark and difficult to see but an eerie reminder of that terrible time. We had previously visited the location of the Oklahoma City bombing and after stopping here and reading a little more found more about how the 2 relate to each other, which made the visit more interesting. I recommend a drive by for sure it's worth a quick off the path visit.

Not much to see..very few dead bodies around...need to rebuild watch tower and have mannequins out on the range to see where people were picked off

We drove up to a gate that said Private Property, because it is on trip advisor and GPS, we drove on in, there were stone markers commemorating what had happened here, stones with the names of all that died here, and one church standing. They had to boxes, one for donations and one that had printed literature on the Dividians, asking for donations and educating people on what took place here.

We peeked I side the church and were told “Come on In”, There were pictures of David Koresh, and a lot of the dividians, pictures of the buildings that were once here, and a man standing up telling the story of what happen here.. Then he turned it over to a surviving dividian, that told of the demise of the compound. Told how many died there, and how many lived..he quoted a lot of scriptures, he seemed to be recruiting and asking for donations.. It was getting pretty deep and we walked out, as did several others, the original speaker followed us all out and took us to see the buried bus where the Dividians were going to hide, but said the ATF bombed and smashed their way out. He showed us the tunnels and bunkers, then called an old Dividian that had escaped to come meet us, his name was something Tibedo, he arrived very soon and went onto the church, we were all supposed to go back inside the church to meet him, they were all very friendly and inviting, but it did seem they were trying to recruit us. I found it fascinating and quite interesting, but my hubby said it’s time to leave and we did..

From a historical point of view it was an interesting visit to see the actual location of the events. However personally the conspiracy and nonsense stories they are pushing in regard to several past presidents of both parties and how Koresh obtained weapons diminish the true tragedy and loss of life.

This ranch property had three houses and a church building on it. There are no definite "hours" but we took our chances as an internet post had said that if the gate was open you could go in. The gate area was also a memorial to those residents that died there. We ran into someone that was leaving and they encouraged us to proceed on to the church, where a survivor of the tragedy just happened to be in town for a few weeks and was available to talk to. He was extremely interesting and we even bought his book that was there for purchase. But he's not there all the time. There was also a woman that lives there now, but was not there during the event. She gave lots of information and was very gracious about answering questions. The church, which had been rebuilt after the whole place was burned to the ground, had lots of photos on the walls of the original compound and the residents. There was a jar there for $10 to $20 donations, but no formal admission fee. While we were there another couple came in that had traveled from Australia and had this place on their list of things to see and do. It was a 20-30 minute visit at the church and then we were allowed to walk the grounds where the buildings had been. The foundations or footers still remained and there was a large homemade concrete pool that now is swamp-like, complete with turtles. There's a small pond that appears to have been the basement of one of the residential dorms. You can also see the buried school bus that served as a storm shelter but was destroyed during the event, with several residents still in it.
While it seemed a little eerie upon arrival, we quickly became comfortable and felt sincerely welcomed. Read up on the history before you go, but be prepared to hear "the other side" of the story. Keep in mind that this is really just a Seventh Day Adventist Church group that came under the influence of some bad leadership almost 50 years ago. All in all it was an interesting visit. It's not far off the beaten path so it's worth the stop if you are near there. It's also not far from a great archeological park that's also a great stop.

I believe the compound is a beautiful place to visit. The only drawback is the person over seeing the place. CHARLES PACE.
He needs to go.

I'm not a person who normally gets the heebiie-jeebies but there is a strange feeling you get here. The memorial is small and sad and the only thing to really see is what used to be the swimming pool and a new chapel that has been built on the site. It just felt heavy and dark like the place was under a cloud of sadness. Glad I went, but I would not go back again.

We stopped by to look at the memorial stones and ended up getting a personal tour of the chapel from a local branch member. She talked with us and was very polite.

Interesting place. Not that far outside of Waco, so take the time to drive out and see it. Suggest brushing up on your history before you go though, just so you know exactly where you are standing. Well worth the visit.

The gates are closed and a sign is posted No Trespassing. Able to see just from the road. Too bad we couldn't drive onto the compound.

Went here last month with a co-worker/friend of mine. The drive getting here was a bit long and when we got there, not a whole lot to see. There were some stuffed animals attached to the fencing. You are not allowed in the compound. There were some folks at a table handing out pamphlets - don't know if they were Branch Davidians though. We did not stay long - not worth the special trip.

There is a memorial near the entrance and a donation box with information, including a map at the front of the chapel.

The gate was open, and others were there looking at the memorial near the entrance.

The only remains of the original compound appears to be the pool a few yards to the north of the chapel.

Maybe, someday, there will be a museum of some sort telling the stories of those who survived those who tragically died here.

For now, it's just a lonely, quiet place in the country.

This is a bit off the beaten path but if you are in the Waco area you should stop.

It really is just a memorial site paying tribute to those who lost their lives right as you pull in. ( if the gates are open and you are able to get in) It does look very similar to many of the other ranches so you could drive right by.

We weren’t able to see anything at the church as there was some event going on. But just seeing the location and knowing how many people lost their lives was just a heavy feeling.

Did some exploring on Memorial day weekend and headed out to the branch dividian in Waco. Gate was open and drove in to see what we could see. Saw the memorial and the coins and rocks on top. Lots of meaning behind it. You can Google it "rocks or coins left on a headstone. Then we drove over to the church building where the fire destroyed the compound in 1994. We found it worth the drive and time to see where all this took place. The history is not obvious on the land but reading about it before you go knowing what and where things took place.
Very very sad that so many little ones lost their lives in such a selfish event.

My wife and I stopped by to see the Branch Dividian compound. I was honestly not sure what to expect. I vividly remember the history of what took place back in 1993 - and it left such an impression that our trip to Waco was not going to complete with stopping by.

When we arrived Eddie (the tour guide) just showed up. We spent the next couple of hours stepping through the events that took place with the siege - as well as revisiting the history behind the Branch Dividian movement. I HIGHLY recommend stopping by (hopefully Eddie will be there). It is defiantly a sobering experience but an invaluable one!

This is definitely not worth the drive unless you wan to trespass and see the memorial. The memorial is a a stark reminder of the activities that took place at the Davidian compound, but there really is nothing else to see.

Stopped as we were heading out of town and only planned on looking around. One of the survivors, David Thibodeu, who is also the author of the book, “Waco, a Survivors Story”, gave a presentation. He was awesome! Very informative, very scary and very sad stuff went on at this place. Don’t know if I survived anything like this that I would ever come back here!!

We didn’t know what to expect upon arrival to Mount Carmel. We pulled up to the memorial at the entrance and looked around for a few minutes. We were told by a woman we could go up to the church if we liked. She left and we drove over to the church. We were honestly really nervous. The woman came back after a few minutes and she gave us, what I felt, was an unbiased story line of events. We were allowed to enter the church where there are photos on the walls of the property before and after the stand off and of the people that perished. We were also allowed to walk on the grounds where the compound used to stand. We listened and asked questions and had a very cordial exchange.

While we were there, another couple was also there. One of them seemed to be making a spectacle of the whole thing. He asked me to take photos of him at the monument and inside the church. I saw him taking selfies. It was really tacky and uncomfortable. There was a huge loss of life on those grounds. I felt thankful that we were able to visit. This isn’t a place to act like a jackass. Your selfies can wait. Take a moment to be respectful.

We drove right past one, and then drove back again. The gate was half closed; there was a sign indicating private property, so we kept on going. Not much to see from the road, pretty non-descript. If you are really that interested, suppose you can go in like some others and see the 'history' of the Branch Dividians.

If you are in the area, stop by and see the memorial park. It’s 5.00 per car, which no one was there asking for it, you put it in a mailbox type thing. I gladly paid 5.00 to go in.

It’s heartbreaking to be there, knowing what happened to the women and children, innocent people. It’s quiet and peaceful, with no noise at all, just the Texas wind blowing.

Went into the new church, built on the grounds of the compound, a nice lady was telling about what happened, answering questions to the best of her ability.

We decided to visit because I like to see interesting things. It was fairly easy to find. The most interesting part on the property was the memorial to those who passed away. The entire area felt kind of eerie and almost like we were being watched the entire time. We tried to drive back to the church but a dog started to bark at us and circle the car. It took us a good five minutes to get out because he continuously ran in front of that car and I was afraid I would hit him. It definitely is an interesting place to visit, but we did not feel welcome.

it is actually worth a side trip, if you are in the area. I happened to be there when a woman associated with the current church gave a bit of history (of course from their own anti-government perspective). I coughed up the donation, out of guilt. It still is a bit eerie to be out there, but worth going. I would definitely only go out there during the day, and not at night.

This place should not be treated as a looky-loo stop. People died, including many innocent children, but in my opinion not all the blame can be put on the government and that seems to be the prospective of the spokesperson. After hearing the spokesperson today and reading much of the info of the man who took over caretaking and considering my own religious beliefs, my conclusion is Koresh had a self-fulfilling prophecy and God did not necessarily bring down His wrath to martyr all those who died. God is a God of love and mercy, but He often does allow things to happen that our sin has caused. I believe that to be the case. God does not need a crisis such as this to proclaim His name.
I do believe FBI/ATF made many mistakes, but they proceeded with the knowledge Koresh had been stockpiling weapons and ammo. And it was a combination of what the government and Koresh and his followers did that resulted in this tragedy.
No matter the cause, Koresh and the parents of the children are equally responsible for the death of those innocent lives.
This memorial park is a beautiful tribute to the lives of those beloved children who are resting in the loving arms of their Heavenly Father. It is a somber reminder God will not be mocked and no human should consider themselves His equal or above Him. Do not be deceived.

Worth the drive if in Waco. Not a lot to see, and i wouldn't call it an "attraction", but worth appreciating the historical significance. A little eerie, but that's part of it. A 20 min. stop.

We did a drive by. It was very sad to see where all these people were killed. It was a very eerie feeling....

We were in Waco, TX on our tour across America in our RV. The night before I seen a Dateline special on the 25th anniversary of Seige of the Compound that killed members of the Branch Davidian and David Koresh. In total, 76 people died. We missed the gated entrance and drove down the road to find a spot to turn around. When we came back the entrance side of the gate was closed and the exit side was open with a SUV driving toward the gate. We took some quick pictures and left. We were surprised how vast the property was. Very comparable to the large ranches all around Waco.

If you want to go to the place of the siege, then you can go. But it's on private property and the signs aren't welcoming of visitors. Having said that, I walked in through the open gate and took the picture, then walked straight back out again. This is NOT a memorial that is interested in having members of the public visit. This is the compound of current day Davidians.......although we didn't see anyone or encounter anyone hostile, it doesn't give off a friendly/welcoming aura.

So glad we stopped by. Just my husband and myself. We stopped because we were in college when the send off occurred. We had one on one time with Heather. She was the last child released at the age of 9. She still lives on site. Bunker shell is still there along with the evidence of the tunnels and pool in back. Thank you Heather! Worth a stop and I am so glad we drove by on our trip.

Definitely worth the drive, the kid who came out to greet us was highly welcoming and friendly. We didn’t do the tour, but took the quick drive and out the gates

We went to see the place where the 1993 Branch Davidian raid and shooout happened. Take Loop 340 to Elk Road east of Waco, turn east on TX 2491 go East to EE Ranch Road then turn North about a half mile on the east side of the road, Memorials to the victims and the AFT agents killed there.

We stopped by on our way out of town. If the gates are open, you can enter the compound grounds. There is a chapel that is set up as a type of museum. They have pictures of the victims and pictures of the compound before and after. There was a lady on site that talked about what happened here. She was very knowledgeable and kind. They take $10 donations for your time in the property. It was interesting and a little spooky at the same time, but I am glad we took it in while we were in the area.

The compound offers a memorial with names of the fallen and a chapel down the road. The audio visual center was locked. You must go down to the chapel and read the flyer. A member of the current Branch sect opened the chapel for us and offered history and information.

We felt we got the complete, honest and full history of exactly what happened at the Branch Davidian. It is open to the public. There are no keep out signs. Very friendly welcome. No guard dog. Highly recommend. High light of our visit to Waco.

You can't get in and see anything. There is a locked gate there that says "No Trespassing". You drive down a dirt road to get to the place, no one else was around, so hopefully we were at the right place, at least our GPS said we were.

The site is a 10 miles trip outside of Waco. They is not much to see beyond a stone dedication inscribed with the names of the 81 church members who lost their lives on the site in 1993. There is no explanation of why it happened.

Still it was part if my childhood and i was glad i visited.

Reading some of these reviews I didn’t know what to expect. People made it sound like it was a scary drive on a desolate road to get there. And then some reviewers complained about the people that still lived in the compound area pushing political agendas. None of this was true. I’m a woman and felt completely safe there. The road there was short and safe. And the people that we spoke to there were very knowledgeable. I think the negative reviews stem from people not being able to handle those that don’t think exactly like they do. Also, if you haven’t seen the documentary, you need to. So sad.

Hours listed are wrong. They are not open Sundays. Was still interested to see from the closed gate. Hours are Tues-Sat 10-6.

Although I was not able to find anyone to talk to, it was well worth the trip off the beaten path.
A memorial right at the enterance of the compound, a new, smaller chapel built on the site of the old compound that burned that early spring day back in 1993. If you just sat there for a moment, you could see it all happening as if you were there yourself.
The ground has healed, although I believe the people in that area have not.

While in Waco and while having some free time, we went in search of the Dividian compound. Had to ask for directions twice. I found the spokesperson a little. What happened to the little women, children and babies was senseless and sickening.

Such a sad memory, but something we all wanted to see. It’s very eerie!!! Not a lot to see, but we all felt it was worth the stop.

There is something not right at this place. It is not what you expect. It is not a memorial and the weird sounds to hear and the odd feeling to get walking around the property is not right.

It was so confusing to know what to do when we got there. Signs on gates say “Private Property” and “Beware of Dog”. Yet, the gate was open. We weren’t sure if we could go in. There were dogs on property. They do ask for a donation.

This is a solemn place that was involved in a tragedy that didn't need to happen. The woman who oversees it was very nice and informative. We were encouraged to spend as much time as we wanted there to read the material and look at the photos. It's not a place for everyone, but if you are interested in this event in our history, it's a good place to stop if you're in the area.

We were traveling to San Antonio and stopped by on our way down. Worth going a little out of your way. The two people we encountered at the compound were friendly and welcoming. One went with us to the church and gave us some background from the perspective of a Branch Davidian. My family did not share their viewpoints, but remained respectful and did not say anything. It is very nice they allowed us to visit. It is an important part of history to remind ourselves and share with children. We had an age range of 13 to 55. All found it worth our time. They were not pushy about donations but we paid $20 as we had 2 cars. More than fair.

We wanted to visit because we remember seeing this on tv. It felt very eerie to be in a place where such tragedy had taken place. Unfortunately the building housing the video history was not open when we visited.

The gate was open so we entered! I drove around then knocked on the office door. A very nice lady came out and asked if we would like to see the chapel/museum. Sje was very informative and we enjoyed talking with her. Its totally safe and a great stop. The dogs are friendly

I'm nit sure if visitors are welcome but if you are in the area and have some time go and try to imagine all that took place there,

We were curious about the compound so we drove by and were hesitant to enter. There was a sign requesting a donation if you entered, so we decided not to bother.

The area is a historic moment in time. My husband and I are in Texas visiting my daughter and here to see her wedding. We took the drive from Killeen to the memorial and was not disappointed. It is a very long road to get there, but we did not feel threatened as other reviews have said. We pulled in to see a man that greeted us on the porch. We drove back to the porch where they ask for a 10 dollar donation to keep the place open and for upkeep. The lady inside of the church was the family that took care of the place and was so nice, and informative. She answered all the questions we had and gave us points of reference to look at.
The property itself has an eerie vibe to it. You can almost feel their terror as the government came in and took over. The women and children that died that day was unnecessary.
I will say this is something I would had never came to see on its own if I was not in the area. But I am so glad I saw it.

I'd wanted to visit this site for many years to pay my respects. I'd read that if the gates were open you could enter. At the entrance there is an entrance stone and memorial.

There's an AV building but this was locked.

The place is deathly silent with just bird song audible.

Following the path there is a new church with literature about 'why Bush ordered Delta Force to attack' propaganda. Next to this is the 16ft deep outdoor swimming pool, pretty much the only thing that survives from before the siege.

As I was walking round it a large white dog came up to me barking. It didn't run but it was very large and looked like it could do some damage. It slowly herded me away from the pool and the church, I wasn't arguing.

I left with more questions than I entered with. I didn't expect not want a macabre tourist spot, but I had hoped for more information.

Very informative. You will learn so much more than you've ever seen in the documentaries and movies. A big thank you to our guide and to Heather a Survivor.

We always go to places that most people would find disturbing. I'm glad we went here. I have to admit I was apprehensive about this one considering what happened here. The folks who live here were very welcoming. Considering what happened here the fact that they let anyone in at all is amazing. The one lady we encountered was there during the siege as a 9 year old child. It was very interesting to hear the viewpoint from someone who was actually on the inside as things happened. There was another group of folks already there when we got there. They were asking some pretty confrontational questions of this lady. I must say she handled what could have become a confrontation with absolute grace. I chose to remain respectful and only asked questions that I would be comfortable being asked had I been there. Remember, this is their place, not yours. Sure, they may have some unconventional views as to what happened, but it's their place and their story to tell as they see it. Do I agree? Maybe not, but there's no need to argue what's done is done. It's a very peaceful place.

Loved the drive out and wasn't hard to find. Gate was open so we parked out side of it and my friend went in to get pictures.

There is nothing here except the small monument just inside the gateway, commemorating those whose lives were lost. Before you get to it, it is abundantly clear that you are not welcome "Private Property, Trespassers will be Prosecuted." Which makes you wonder why they have a monument at all. The few homes on the site (which we drove around anyway) are run down and unattractive. If you use a GPS to find the posted address, it's actually 2-3 miles away from where you are likely to be taken (but on the same road).

We arrived and half the gate was open. There wasn't a single car around. It was a bit creepy. We had no idea what to do, drove around and saw no one. I went online and read other reviews, so I just went up to the trailer labeled office and asked. I was then put in touch with Eddie. Who was fantastic and gave us a great tour. SO glad we didn't just leave.

There are foundations, the pool, bunkers, passage ways, the school bus shrapnel, and memorials for all that died. If you’ve read or watched any documentaries, you’ll understand what you’re looking at. There’s a chapel with a map of the grounds. I’ve been here multiple times. There’s always someone in the chapel to educate, answer questions, and sometimes provide a guided tour. It’s free. There’s plenty of parking. Go into the chapel first and keep an open mind. The people that volunteer are wonderful. This place is wheelchair accessible.

Not much out there, just land, nice tribute, really sad, but what are you going to say, just not a big building or anything

This memorial should be paid for by the government since they caused this. They were licensed to own every weapon they had and even if they wanted to arrest Koresh, they could have picked him up away from there. The beginning of the militarization of the police.

We were traveling through Waco on the way to Austin. On a whim we looked up the address and realized we would be within miles of the place. We pulled in and noticed a large number of cars at the Church and parked on the road to it. We looked at the monuments. After we left and read numerous articles on the tragedy online, we realized we were there on the 25th Anniversary of the tragedy! Very eerie!

I'm a history buff, so I just had to see the place where such a tragedy took place. It's similar to going to a battlefield.
We needed the GPS to find the place as it's a ways out of town. When you pull up there is a gate (open when we were there) with a wall inside and lettering, The Branch. My family was reluctant to enter because the place has almost an ominous feel to it, so we stayed on the road outside. From what we could see there are several mobile homes and larger buildings in the rear. I'm told the people there are quite open and give tours. Perhaps some day I'll find out if I go back alone.