This weekend I visited Brazos Bend State Park, located in Needville, TX, about 1 hour away from UHCL. Whether you are going in blind or know exactly what you’re looking to do, this park hosts activities that visitors of all kinds can enjoy.

Hiking and Biking

Brazos Bend State park has a total of 37 miles of trails and uses compressed gravel to make it friendly for both casual hiking and biking. 

In this 37 miles, the park has plenty of smaller ones—some small as 0.03 miles—that are covered with trees that supply plenty of shade, along with rest stops that contain restrooms, water refill stations, and benches.

As for my visit, what I wanted to test out most was how my road bike would do on their trails. And I’m here to say that it did great! 

Of course, a mountain bike would be ideal; but this is all I currently own. 

At most, I would suggest being wary of some tree roots that occasionally poke out onto the paths (the first one I crossed over made all the items in my basket fly up in the air!) and, if you are thinking of biking, to wear your helmet and be mindful of those on foot. 

I would like to add that, because some of these trails are near bodies of water, an alligator sighting or encounter is always a possibility. So, please, be aware of your surroundings.

Nature Center

A great resting spot between the park’s Pilant Slough Trail and the Horseshoe Lake Loop is the Nature Center. 

Located immediately outside of the center are multiple live Oak trees that are at least 200 years old! And, yes, they are beautiful. 

Inside, the Nature Center houses various reptiles and other animals, including alligator hatchlings. 

I had the pleasure of talking to Jonathan Argo, Park Interpreter for Brazos Bend, who helped elaborate how the park contributes to maintain alligator’s health and wellness.

“[The process] usually takes about 14 months, maximum a year and a half.”, says Argo. Eggs are obtained from at-risk nests, incubated, and when healthy go up on display for visitors to watch. Older alligators will eventually be later released back to the wild. 

“[We’ll] look for a female with young and give them to her.” And, if all goes well, she adopts them into their group.

Fishing

Included with a general admission ticket is the ability to fish in any of the park’s three lakes: Hale, Forty Acre, and New Horseshoe. 

Ideal for those who enjoy quiet days in the sunny Texas heat, if you’re looking to try the hobby out without investing loads of time and money, good news! Brazos Bend does not require fishers to have a fishing license. 

I personally haven’t given it a try yet, but most definitely plan on it. As the saying goes, “I told my wife I went to the bank, but didn’t tell her which one!” 

Houston Museum of Natural Science’s George Observatory

Last, but most certainly not least, is the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s George Observatory, located on-site right by Creekfield Lake. 

Because it’s out in a state park, the George Observatory is a great choice for those wanting to spend a night looking at the stars. 

Every Saturday from 9-11p.m. visitors can enjoy stargazing with the observatory’s 3 telescopes. It should be noted that the stargazing takes place outside, so bring bug spray!

General Admission tickets are sold online for $13, and last entry is at 10 p.m..

It’s no surprise that this is a popular attraction, and so I was unable to attend due to tickets being sold out for the day I visited the park. 

If any of you have been proactive enough in getting tickets to visit, let us know and feel free to share your experience down in the comments.

Closing Words

Brazos Bend State Park really is an outdoor gold mine for all, and I highly recommend anyone even slightly interested to take a leap of faith and visit. 

As a growing outdoors-y person, I’ve come to see how fun and full of life National Parks and Forests are. Take it from a former shut-in that they’re a great way to wind down, touch grass, and open yourself up to a whole different world of exciting experiences.

And, for those on the fence about possibly paying a pretty penny to visit, since Brazos Bend is a Texas State Park it’s partially publicly funded to help them best operate in their mission to conserve and protect wildlife and the natural scenery surrounding them. This allows them to set the price of a general admission ticket at only $7! 

But because nearly all state park visitors spend most of their time outside, and we do live in Texas, I recommend anyone planning on visiting to at minimum bring energy gels, electrolytes, candy/sweets, comfortable shoes, and breathable clothing. 

For more information, you can visit the Brazos Bend State Park website.