This past weekend, my dog, Sneakers and I were in Baytown, TX checking out W.L Jenkins Park. This…read morepark is a true hidden gem and has an expansive gravel trail that covers 3+ miles into open space and connects into another nearby park. Also, there's a large and small dog park with good sturdy doggie bags with handles. I loved this park so much that Sneakers and I spent hours hiking and relaxing. We covered 4.2 miles. I wanted to share this hidden gem with y'all since I was surprised that Baytown has such a fun park!!

Beautiful little park here in Baytown. Clean and quiet with lots to do. Splash pads, playgrounds,…read moredisc golf, skate park, softball / baseball fields, soccer, fitness area, dog park and walking trails. I think I got em all. Oh well. Get your lazy butt out and enjoy this little gem. Go explore before you can't.

One of the most missed parks in the Baytown area. This park does not exist in the eyes of the…read moremajority. A city that abandoned a hospital and medical plaza leaves the trace of this park. It sits behind the old Methodist hospital and San Jacinto plaza. The land is very wide and spacious. The parking lot of the hospital combines with the park. With little to no groundwork. The pavement of the hospital's concrete is almost unbearable to drive across due the excess amounts of potholes lurking. People flee across the parking lot to make it to work or drop their kids off at the only nearby establishment 'still in business'. A daycare which is proximal to the park. A pleasantly wooden pier lies along the trails which leads out to the brackish waters. A flow of fish repeatedly hop from wave to wave. I reckon there's alligator gar in this briny Adam's ale besides catfish, seatrout, and blue crab. The graffiti-tized or should I say vandalized tables of the pier. Gives to the expression "express yourself". Artistically drawn and tagged of relationships, shout-outs, and lifestyles. Don't forget your sharpie or blade... if you dare. The kind of run-of-mill hang out or fishing spot without encountering a whole lot of people.

This is a very shady park. It's also not very clean. Cigarette buds everywhere, wrappers, etc. It…read morehas a nice view to the bay but Roseland park is only a few minutes away and it's safer

Fun place to visit with friends and family. Cool place for a picnic or just taking in the sunset.read more

For the most most people go here for fishing but it also has a soccer area and playground. Plenty…read moreof open space to have a picnic or something or sit and a sunset. Has nice la views but it can feel a little sketchy sometimes. There's an old apartment complex in the back

This quaint trail is roughly 5.6 miles from start to finish. The Trail in almost entirely paved…read moreand or gravel. It's wheelchair accessible and excellent for beginner hikers. Hike this trail all the way to the Gully bank. Here you can free fish. When we went, they had success in catches after only a few hours. You'll experience lots of wildlife in the form of seagulls and other birds. The best time to go it right before the weather starts to chill, so In November.

Does anyone know if the bridge is fixed, the one where you fish?, last time I went with my father…read moreit was completely gone. Any updates?

Nice park, good equipment. The nursing home on the same property is a 1 star place do not take…read moreyour loved ones there. From care to cleanliness is all subpar.

The equipment is new and well kept. It's very clean and nice . There is a concrete walking trail…read moreand a basketball court as well.

I love how clean this park is! If you have a chance to visit the market on the first Saturday of…read morethe month you should!

I used to take my 7 yr old grandson to this park and he loved it! Always clean and friendly…read moreenvironment. He loved it so we all loved it!!

Checked out Sheldon Lake State Park after seeing it nearby. It's not a fully developed park, rather…read moreit's a collection of former fish hatcheries that have been returned to nature + walking trails + wetlands. There is no entrance fee and you're able to fish from the shoreline without a fishing license. The park is open from 8am-5pm. There's only about 2 miles worth of easy, paved trails. The main attraction is their observation tower that has an elevator that took us to the top. Up there, we saw the Houston skyline, oil refineries, and the other areas of the park we can't get to by foot. There are occasionally some ranger programs that the park rangers host. Because this park is classified as a not for profit park, they don't sell any gifts or souvenirs. They do have a park stamp though if you're interested in adding to your Texas State Parks Passport stamp collection. Even though this place doesn't offer many of the bells and whistles of other parks, the free admission makes it accessible to anyone seeking to get away from the "busyness" of life.

This is one of the Texas State parks that is free without the TX State Park pass and doesn't allow…read moreindividual camping. They only have group camping onsite and the campsites are not private, but very close together. Located in an unincorporated community just right off of Beltway 8 and US-90 Highway is Sheldon, TX which isn't too far from East Houston. Sheldon Lake isn't as kept up as Brazos Bend State Park in Needville or Stephen F. Austin in San Felipe, TX (which are closer state parks near Houston worth checking out); I did notice that since the park is considered free, hooligans feel the need to vandalize educational outdated posters on the tower and carve their names into trees which serve no purpose. I had the pleasure of meeting one of the park rangers, Tori who mentioned that the park was special to her. She was going around the park to assessing things that needed to be completed and worked on. This is one of the underrated parks that is home to ecological habitats of wetlands, bottomland woods, and coastal prairies. Driving to the park on Garrett Road, to your right, you'll see Sheldon Reservior. Seeing the trees on the reservior reminded me of the bald cypress at Caddo Lakes State park in Karnack, TX. Big and sunken into the swampy waters. Climbing several stairs to get to the top of the 82-floor tower was exciting because the view was stunning. There are placemarkers on the floor that indicate at which area that you stand you can see the Houston Ship Channel, the San Jacinto Monument, Houston Skyline, bayous, and views of the park. The elevator looked to be out of commission for a while as it was boarded up. There were giant solar panels generating the Mitsubusi Generators behind the towers. The trails are flat and gravel based; they are easy to manever for able-bodied and handicapped accessible individuals. There aren't any traditional trail markers located through the park which can be a bit confusing if you have trouble with reading a maps or don't have a sense of direction due to a lack of spatial awareness, then you may get lost. Not to worry because the park is very small and each trail isn't too long. The main trails always lead back to the parking lot. Each trail at this park doesn't extend past 0.8 miles. Unlike many others TX State parks, the Civilian Conservation Corps didn't build anything on-site at Sheldon Lake. This is definitely not one of my favorite state parks within our state that I've visisted, but it isn't bad to come here for a quick hike and to relax. It wasn't very crowded like it would be at Enchanted Rock located in Fredricksburg, TX or even Inks Lake in Burnet, TX. The park is very simple and needs some extra work to make it shine like the other TPWD parks.

I've always been to Deussen park from my childhood age and I still go now. They have made such a…read moregreat improvement and it's still a great park spot. We like this dog spot for our puppy. I forgot to take the picture of the river area but it's a nice relaxing spot.

No one, and I mean no one (in my circles) has ever referred to this park by its full name. We…read morealways just refer to it as Deussen Park. That said, Alexander Deussen was an important geologist who basically donated the land on which this park is situated. What sets this park apart from most parks in the metropolis is the expansive acreage, dark green verdant scenery, forest-like quality and its proximity to Lake Houston. Most parks in Houston have the concrete jungle as a backdrop or, in the case of Memorial Park, are located near highways or major thoroughfares. However, Deussen Park is one of those parks you can kind of disappear into and get lost in away from the chaos and everyday randomness of urban life. I've been here for BBQs and other gatherings, but would like to attend a concert here one day. If you just want to escape the big city, this is one of the best places to go.