This is a lovely park and was a good first time camp site. So lovely, that if you would like camp overnight, you must sign up MONTHS in advance! Luckily, I have some friends who are into camping and they did just that. We got to the park at around 330pm on a Saturday afternoon in February. The traffic on 288 was packed with people fleeing the city for the weekend. The road directions are pretty straightforward. We checked in at the little store and found our "Premium" camp site #110 (which had both running water and an electricity hook up, fire pit and picnic table) This is "Car Camping" where you just bring everything you need in your car and set up your tent on a grassy patch. There is a fairly clean bathroom with showers about 0.25mi up the road. There were a ton of RVs and a boy scout troop there that day. This is not a place to go if you really want to get away from people as each site is maybe 50 feet apart. But for a frist time "do I think I really want to sleep outside, I hope I don't get afraid and run back to sleep in my car" experience it was perfect. We set up camp and then drove to the lake where we saw a lot of alligators in the water. There were none on the path. PLEASE do not harass or feed the animals. If you don't bother them, they won't bother (read: EAT) you! There were a lot of birds and ducks flying around too. We didn't see much wildlife near the campground (save for some squirrels and an armadillo), And that was just fine by me. February was a little too cold for outdoor camping as it got down into the 40s overnight, and we first timers were a little miserable in our tent :(. However it is the best time to go if you don't want to be eaten alive by mosquitos. I had a wonderful time and now have the camping bug! read more

NEED A NATURE FIX?? Tired of the grind? Well, this is the BEST!!! It's close by, easy to travel to and feel like you are a zillion miles from city life. Great for an evening sunset experience to ALL DAY walking, exploring and biking....short and LONG paths. By no means is that all: depending of the season you can see 'gators on your path (they are WILD...DO NOT PET), flocks of Spoonbills, wild pigs, lots of spiders-snakes-flying things... and always beautiful foliage, flowers and water. Even a three (3) story tower to climb and look across a prairie/savannah and beyond. You are very close to nature...resist the impulse to touch everything!! LOL Curiosity is good but BE CAREFUL this is not a zoo. Wear very light clothing in hot months, bring plenty of water.....great place to have a picnic and BBQ and spray with deet....mosquitoes can be voracious . Winter---be ready for coolness. The staff is super and have a great desire to keep the park pristine and natural BUT plenty of groomed areas for picnicking and resting with clean bathrooms that are supplied with the essentials. Note: Georges Observatory is here (part of Houston Museum of Natural Science)..check their website for activities....great experiences await you! If you would like a change of pace you can volunteer...short or long term. See park ranger or call Park (check webpage) for details. read more

I've been here two times! I love coming here. It's nice to kick back and enjoy the nature. My boyfriend and I went the first time to walk around the trail. The second time we went biking. Very fun trails and lots of turtles, birds, and alligators to see! read more

Great state park with friendly staff members that have always been helpful. We've been there three times and have had different experiences every time. The alligators can go right up on the walking paths which can be a bit scary at first. You quickly learn that these animals want nothing to do with you and to just respect their space. :) We camped one weekend and had a covered shelter. Good experience with good neighbors. Heads up - the walk in tent sites were covered with fire ant hills when we were there. read more

This park offers many chances of alligator sighting. The last time I saw this many gators, I was in the Everglades. They have picturesque trails, great staffs, good fishing spots, picnic areas, and playgrounds for kids. Park entry fee is 7 dollars per adult. Kids under 12 get in free. Seniors get discount and elder seniors get in free. Camping is also available. Bring some bugs repellent and have fun. read more

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This state park was such a treat! We saw alligators as soon as we started hiking not to mention the other wildlife! The trails appeared to be well maintained and clean. The picnic tables were clean and the weeping willow trees were just beautiful. read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

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Great for family fun. There are multiple playgrounds and the trails are super scenic. The learning center also has activities for the younger children, and have volunteers who will help you snakes and baby gators! They're super friendly and really know their stuff. You gotta watch out for the gators, and there are supposed to be venomous snakes around. And bring cash--it'll make your purchases a lot smoother. read more

I went to the First Day Bike Ride. It was cold and rainy, but I checked the radar and knew it would stop in time for the bike ride. It did but to my embarrassment I was the only one who showed up. The guide, Dave, was kind enough to go ahead with the ride even though it was just little old me. He was great company and gave lots of good information about the park, which is beautiful, by the way. The trail was muddy but still manageable for a middle-aged, out-of-shape mountain biker like me. If they offer this event next year I will definitely go. And you should too. It was a great time and well worth the drive. read more

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The One Where Sandy Goes To Play With Alligators. Okay, I didn't play with them... it was actually worrisome watching the kids run about while the alligators are chilling around silently. But this state park is closer to the city and it's nice to get away and run/walk the trails. Our awesome running group (Kung Fu Run Club) gets together once a month for a trail run (yes, that was an invitation!). For February, we ventured out to Brazos Bend to check this place out. The trails are pretty spacious and people are walking around, cycling and even bbqing out here. There's an observatory deck where you can see (almost) the entire park. Just FYI - it's a bit wobbly so if you're afraid of heights, don't do it. Also, you'll see a refinery factor across the way, which brings you back to "I'm not really outside of Houston" feel. Overall a fun place, but I don't know if I would like my child run free around this place with signs that reads "Caution: Alligators" and "Caution: Venomous Snakes". ::shudders:: read more

It's a nice place, but not for a true woodsman or people looking for a real camping experience.

Beautiful place to photograph and it's hotter than hell on any given day so bring the Ozarka guy with you. Had a granny with her grandchildren fishing , next to me while I was snapping the snapping gators, literally they were in my personal space, perhaps I was in their personal space, it was intimate. If you hate to sweat profusely then nature negates the reason you are visiting this awesome park. So wish there was some type of segway tour. read more

Such a fun place to go. Take the family, take the kids. So much to do and see. Love to camp here as well. Fun for anyone of all ages.

Watch "Houston Gator Fishing, Brazos Bend State Park" on YouTube Houston Gator Fishing, Brazos Bend State Park: http://youtu.be/u-4_TrukDow read more

Great easy walking park with numerous different trails and type of trails. Spring is has beautiful wild flowers, summer sunning aligators, autumn and winter has migratory birds so no matter what time of year it is there is something to see. read more

If I could give a place zero stars I would give it to this place. We were yelled at and belittled by the ticket lady because we were walk ins. We were tempted to get a refund but we drove an hour to be here. I've never felt so disrespected and unwanted in a park in my life, and we were polite and respectful the whole time. Never coming back here again. read more

Camping here for the past 2days and each day there has been No Water! I just called an after hours number w again some lame promise of working on it. Traveling in an RV I just managed to have a half a tank of water this will not last. Communication has been horrible because there is none ! Things happen I understand but a responsible organization needs to communicate with the customer. This review has nothing to do with it's natural beauty. read more

Love this place! We are blessed to live just a few miles from the actual park! So many hiking trails all over the park. Lots of gators and plenty of scenic shots for photographers read more

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Best biking and hiking trails in fort bend Co. Miles of great hiking trails and a great camping area. We love this park and are Annual pass members mainly because of this park. read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Best biking and hiking trails near Sugar Land - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

It is so fun but I suggest going on a chilly day as it can get hot & there's not many places to cool down. It's a great place to fish ,go picnic and most kids go in free! read more

Awesome place to see some real Texas wildlife. Gators, fish, birds, armadilloes and a ton of other cool stuff....

I was so disappointed. I drove an hour to get here with my three kids, only to find a paper sign on the gate saying it is closed this week for hunting. It said nothing about this on the website, or on the recording when I called. Several other cars came up around the same time we did. Everyone said they had driven at least an hour to get there, only to have to turn away. read more

Bait and Switch. I paid $91 for the first night. They wanted to charge me $51 for the first night and $41 for subsequent nights. Their website says $20/night. I call this "Bait and Switch". There is a $21 per day extra for entrance fees for a family of three.($7 per person). That would be $51 for the first night, including $20 campsite fee and $10 reservation fee. To resolve the issue, I bought the $70 Texas State Park Pass. With this pass, they waive the $21 per day entrance fee and give 50%, or $10 off the first night. In the end, it costs $30 per night for five nights. The park itself is great, but I am livid about their website not fully disclosing all fees up front. For example, the website displays a $7 entrance fee, but one assumes it is waived for campers. The fee is PER PERSON, so a family of five would pay up to $35 PER DAY just in entrance fees. read more

I came here when I was younger to visit the observatory, like a lot of young students. I didn't come back until I read about all the great trails. I started running there a few years ago, and I was surprised not to see a lot of runners. They've started hosting trail races there recently, which I think is long overdue. There is a lot to see out there. I've ventured out to the more secluded parts of the park, and it was the most isolated I had felt in a long time. I mean that in a good way, since it really felt I was getting away from things, even if it was for only a few hours. I've seen a lot of wildlife, including the lovely alligators. I just make sure to keep a heads up, because they can be very close to the trails. If you want to get away and experience some nature, there's something for everyone out there. read more

Our family vacation takes us to a quick turn to the really usual state park. We attend a wedding here and coming from arizona we dis not expect all of this. Our first step out of a car was just pure amazing natura. This was a alligator park so expect to see A LOT. even thought this was a wedding i wish i had more time walk around. Next time im here i will sure hit the trails read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

we used to come to this park from time to time when i was a kid. we didn't know what it was called when we were kids, so we called it alligator park, since there's alligators all over the place. i've never seen a park ranger, or any other employee on the grounds other than at the toll booth. i'm not sure how many accidents happen each year, or if the alligators simply aren't interested in eating people, but it amazes me that there are no barriers between us and them. i even remember one time when an alligator was sunbathing on one of the trails, and we were stupid enough to step right over it and continue hiking. as previously mentioned, there are trails for hiking and biking. there are also lakes, but no swimming is allowed, unless you'd like to donate yourself to the alligators for lunch. the park also has barbeque grills and picnic tables. they tell you not to feed the alligators, but i'm still not sure what the alligators are eating everyday to survive. be sure to bring lots of bug spray, and keep an eye out for ticks and chiggers. also don't play around on the muddy banks on some of the trails and accidentally push your friend into the swampy river like my friend did to me back in the day. if you come later in the evening and stay until nightfall, you can head over to the observatory to ogle some celestial bodies. that's a nice way to end the day! read more

My sister and I had a magical experience. We started at the visitors center where we got to pet a rescues baby alligator and learn about the poisonous snakes in the Gulf Coast region. Then we went on a fantastic hike where we got to see some alligators up close and personal. It was thrilling! I highly recommend a visit and I am always shocked when I found out long time Houstonians have not visited this park. read more

Highly enjoyed this park. We got to see so many cool animals in heir natural habitat. The beautiful scenery is outstanding! Also, can't forget to mention the alligators! We will be coming back very soon. read more

Stayed 2 weeks in my rv. Well maintained, beautiful land, abundant wildlife, excellent trails, what more could you want? O yeah, super reasonable on their Nightly prices. I've travel the country regularly and this place is still one of my favorite State parks. read more

Such a beautiful park! Facilities are very clean and wonderful place to visit. Wildlife is incredible, especially the alligators which at times are surprisingly close to the paths. Definitely worth the drive! read more

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A real 5-star park, a big surprise. Went to Brazos Bend SP on a Sunday morning to go birdwatching with my wife and daughter. I have to admit that I was annoyed when we had to pay an entry fee ($7 for adults, $4 for seniors). But after driving around to size-up the place and stopping at the visitor's center, I began to think that the entry fee was a steal. Roads are well maintained. Picnic grounds are ample with tables and grills. Grounds are well kept with no trash or litter lying about. Staff at the visitor's center is friendly and helpful. Hiking trails are well defined and maintained. Bridges, piers and observation points are like new. Plenty of spacious, clean restrooms. By the way, the Birding was excellent. Lots of overwintering birds in late November. read more

Today was a gorgeous day in Houston so we decided to come here and I'm glad we did! We started on a small trail called Lake Trail. We saw ducks, turtles and different types of birds. Walked over to the Nature Center where the park rangers held a snake and another held a baby alligator. You're allowed to touch them which was exciting to my son. We then walked over to Elm Lake and saw so many alligators! Some were on banks and a few were within a couple of feet from you. Of course, you're not allowed to get within 30 feet of them. After that we walked halfway through 40 Acre Lake. They have an observation tower there and you climb stairs to get to the top. Great views from here! After that we packed up and drove home. There's so much to do! We hiked but you can fish, they have bike trails, pack a lunch and have a picnic. There are so many shaded areas! Go for a run, take pictures and there's even an Observatory with a massive telescope for viewing the stars and moon once the sun goes down. We didn't do this but it's definitely on the list of things to do when we go back! The park staff is friendly and helpful. I just can't say enough great things about this park. Highly recommend you check this place out! read more

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Loved this state park...loved watching the allegators as I was hiking around the bayou. Other nice trails in this park as well. I will miss coming out here since I no longer live in Houston, but when I come back for a visit, I'll definitely come back here. read more

When you've been spending time in the city, particularly a metropolis such as Houston, surrounded by pavement, strip malls and traffic, you start to crave nature. Brazos Bend State Park is an excellent place to satisfy this craving. A short 45 min. drive from Houston, BBSP is a diverse and lovely park. The highlights are the alligators and the many bird species. Apparently the park is home to close to 300 different birds. If you're lucky, as we were, you might also spot an armadillo! There are many trails, there's a visitor center in which you can pet a baby alligator or see some of the native snakes. Overall, this is a wonderful and refreshing 1/2-day getaway from Houston. read more

Nice short scenic ride from Sugar Land. Lots of trails from beginners to more advanced. Multiple lakes to fish from. FYI, bring a small cooler full of ice cold liquids. Visitor center has air conditioning and baby gators. Observatory Lab there too but only open on Saturdays. If you want to get away and breathe fresh air.......... read more

Husband and I are novice bikers. This park has something for everyone. I like flatter trails without drops and large roots. We took some trails near elm creek. It was a beautiful park. We stopped at a park with playgrounds and bathrooms. It had picnic tables and a dock to look at wildlife. We saw the much warned about alligators (3 babies). Great park for hiking, biking, casual strolling, bird watching, playing with kids. Dogs must be leashed. $14 per adult to enter. Don't mind paying to keep the park beautiful. read more

Drove three hours to get here but it was definitely worth it! We saw alligators almost instantly and must have seen around 25 of them in total. My mom was freaking out over them but they are totally disinterested in humans. All they did was to sunbath occasionally move one or two feet. If you haven't seen wild alligators in person before you should absolutely make a trip here. Also the park is big and we didn't cover more than a 1/10 or it or so even if we spent 3-4 hours there. Had a great time and so did my mom (although the 'gators were scary) and brother! read more

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This was such a nice surprise. This park was larger than I expected, and there was nice variety in the trails. The nature center was really fun! Even on a hot day in July, they had park rangers with a lovely display. We were able to look at lake insect larvae under a microscope! I was probably most surprised by how many different types of birds we were able to see. I can't wait to come back and spend the entire day or a camping trip at Brazos Bend! read more

Bigger than I expected! Basic site (water + electric) $20/night + $5 entry fee per person Clean bathrooms. Well maintained trails. So close to Houston! Good hiking, cycling available if you're in to that, an observatory (open on Saturdays). Great find. read more

Brazos Bend is a great place to visit. Nice for day trips and short to long hikes. Campsites are in good shape and most have some privacy. It's close enough to most areas around Houston for day trips. read more

Love it! I would have chosen five stars, but I need to take a dip in some type of water after hihking/biking. I don't dare swim in these swamps with those gators lurking. If you visit during the summer or late spring early fall you will for sure see those giants. although they do not like extreme heat.They are huge. don't settle for a little gator or baby, keep looking. they love to lay and bake in the sun. my hubby and i also visit and take the bikes. it is a nice bike trail. in the late fall and early spring it is very scenic not to mention beautiful weather-. don't see many when it is cold. park has an observatory as well. you can look tjrough telescopes on Fri and Sat nites during the summer $5.00pp. I was able to see the moon and Saturn. pretty awesome. my hubby and i sit, play cards, BBQ, drink cold beers and chill under the trees. it is nice, but i would love it if they had a gator free swim zone.-but that will never be the case. i went last week and saw over 20 gators. it was crazy. I even saw a few fighting each other. like i said crazy. once, while we were walking one crawled out and crossed our path. crazy. cant believe no one has ever been injured by a gator at this park. i just got to keep reminding myself and try not to run and scream. read more