Very nice natural park with lots of wildlife. Great picture opportunities everywhere you look. And yeah, gators! The area around the observation tower was very beautiful. read more

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Not going to lie, when my wife first told me about BBSP I had my doubts but after spending a little time there I was hooked. It's a bit of a drive, around an hour from Pearland where we live. Very worth the drive. You really have to get out of town to see nature like this. Once you get there it's very peaceful and quiet (maybe not Spring Break week) and animals in every direction. Birds, raccoons, deer, butterflies, bobcats and alligators just to name a few. I was a little concerned about the alligators but I quickly learned if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. The trail at 40 Acres Lake is my favorite. It starts just to the left of the rest rooms. There's not great signage for it thou. If you are on a trail and don't see any animals just stop and listen, they are there. Sit on a bench and just look around, you will be surprised at what you can see. It truly is a magical place with tons of stuff to do and see. read more

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If you're new to the Houston, or if you're a born & raised Houstonan, Brazos Bend State Park will have something new to treat you to everytime you visit. $7 per adult. Plenty of camping spots available, gets tight during peek seasons. You will see an alligator, garunteed (or you're money back*)! *not a legally binding contract read more

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Love this stunning piece of mother nature. So much wildlife, alligator, snake, birds, roseatte spoonbill, huge spiders, very pretty and wide hiking trails, cardinals, squirrels, bunny, ducks, swarm of bees in a hive, dragon fly, fish.... Take your time... Look around, look up, look down. Make sure you leave time to stop at the visitor center... Touch a Live alligator and snake. Also see venomous snakes and spiders! read more

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I was here on Thursday, September 3rd, 2020. I just wanted to do some workouts and see alligators. It was empty on a Thursday. I could see some retired couples. The park was huge. I drove around this park. I was looking for alligators. I couldn't meet them. Maybe, they were sleeping. I could see some camping areas.It looked like a good place to enjoy a BBQ. Probably, many people enjoy BBQ during the 2020 Labor Day Weekend! read more

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This is an excellent park, roomy RV sites, many trails for hiking and/or biking. The wild life is abundant, deer, alligators, and armadillos. read more

It's a great park if you like photographing wildlife like birds, gators, or possibly deadly snakes. It does cost seven bucks a person to get in and for some reason each time I've been here, the lady asks to make sure I only have one person in my car as if I have someone hiding in the back (all of which she can see). The park is not all that welcoming unfortunately. I mean sure, they give you a map which is somewhat useful but you're basically on your own so you'd have to go find what you are looking for and if something bad were to happen to you like in those horror movies, don't count on being helped. There ARE various resources for you to use if you do want a guide however. For instance there is a monthly photowalk but they have a different theme each time which may or may not appeal to you. read more

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I have to say this place has some of the most wild life out of all the places I have gone to. You will definitely see alligators if you go on the trail around the lake. All the staff was kind as well. Will be coming back for a nature filled walk again. read more

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Love this beautiful park! Spent a great Friday hiking all around. Lots of different birds, alligators and great walking/biking trails. read more

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Great place to take you bikes and ride for hours! It does cost $7 a person, kids 13 under are free.

We come to this parks often for short RV trips when we are not traveling and are tired of living in the house. There are many beautiful trails to hike. We have seen alligator, deers, armadillos and many birds. There are children playground and also many shelters for people to rent. We come in all seasons and it is beautiful every single time we come. Nice getaway for city folks! read more

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The perfect place to escape city life for the day! Just south of Sugarland with 20 miles of hiking trails. So glad I went! Will be back! read more

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This is an ice park not far from Houston, yet it feels worlds away. We went to see the alligators, but didn't have much luck the day we went. We still enjoyed the hike, and it was nice to see the swamp and wetland ecosystems. There were many different species of colorful birds in and around the lakes. The summer heat was sweltering, but we came prepared with lots of sunscreen and water. read more

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

My Colombian bestfriend said lets go camping this weekend. So we get there. The rangers are so friendly. This place is known to have snakes and gators. I Didn't see any Whew .lol. Took us a while to set up camp. Was boyscout weekend. Lots of Camp troopers and young boys, with their camp leaders. The spot we had was nice. The trees in the park are historic gothic beautiful. This place is so beautiful. We start our fire. Grill shrimp and skirt steak. We saw a owl. I like the fact that everything is spread out. We forgot marshmallows. I goggled the nearest stores. I love it. Everything is like near. The stores are still open. The park restrooms were clean and nearby. They have a lake where you can check out gators. This park is awesome. Can't wait to go back. The trees seem to whisper. read more

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

Very nice park to visit certain times of the year make sure to pack mosquito spray.Go and visit for the day or pack a tent and stay for a night or two you won't be disappointed read more

We had a great time here on a Sunday morning trip with the kids (ages 4.5, almost 2) We brought the jogging stroller for the littlest and were able to navigate the trail pretty well. We did the Elm Lake Loop (1.7 miles) and it was incredible! We saw probably 8-10 alligators, and lots of birds and ducks. Plenty of little stopping points to look out over the water. The park is beautiful and very well kept. We plan to bring a picnic lunch & to check out the Nature Center next time we come! Very nice day - we really enjoyed the fresh air and a relatively cheap family activity. read more

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I was looking for a place to go hiking with my dog, and everything I read pointed me here. It was almost an hour drive from downtown Houston, but it was totally worth it. Upon driving up to the gate you are met by a park ranger. There was a $7 entrance fee, and a friendly ranger gave me a map. A short distance from the entrance is a parking lot with very clean restrooms. There are also plenty of picnic tables with grills. I hiked around two of the lakes, and one side trail for a total of almost 6 miles. All around there were signs warning of the alligators, but I never saw any. I did see a ton of beautiful birds. My dog found some of the larger birds very exciting. The trails are very well manicured, and the walk around the lakes was very tranquil. The trails are mostly made up of gravel, but one of the side trails was dirt. If you get away from the lakes some of the trails are more wooded, and you are walking under a canopy of trees. We only hiked a small portion of the trails, and I look forward to going back and exploring more. My dog had a blast, and was glad we did not see any alligators! read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Park view from a picnic table on a beautiful January day. - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

Excellent way to spend a day outside. $7 per person to spend all day out in nature. We saw tons of wildlife from alligators to turtles to armadillos and snakes. There is plenty of space to go out and venture with friends or hang out with family under the trees with a picnic. There are plenty of pathways, drink stations for you and your dog, bathrooms around the park, trail signs, etc. A great way to spend the day. Being a backpack with snacks and water. We will definitely be back again and again. Just remember not to get too close to wildlife. Admire from a safe distance. read more

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Have you ever gone on an overnight camping trip in your tent? Well this might be a very good choice, if you live near Houston. There are plenty of better state parks, but this one fares pretty well, I'll go through the positives, I'll go through some of the negatives. One negative thing about this park is that it was a bit on the downside for cleanliness. I say this because the bathrooms were a mess because they were not stocked up with toilet paper, and lots of trash in the bathrooms, in fact you could sense that NO one had took the time to clean the bathrooms for hours. And there are plenty of cases of people not picking up their dog poop and litter around the sites. However, the park has some positive factors too. I know this because on the first day of camping in this park our dog ran away into the woods. And for a second I thought that we would never see our dog again, but luckily, a group of friendly people saw our dog took the time to find us as soon as they retrieved it. This was a nice moment in our camping trip. This park had many nice and friendly people on the trails, at the sites, and in the nature center. About the nature center : We were able to touch a baby alligator hatchling, as well as two different native snakes. The volunteers here were absolutely amazing. As I said before, the other clientele that were patronizing this park were also incredibly friendly and kind. If you ever do end up camping at this park, be sure to take a trail by Hale lake, where alligators roam everywhere, in fact on that trail we managed to spot an alligator on the other side of the lake. It's amazing how seeing just one alligator could make your day. So, if you are looking for a quick, fun, and adventurous place to camp, then this will be the place for you. read more

Brazos Bend State Park - If splendid sunset, and a ferocious alligator. - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

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With the temperature dropping, but not freezing cold it's a perfect time to grab the gf and take a nature day. We decided to come out here and explore the park. It's a bit of a drive out into the middle of no where, especially coming from ITL. But it was well worth it. There are plenty of parks in town but if you want to visit a place that is actually back to nature you're going to have to make the drive. There's only one road and one road out, it's a bit winding, so if you leave at night be careful! When you finally make it here, it's 7 per person for admission. They have plenty of camping sites, animals such as gators, deer, etc, but mainly it has the george observatory. But you don't have to go to the observatory to see stars, with it being so secluded you can see the stars with the naked eye. read more

Today was a great day to be outside! One of the best deals you can get these days is an annual state park pass. Only $70 it allows you to enter any state park free for a year. Noticing that mine was about to expire at the end of November, I suggested to the family an outing and everyone readily agreed! Only 20 minutes or so from the house we are so lucky that we have this park practically in our own back yard. A camper's paradise as well as a great place for birding or hiking this park is a nature lover's playground. If you like the outdoors and spending time among the abundant flora and wildlife in this park you would really enjoy a day's outing here! With plenty lakes and woodlands to explore, the facilities in this park are first class! They have a really nice nature center with lots of exhibits and even a gift shop! Park employees are well versed on the park and seem always eager to answer any questions you may have or point you in the right direction if you are looking for something in particular. Now I've seen everything from deer to armadillos to huge alligators in here and along with that plenty of bird life! Tons of species...This park is known as a great place for birding! Today was an especially beautiful day weather wise and it was relaxing just walking the trails and checking out the lakes and flora.. We took a walk out to the observatory where they were having a private party but on Saturdays, they usually have "Star nights" where you can actually look through the powerful telescopes at the night sky...A popular place for budding astronomers, the George Observatory is part of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. This park is known for it's large population of alligators and inevitably you will see one if you spend enough time exploring. It's kind of intimidating when you see an especially large one but there are plenty of warning signs telling you to stay your distance! Even though they seem inactive most of the time they can move really fast when they want to, so keep your distance! So put on your hiking shoes; make the trip out to this great state park and enjoy the beauty and nature of this wonderful place! It refreshes the soul! read more

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An ominous wooden sign was posted in front of this park's trail: CAUTION - ALLIGATORS : DO NOT FEED OR APPROACH STAY AT A DISTANCE CAUTION - POISONOUS SNAKES EXIST IN THIS PARK To help stomach anxiety and be a brave for the family, I joked it off and took a picture of my wife and bulldog in front of it. SMILE.. CLICK! (see picture #1). The sign wasn't lying. The trails of this park are a city slicker's worst nightmare! Most trails run along side lakes and swamps filled with gators. Portions cross the swamps like land bridges. This one area of 6-foot wide trail was like crossing a gauntlet. To the left, a big alligator was in the water feeding on who-knows-what. To the right, a bigger gator was sunbathing on the trail. I picked up my dog and we slowly walked through the bottleneck between these prehistoric-looking reptiles. Luckily, we did not disturb them. In the center of the park and by ourselves, we climbed a tall observation tower overlooking the whole park. We could see the swamp for miles! Below, we witnessed about a dozen gators, strange birds, and impressive scenery. Hanging out up there was such a great break from Houston city life! Covering over 5 miles, we neared the end of our journey on a small deck jutting out into the lake. We could see about 20 gators in the water and most were staring us down. Near the bank, I noticed a few baby alligators and snapped a photo. (see picture #2) Growing up, my older brother had a small cayman as a pet. Feeling nostalgic, I briefly contemplated catching one of the babies I saw on the bank. Venturing for a closer look, my wife quietly and nervously said "CHRIS, LOOK.. GET BACK!" I slowly moved back from the bank as I saw what she saw. It was big mamma's angry eyes hiding in the weeds! OH SHIT.. I thought to myself. I could only see the head but she must of been a 12 footer. The gator moved slightly as I slowly backed away. Luckily, she let me live. I left the park with all my limbs too. HEED MY ADVICE: Read the signs, respect the wildlife, and be careful. This park will be a great getaway from the city and an experience you won't forget! read more

Brazos Bend State Park - picture #1 - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

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Very well kept paths and greenery! Lovely place to have a BBQ or just walk around in nature. Lots and lots of gators if you want to spot them!! We walked around the Elm Lake and the Lake Forty trails I believe. They loop and connect so it's easy to pick your trails as you see fit. Saw lots of families and people on bikes if you want to cycle. They charge $7 for access per adult and there's ample parking and restroom facilities. Definitely a nice place for a stroll if you want some greenery and fresh air! read more

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We have the park pass and we love taking that drive to Brazos Bend State Park. The fishing is good as long as there is not a little reptile lingering under the dock. If you want to see some reptiles... there is PLENTY. It is very quiet during the week and a little more crowded on the weekend. BUT NOT Disney crowded. The trails are fun to walk and the only thing you need to watch for is snakes.. they DO exist and they do come on the paths and roads. If you want to let the kids fish, grab a bucket of worms and some little hooks. read more

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I was out there for sky diving but due to extreme weather it got cancelled so I decided to check the park out since it was so close to the sky diving place AND I am glad I did ! Great Park, I drove around for 30min. They have amazing bike/hike trails; I am def going to go there again. I love photography and they have amazing lakes and scenery to capture. Also, this place is great for camping. They have pretty much everything for everyone. If you are into bird watching, fishing, camping, biking, hiking etc then you should definitely go there. Memorial park is nothing as compared to this place. The only drawback is that it's further away from the city (40 min or so) but great get away on the weekend. So.. Switch off your TV ... Grab a book, family and friends and go there, camp out ...have bbq.. Get going ... get moving Houston! read more

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We just got back from a (tent) camping trip here. Actually, we slept in a tent but had a shelter to store all of our crap, which was very convenient. We loved biking and hiking through many of the trails. My favorite area was 40 acre lake, I saw tons of gators, turtles, and birds there, and it was a gorgeous area to bike around. It was shocking to me how close the gators were to the fishing pier and how chill they were. Later in the day, the 40 acre lake got a bit crowded, but earlier in the day it was nice and empty, besides the gators! My son did not have any luck fishing at the pier there but some others did. Back to the camping aspect, I think with the types of trees in the park that the park is quite cooler than surrounding areas. We were very cold at night. Some people slept in the shelters but they seemed too dirty to me. The shelter sites have land for tents and a grill, fire pit, electricity, and a water spigot. We chose one set towards the back, right above the river, but it became quite muddy when it rained so I recommend looking for one with lots of grass and less dirt. The park is very dark at night, even with a flashlight I had trouble finding my way to the restroom at 3 am. The first night when it rained we heard all kinds of weird creatures come to life in the middle of the night. There was a loud growl and hiss which concerned me but we did not get eaten, thank goodness. The restrooms were kept pretty clean. It wasn't that busy for spring break time but I think some people took off early because of the rain and mud. I enjoyed the groups of cardinals and armadillos near our site, they were quite fun to watch, I had never seen an armadillo before (that's sad since I've been a Texan for 14 years already!) My only main complaint was that some of the park staff seemed to yell at us about our dog on 2 occasions, I guess he appeared to be off leash, though we always made sure he was tied down or knew he would have ended up gator food. Also, a woman came by and rudely told us not to leave any trace behind when we were going to leave, which wasn't for 2 more days. I understand they need to make sure people follow the rules, and a lot of people are disrespectful morons, but they could try to come across a bit more friendly. It was a long drive from the park to any type of grocery store, or any store for that matter. Next time i would bring more food with me in my cooler. I had never stayed at a park that far from stores before so I was thinking we could run over to HEB and grab some fresh eggs and bacon for breakfast when in reality it was a 30 minute drive. So, gas up your car, load it with food and tents and blankets and mountain bikes, and get your butt to this awesome park already! read more

I love this park!! There is so much to do and see here that it is always a great destination for a day trip out to nature. I visit the park at least twice a month to do some hiking, as well as being an amateur photographer, I usually tote my camera with me to take some great photographs of nature. There are over 35 miles of hiking trails ranging from walking around lakes to walking thru forests. Other activities include camping, fishing, geo-caching, cycling, running, picnics, and the list goes on. The wild animals are the main attraction at the park. You can see deer, squirrels, birds, spiders, alligators, raccoons, and armadillos. There are lots of signs up warning of poisonous snakes, but in the 5+ years that I have been coming here, I have yet to see a snake. Admission to the park is very cheap (currently it is $5 a person), or you can get a yearly pass for $60 which allows any number of people in your car to enter for free. This pass also works for any of the other state parks within Texas. For the astronomy buffs out there, they have an observatory that features 2 large telescopes that will allow you to see distant planets and galaxies. As well, if you go on a Saturday night, they have a bunch of astronomers that set up their personal telescopes and allow guests to look at planets and stars for free. They are also very friendly and informative and are great to talk to. read more

My husband and I had a wonderful hike this past Sunday at Brazos Bend State Park (BBSP). I was a bit apprehensive since I read about the "wildlife" present there, but my husband promised to be my protector (and you thought chivalry was dead!). We were at the park around 8:10am (after taking a parent to the airport) and were super excited. We totally support that State Parks charge for those who wish to use it rather than taxing the entire population. Once we figured out a route to take, we started full of glee and young ambition. A few steps in and we were no longer filled with glee, but rather, we were filled with fear of spider webs. We must have been the first ones of the day to be on the Pliant Trail, we batted away spider-webs almost every five to ten steps! I was thrilled when we converged onto the Elm Lake Trail because it was so open and welcoming (and without a clutter of spiders welcoming us to BBSP). As we curved left onto the Trail, I saw a large dark blob that was not exactly a rock or vegetation of any kind. As we peered across the lake, we noticed that it was definitely an alligator. A 6-7 foot alligator probably weighing more than my husband and I put together. It was sitting there - - sunning itself. Once it occurred to me that the all the fear was really on my side of the lake, I was able to let go and continue on the trail. And, we saw another alligator - a smaller one this time. It, too, was sunning itself, but what was neat was there was a bird (not sure what kind) sunning itself right next to the alligators. This totally made me smile and think of all the fables I read growing up about animals sharing a world despite their differences. Warmth covered my chest... Then, I realized that I really just needed more sunscreen. As I stopped to slather on more sunscreen, I nearly stepped on a turtle! Poor thing was covered in algae, but it seemed to be enjoying the shade. As we continued through the trails, we encountered swimming turtles, a flock of blue herons, and only heard a few frogs or bull frogs. We knew for whom they were "ribbitting" - - it's Spring! All that said, we really hope to return and make a day out of it. We continue to be grateful for all the state parks in Texas! read more

Possibly our new favorite state park. Plenty of kid-friendly nature activities. Ranger Monica is a wonderful asset to the team. Our child positively adored her and hung on every word. read more

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

Love this park! This place is about 20 mins from where I live. We came on a Saturday. Lots of families and scout groups. They have nice walking and biking trails. This park and their paved trails are great for people of all ages. I've seen parents with strollers, dogwalkers, joggers, seniors with walkers, toddlers, kids on bikes and pregnant women all walking the trail. My bf and i decided to keep count of all the gators we saw, but we eventually lost count since there were so many. They were laying out, sunbathing. Looking forward to coming back and hiking their other trails!! read more

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I love Brazos Bend so much! I'm so excited to head out and bike ride this summer! There's plenty of Hiking/biking/equestrian trails and picnic areas throughout the park and lots of wildlife to see from deer to birds to alligators and turtles- there's something for every nature lover to see. If you're planning on spending the day out at the park hiking, be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and water. If it's you're first time out to the park or if you'll be bringing children, I suggest stoping by the nature center towards the middle of the park. There's plenty of parking and they have some cool Texas wildlife information about the plants and animals you might encounter during your visit. The volunteers and staff are always friendly and welcoming- plus they will bring out a baby alligator to pet if they have some in the aquarium. Definitely make this a destination to check out if you're visiting through Texas or looking for an adventure filled Houston day trip. There are bathrooms near the camp areas and picnic pavilions that are kept fairly clean for park facelities. 7/2019 update: Went mountain biking on nearly 13miles of bike trails around the park and had SO much fun. Saw lots of dear and banana spider webs around the trails. I will caution child riders or inexperienced riders from going on the less travelled trails as they can be rocky and the uphill riding on looser gravel can get difficult. If the trail looks like too much, definitely just walk your bike to where ever you feel comfortable getting back on. Overall, I'm looking forward to heading out on some more bike rides! read more

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This is one of our favorite places to go. It is only a twenty minute drive from Sugarland, and it contains lovely twisting roads that are great for motorcycle rides. Upon entry, there has always been a friendly park ranger greeting us at the door and eager to guide us through the many activities available at Brazos Bend State Park. Some things you can do include horse back riding, fishing, hiking, star gazing, and even geocaching. We geocached on our most recent trip to Brazos Bend and found a digital camera! Elm Lake was a beautiful hike, and it provided an excellent place for bird watching and looking for alligators. Cold water is also available for those who are tired, which is a plus considering the heat in Houston. Note: Consider getting the Texas annual pass to help preserve game and wild life, while granting you free access to any state park in Texas! read more

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This park is beautiful! It's a must see if you are ever in the Houston area. It has various hiking trails that vary in length. You can also see wildlife in its natural habitat. The best part was getting to see alligators up close! My bf and I took his little brother to see the alligators specifically. We weren't sure if we were going to even get to see one, but we got lucky. Within the first 5 minutes we spotted one and throughout our hike we saw about 3 more. The rangers who work at the park are very friendly and informative. They take the time to walk with guests and share lots of knowledge about the animals as well as the trees and plants. I learned so much that day! The nature center is also a must see for kids. There they have the chance to see a baby alligator and pet it. read more

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This park is great. The paths are perfect and there were so many trails. My dog loved it as well. Some of the look out areas were perfect during the hike. I definitely recommend this place.! read more

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We chose this spot for a fun family outing on a Saturday, and we couldn't have been happier with how things turned out. The weather was nice and cool compared to Houston, and it was very pleasant to be enjoying quality time outdoors (versus staring at the TV/computer all day). Entrance was $7/person (children 12 and under are free) and there are several parking lot options depending on what trail you want explore. We brought a small dog with us, and pets are allowed on a 6 foot leash. If you are worried about not seeing any gators, have no fear! Our game plan was to park at Elm Lake Loop, walk across Spillway Trail, and reach 40 Acre Lake before turning around to head back. We saw tons of alligators! A park volunteer later told us we got lucky with the weather since it was a cooler month (February), yet still warm enough for the alligators to come out. Most were easily spotted in the water, but a few were on the grass area between the water's edge and the path. Very exciting, but a little intimidating. We picked up our dog and calmly walked past, no worries. A one way trip on the path we took proved to be long enough for our small dog, so a couple of us walked quickly back (which only took half an hour) and picked the rest of our party up in the car. Before heading out, we stopped by the visitor's center to see some small animal exhibits and a baby alligator. The place was starting to fill up with families, so I'm glad we started early in the day and were on our way home by lunch. A Saturday morning well spent! read more

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

Great state park with walking/biking trails, birdwatching, wildlife, and more! We saw dozens of birds, some turtles, and a dozen or so alligators! The Elm Lake trail shouldn't be missed! Great spots for grilling and picnicking! read more

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Really beautiful.. we couldn't explore much because it was too hot (selected the wrong time, we reached at 10 am) and our baby started getting restless. But we got to see alligators in the Elm lake and beautiful flowers and birds, took a walk through Pilant Slough Foot Trail, also saw some deers on the way back. Will definitely come back here and explore more at a better time. read more

Call ahead to book campsites, it's a popular place! The observatory is well worth going to. Beautiful area. Lots of wildlife, you may even see an alligator! The trails are very extensive, and there are several lakes. We got to one of the big lakes at sunset, and there were hundreds of birds perched on the trees. As soon as the sun set, they all flew away, it was quite an amazing sight! There is a free trail run here twice a year, you can do a half marathon, marathon, or ultramarathon. Check it out! It was one of the most fun runs I have done :)) http://www.pilates-powerhouse.com/Trail__Races.html read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Beautiful sunset at the lake - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

Great place to observe nature and go for a walk. Lots of alligators at birds of all kinds

Negative stars for park management. People make the drive way out to this place in the middle of NOWHERE only to be turned away because no "reservation" was made. Really? What genius made this policy? I'm sure a LOT of people make this drive from far away, only to arrive and be told sorry, come later. And there's nothing around the place to kill time until another time slot opens. Terrible business practice. read more