Brazos Bend State Park is a relatively unknown Houston gem. About 30 minutes southwest of the city, it's home to one of the largest telescopes open for public use in the United States, as well as hundreds of thousands of critters including gators, bunnies, snakes and 'dillas. The raccoons are so curious they'll even approach people at the night-time star viewings.
Walking the trails as Brazos Bend, especially at night while on our way to the Observatory, Houstonist gets the feeling that here, just outside the limits of the country's fourth-largest city, wilderness still exists. Prehistoric people probably survived off the land here. Early coastal Indians most likely visited what is now the park. And in the first Anglos to colonize Texas did so at Brazos Bend.
On Friday and Saturday nights during the winter, the park offers guided night hikes of it's dozens of hiking trails. The hikes give park visitors an opportunity to see a different side of Bayou Bend.
The hikes start at 7 p.m. but you should meet at Park Headquarters by 6:30. Each hike is limited to 15 people, so reservations are recommended. The hikes will be slow-paced, and about a mile in length.
Brazos Bend Night Hikes
Admission: $5 for kids 7-12 years old, $10 per person 13 years old and up (includes park entrance fee)
Date and Time: 7 p.m. tonight and tomorrow
Location: Brazos Bend State Park, 21901 FM 762 Needville, TX 77461
Photo courtesy of flickr user oilfighter
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