Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ricane Ike in September 2008 and extensive road construction on I-610 that divided the park, the
former trail names are no longer applicable.
Pass a few picnic tables on the right and then cross a short wooden bridge over a shallow gully.
Reach the Brown Pavilion, where there are water fountains and restrooms. There are two tennis courts
on the left, and the area is lighted.
There are stone trail marker posts at the intersection of most trails. They are mainly used to identify
points of interest, such as the lake, the bayou overlook, the direction to the Brown Pavilion, and the
direction to the soccer/baseball fields.
Turn left onto a gravel trail that leads to a very small lake; the path follows around the lake, which is
stocked with rainbow trout during January and February by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. It
is probably best to avoid the elbow-to-elbow crowds of fishermen during these periods. The area
around the lake can be swampy, depending on the amount of rainfall. Backtrack from the lake to the
main trail and resume the hike from the turnoff.
Continue following the trail and signs to reach the Hunting Bayou overlook. Pass live oaks, willows,
cypress trees, and a few loblolly pines, with a scattering of palmettos as part of the forest understory.
In any season of the year, birds can be heard singing in the woods.
A stone marker identifies the wooden platform, which is situated about 30 feet above the bayou. The
bayou forms a lazy S as it flows from north to south. Hunting Bayou is a tributary of Buffalo Bayou,
and both are magnets for migrating birds. Great blue herons and white egrets are among the birds com-
monly seen at the water's edge. Backtrack to the main trail.
Continue following the main trail, which has heavy forest on both edges. The trail turns right and
left but generally heads west toward I-610 and then back east toward Brown Pavilion. Cross a small
wooden bridge over a shallow creek. Follow the trail back to the junction near the Brown Pavilion and
backtrack to the trailhead and parking area.
