Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Buffalo Bayou winds its way through dozens of suburban communities, giving you an opportunity
to find a trail near your neighborhood. From West Houston the bayou heads toward downtown. After
passing the Barker Reservoir (Hike 1), the bayou runs through Terry Hershey Park (Hikes 2 and 3) to
the Houston Arboretum (Hikes 16 and 17), then Memorial Park (Hike 15) and through downtown
Houston (Hikes 18, 19, and 20). White Oak and Buffalo Bayous join in downtown Houston at an area
known as Allen's Landing. This is the point where the Allen brothers landed in 1836 and founded
Houston.
Hiking in Houston is more than walking along bayous, though. Trails can be found in woods,
forests, nature sanctuaries, along community streets, downtown, or a 1-square-block oasis in the
middle of a residential community. Some trails are busy with hikers, joggers, and cyclists; others are
secluded and far from downtown. The opportunity to vary the scenery you pass on a hike is almost un-
limited.
The Central and Coastal Flyways pass over or near the city. This affords a year-round opportunity to
enjoy an array of native and migratory birds that use the bayous for shelter and food. Birds to look for
throughout the year include ospreys, cardinals, herons, hawks, and egrets.
More than 300 of the 600 bird species recorded in the state have been seen in this region. The best
indication of birds being present is hearing their songs. The bluebird sings “chur-lee chur chur-lee,”
the eastern phoebe repeats “fee-bee fee-bee” from the tops of branches, and the tufted titmouse makes
a loud whistlelike “peter peter peter.”
Some of the area's most colorful birds include the red-breasted nuthatch, eastern bluebird, yellow-
throated warbler, dickcissel, pileated woodpecker, American goldfinch, vermilion flycatcher, hooded
merganser, and numerous ducks.
Most mammals are active during the night, so seeing them can be difficult. Look for their tracks
around the trail and near streams or bayous. White-tailed deer, nine-banded armadillos (the state small
mammal), coyotes, opossums, foxes, raccoons, skunks, and fox squirrels make their homes here.
Squirrels, white-tailed deer, and armadillos are common in many hiking areas.
In spring and early summer, when wildflowers set the roadsides ablaze with color, driving to a hik-
ing location can be a visual feast. Commonly seen are coreopsis (yellow); firewheels (red); phlox,
Mexican hats, daisies, winecups (purple); and yellow primrose. The Texas bluebonnet, the state flower,
is at its peak in late March and early April.
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has developed a series of nature trails, including the Great
Texas Birding Trail-Central Coast and the Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail-East. Maps and location
markers at the sites reference areas where wildlife may be seen.
Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest in the United States, and its land area is
also very large. This is an advantage to hikers, since much of the city was built on forested land,
marshes, swamp, or prairie. Some of these areas have been set aside as parks, with miles of trails. The
trails along the bayous are called “linear” because they follow the bayou.
