Brazos Bend State Park Figure Eight Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Lake · River/Creek · Wildlife

This short hike offers some great wildlife viewing within a short drive of Houston. Look for migratory birds, alligators, and other wildlife nearly the entire time during your hike along the water.

The trail is flat and wide made out of filled gravel. The park has flooded in the past after heavy rains (e.g. the Tax Day Floods) so if anywhere near Houston has flooded, double check for park closures before driving out.

You can start at the playground/picnic area/parking lot in the southwest (as mapped) or the larger parking lot/picnic area in the northeast. Either option allows you to hike a loop around each lake with only the slightest overlap on the connecting Spillway Trail between the two lakes. This trail is an easy hike with essentially zero elevation change and wide service road-style trails.

There is swampy and open water just about the entire length of the trail with many alligators and birds. Alligators can be on or very near the trail so be mindful to not let your dog/child become a snack. There is an observation tower at the northwest corner of 40 Acre Lake that is worth climbing up.

An amazing assortment of birds (herons, ducks, etc), alligators, turtles, frogs, and more.