Map of bike paths / walking paths in Houston, TX

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Houston, Texas

Houston is located in Southeast Texas, near the Gulf of Mexico. This area of the country has a warm climate that is condusive to enjoying the great outdoors for much of the year.

Southeastern Texas offers numerous recreational trails for walking, bike riding, running and other activities. There are trails through the urban areas, along the many bayous and along creeks in the outer portions of the city. Other trails follow alongside major roadways or along abandoned railroad corridors.

Note: The recreational trails displayed on the maps for the State of Texas were created using Google Map information from before the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey. Please check with local sources for information prior to using any of the trails.

Buffalo Bayou Trail

The Buffalo Bayou Trail is a system of paved pathways located along the Buffalo Bayou waterway just north of Downtown Houston. Buffalo Bayou Park is a 160 acre greenbelt with lovely views of Downtown Houston, multiple park areas, bridges, playgrounds, a dog park and other gathering places. The trail is situated between Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway and extends for over 6 miles between Shepard Drive on the west to Lockwood Drive on the east. The trail system is located on both the north and south banks of the waterway, with access trails to the local streets and other attractions.

The Buffalo Bayou Trail goes by multiple local parks, and you will find lovely gardens, places to stroll in the evening, restoration of the natural landscape with native trees and grasses, the distinctive blue lunar cycle lighting, the Water Works, a skate park, an enclosed dog park, Lost Lake, benches, picnic areas and other amenities.

Read more about the Buffalo Bayou Trails

Brays Bayou Trail

The Brays Bayou Trails are a network of paved trails that follow alongside the winding waterway of Brays Bayou south of Downtown Houston. The route of the paved pathways extend for almost 14 miles from two locations near Interstate 69 and Bissonnet Street on the west end to Calhoun Road and MacGregor Way on the east end.

Another 4-mile long section of paved trails along Brays Bayou is located between Telephone Road and Broadway Street. The meandering trail wraps around Gus Wortham Golf Course and through Mason Park. The east end of this section of the Brays Bayou Trails is located on Hockley Street, not far from where Brays Bayou flows into Buffalo Bayou.

Read more about the Brays Bayou Trails

White Oak Bayou Greenway

The White Oak Bayou Greenway is a 15-mile long paved pathway located to the northwest of Downtown Houston.The trail connects to the Heights Hike and Bike Trail and the Buffalo Bayou Trail in Downtown Houston, then it travels northwest through the channel for the White Oak Bayou. There are underpasses for the major roadways. The trail goes past residential neighborhoods and connects to local neighborhood recreational trails.

The southeast end of the White Oak Bayou Greenway is located near Main Street and Wood Street in Downtown Houston. The northwest end of the trail is located at a point west of N. Houston Rossly Road along Shady Grove Lane in Houston.

Read more about the White Oak Bayou Greenway

Heights Hike and Bike Trail

The Heights Hike and Bike Trail is a 4.5-mile long paved pathway that starts on the northwest side of Downtown Houston then zigzags through residential neighborhoods. The trail connects to the White Oak Bayou Greenway in two locations and connects to the Buffalo Bayou Trail system near the University of Houston campus.

The southeast end of the Heights Hike and Bike Trail is located along McKee Street to the north of Elysian Street in Downtown Houston. The north west end of the trail is located at the end of May Street and west of T.C. Juster Boulevard.

Memorial Park Trails

Memorial Park is a 1,464-acre park operated by the Houston Parks & Recreation Department. It is located to the northwest of Downtown Houston, off of Memorial Drive. The park has numerous paved and unpaved trails for walking, cycling and mountain bike riding. There facilities for other outdoor activities as well. The park is home to the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. There is a network of hiking paths to the south of the nature center. Runners and walkers will enjoy the natural surface of the Seymour Liberman Exercise Trail. The soft surfaced tree-lined trail makes a 3-mile long loop around the golf course.

Terry Hershey Park Trail

The Terry Hershey Park Trail is a 8.5-mile long system of paved and unpaved trails that is located in residential areas on the west side of the Houston area, just south of Interstate 10 and just west of the Sam Houston Parkway. The trails are located in Terry Hershey Park and wander alongside the waterway of the Buffalo Bayou. The west end of the trail system is located at the edge of George Bush Park and the east end is located at Highway 8, just north of Shady River Drive. Terry Hershey Park has a network of paved and unpaved trails, including the trails called the "Ant Hills". There is kayaking along the bayou as well.

Read more about the Terry Hershey Park Trails

Spring Creek Greenway

The Spring Creek Greenway is located in Harris County, about 20 miles north of Downtown Houston in Southeast Texas. The greenway consists of 13 miles of natural forest and sandy beaches along the creek along with wildlife sightings, fishing, hiking trails, bird watching, picnicking, an archery range and canoeing. The route of the trail goes from the City of Spring to the City of Humble.

A 10-mile long paved and unpaved recreational trail winds through the greenway from Dennis Johnston Park in the north to Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Preserve in the south then east as far as Interstate 69. This point is near the Bevil Jarrel Memorial Bridge pedestrian pathway over Spring Creek.

This trail allows hikers and bike riding. Much of the trail is paved. There are other dirt paths that connect to the main trail for further exploration of the area.

Read more about the Spring Creek Greenway

Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails in Houston, Texas..