Best Hiking Trails

Best hiking trails in and around Houston to start 2016 on the right foot

Chances are, one of your resolutions for the New Year involved getting more fit. Well, forget the gym – hiking is a great way to stay in shape, not to mention see new sights and enjoy the out-of-doors. You can find plenty of great trails right in the city and nearby. Here are eight of the best.

1. Memorial Park Purple Trail

Location: Memorial Park, near the intersection of Interstate 10 and Loop 610

Distance: 2.5-mile loop

The outer loop in a network of trails, this route circles through woods of loblolly pine, cypress, hawthorn, elm, yaupon holly and a variety of oaks, along with lichens, mushrooms, colorful American beautyberry and other native plants. It crosses or follows several small creeks. The hike begins and ends at a parking area with restrooms and water.

Open dawn to dusk, free.

2. Houston Arboretum Outer Loop

Location: Loop 610 West near I-10

Distance: 2 mile loop

Next door to Memorial Park, the 155-acre Houston Arboretum & Nature Center offers an escape into nature on five miles of trails. This route circles the Arboretum, crossing through edge habitat, which attracts birds and other wildlife. Add a jaunt down the quarter-mile Coggie Pearson trail, which begins on the half-mile Alice Brown Loop, descends a steep ravine and follows an East Texas-style seasonal creek. Some of the largest sycamore trees in Harris County border this trail, which has been revegetated with native Texas plants. The Arboretum also has meadow and pond observation decks.

Free and open daily 7 am to 7 pm.

3. Lake Houston Wilderness Park North River Trail

Location: North off Highway 59 near New Caney

Distance: 7 miles

A 4,786 acre park on Peach Creek and the San Jacinto River, Lake Houston Wildnerness Park contains 12 miles of heavily wooded trails. From the bridge across Peach Creek, take the Peach Creek Loop trail and then the Forest Trail to connect with North River Trail. From there, it is an out-and-back hike. You’ll cross a power line right of way then head into tall, pine woods. Keep to the left at several intersections with other trails, over a few wooden bridges before reaching a bench on a bluff above the river. A short trail leads down to the sandy shore, where you may see turtles and frogs.

Entry fee $3, open Sunday to Thursday 7 am – 6 pm, Friday and Saturday 7 am – 8 pm.

4. Lake Livingston State Park

Location: North off Highway 59

Distance: 3.5 miles

This wooded state park sits on the shore of one of the largest lakes in the state, noted for its fishing. Combine the .95-mile Pineywood Nature Trail and 2.73-mile Livingston Trail for a pleasant hike through woods with view of the lake and, on the nature trail boardwalk, a duck pond, frog pond and butterfly garden. Note that hiking is not allowed on the park’s Equestrian Trail.

Entry $5 per adult, open daily.

5. Brazos Bend State Park Elm and 40-Acre Lake Trails

Location: Southwest, between State Highways 36 and 288

Distance: 4.65 to 4.73 miles

This scenic park offers excellent opportunities to see alligators. Start at the nature center parking lot and follow the Pilant Slough Tail through a wooded bottomland then more open woods before it hits Elm Lake Loop. A number of observation decks along this reedy lake make it easy to watch alligators as well as herons, ducks and other birds.

Follow the trail to the end of the lake, then continue straight on the Spillway Trail through an arching canopy of trees toward Pilant Lake, which has a three-story observation tower. Continue around 40-Acre Lake – more birds and gators – past restrooms and turn-offs to the Prairie and Hoot’s Hollow Trails. Return the way you came, or, for a change of scenery, turn off on the Live Oak Trail and follow it back to Pliant Slough. Bone up on alligator etiquette before you go.

Entrance fee $7 per adult, gates close at 10 pm.

6. George Bush Park Equestrian Center to Sports Park

Location: West Houston near FM 1093 and S. Barker Cypress Rd

Distance: 7 miles round-trip

A wide, straight out-and-back shot through the 7,800-acre park, this asphalt trail is also stroller- and scooter-friendly. Tall trees line the first mile and a half of the route, and an old bridge crosses Buffalo Bayou about halfway. The second half has trees closer to the path, offering some shade, and benches at regular intervals. A gate at 2.7 miles leads to Harris County Precinct 3 Sports Park in another 0.7 miles, where there are restrooms and water fountains. Retrace your steps from here, unless you left a shuttle car earlier.

Free, open 7 am – 10 pm.

7. Terry Hershey Park Hike and Bike Trail

Location: West Houston near I-10 and Highway 6

Distance: Various

This long, narrow, 500-acre park follows Buffalo Bayou from George Bush Park Hike and Bike Trail to Beltway 8, with hiking trails along its length, including the 1.6-mile Mockingbird Trail from Highway 6 to Eldridge Parkway, and the 5-mile Quail Trail from there to the Tollway. Multiple access points make it possible to choose hikes of various lengths, with parking and water fountains at Highway 6 and Dairy Ashford. The 1.25-mile Blue Jay Trail loop leads north to parking at Memorial Drive and the 0.9-mile Cardinal Trail loop from there to parking at I-10.

Free, open 7 am – 10 pm.

8. Armand Bayou Martyn and Karankawa Trails

Location: Clear Lake

Distance: 3 miles

On 2,500 acres near NASA Johnson Space Center, Armand Bayou Nature Center helps preserve wetlands prairie, forest and marsh habitats surrounding Armand Bayou, one of the last unchanneled bayous in the Houston area. Five miles of hiking trails wind through the woodlands and prairies and along the water; combine the Martyn and Karankawa trails for a three-mile route. The trails parallel each other, the narrow Martyn Trail in deep woods and the Karankawa along the edge of a bayou. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm Sunday from noon to 5 pm.

Admission 3 & under free, 4 - 12 years $2, 13 - 59 years $4, 60 & above $2; no dogs.

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Do you have a favorite hiking trail in the Houston area that we missed? Let us know in the comments section below.

Memorial Park Purple Trail provides a respite from hectic city life.

nature fitness

Getting a Grip on Getting Fit

Rigorous seven-day challenge can kick-start your journey to a better you

Courtesy photo

CultureMap staff took on challenges ranging from fitness, diet changes, and things we know we should do but don’t.

It’s that time of the year: Time for fresh starts, new beginnings, and setting goals that we may or may not keep.

To get into the widespread hysteria of making resolutions in 2016, we at CultureMap took on one challenge for the duration of one week. You can do anything for seven days, right? With challenges ranging from physical fitness, diet changes, and things we know we should do but don’t, below you will find a selection of results from our resolutions challenge.

Namaste every day
Arden Ward, network managing editor
I'm not new to yoga, but I find it ... challenging ... to maintain a practice without falling victim to long breaks. For the challenge, I sought to end the cycle of lame excuses and get centered once again. To stay engaged, I chose a different class each day. Hint: YogaDownload.com is a great resource for those hitting the mat at home.

This seven-day challenge reaffirmed that carving out time for yoga each day — or the physical activity of your choice — doesn't have to be a chore. Set your intention at the start of the day, just as you do at the beginning of your practice: After work (or before work, if you please) comes this commitment to yourself. Then, on day eight, you might just keep going.

Flossing those pearly whites
Jess Dudley, account executive
My goal was to floss every single day. I typically am not a good flosser unless I have just been to the dentist because it makes me feel guilty. I flossed every single day except one. I found that flossing is something I really have to remind myself to do, which I did by keeping the floss out — otherwise I ignore it completely. I admit that while consistent flossing definitely makes my mouth and teeth feel better, it is a challenge to make it habit. The best way to make something a habit is to do it at the same time every single day, however, with flossing I would leave it out on the counter and only floss when I saw it and remembered it. Hoping to make it a regular nighttime habit.

Veg out
Clifford Pugh, editor-in-chief, Houston
Going all veggie for five days — no meat or fish — wasn’t as hard as I had thought, since I love salads and most Houston restaurants now offer an abundance of options. Thankfully, there’s a Whole Foods near our office that has a killer salad bar, albeit expensive since it’s by the pound — I didn’t know tofu and feta weighed so much. And a business lunch at Neiman Marcus had several veggie options — I chose a delicious open-faced veggie and cheese melt, but I had to nix the lentil soup when I found out it had a chicken stock base.

Dinner was harder. We made a meal of crispy fried asparagus and veggie-steamed dumplings at a Chinese restaurant one night, and on other nights we devoured veggie and grain bowls, crispy egg rolls from Costco, and fixed an egg-and-cheese omelet with toast.

I felt lighter with my veggie choices, although I consumed more carbs by eating much more bread than usual — including an abundance of croissants and doughnuts. And on the last night of my veggie experiment, I couldn’t resist a lobster roll from a food truck while at a party celebrating the new Midtown Arts and Theater Center in Houston. But I enjoyed the experiment so much I’ve decided to pick two days each week to go meatless. It’s a start.

And I would walk 10,000 steps
Lindsey Wilson, city editor, Dallas and Fort Worth
My challenge was to reach at least 10,000 steps on my Fitbit each day, and I made it five out of seven, and only about 1,000 short on those other two days. To be fair, I was in New York City for the first part of the week, and moving/prepping my house to go on the market for the second half. So I easily cleared 10,000 steps on those days.

I normally wear my Fitbit every day and have a general idea of how many steps I get for general activities — walking my dogs is about 2,500, for example — but knowing I was in this challenge made me "take the long way around" on things instead of trying to combine trips or take shortcuts.

No drinky for one weeky
Molly McManus, city editor, Austin and San Antonio
As a writer and editor who needs to know what’s happening in Austin’s food and drink scene, there is a lot of much-needed research conducted by tasting and drinking my way through the city’s restaurants and bars. (Tough life, I know.) I decided to take a month off from alcohol, and used this challenge as the starting point. The results were almost immediate. I had more energy, was able to get more accomplished in the day, and felt a lot more clearheaded all around.

I thought I’d be tempted to have a drink at a media tasting I went to, but it was football that did me in. Friends came over for the Sunday game with vodka and Bloody Mary mix in hand and I crumbled. It’s been fun to keep this going, and I’ve been sticking to it since my cheat day.

Stay hydrated
Jessica Baldwin, network marketing director
My goal was to drink 75 ounces of water each day. Pros on my extra water intake: I had more energy at the end of the day. Cons on my extra water intake: I had to pee a lot. I will try to maintain the intake — keeping a 50-ounce bottle of water with me at all times definitely helps.

Let's get physical
Nicole Raney, associate editor, Austin and San Antonio
My goal was to be more active. I aimed for at least one 30-minute physical activity per day. I already consider myself a pretty active person, but it was definitely a challenge to make "working out" a daily activity — although I'm not sure I can call what I did working out.

Unless you're one of those magical people who thrives off of pumping iron, scheduling a workout sesh into your hectic day-to-day routine can be difficult (especially when all you want to do is watch Netflix). The only reason I succeeded in my one-week challenge was because I incorporated physical activity into something else I was already doing. For example: stretching/lifting weights/yoga/whatever floated my boat while watching Netflix.

fitness health