Go for a shady stroll around Lost Lake, located on the western side of Buffalo Bayou Park near the intersection of Allen Parkway and Dunlavy Street. (Courtesy Buffalo Bayou Partnership)
You’ll feel as cool as a cucumber all summer long on these shade-filled Houston hikes.
Much like the sun’s first rays at dawn might send a vampire heading for the hills, summer is a season that Houstonians dread like no other. And it’s for good reason—the Bayou City’s urban heat island effect can mean certain pockets of the city experience temperatures five or more degrees hotter than the surrounding, rural areas. And climate scientists say the phenomenon is only getting worse.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to enjoy Houston’s natural beauty in the summer months. The city is home to numerous shaded trails and hikes that provide a touch of tree-assisted coolness during an otherwise sweltering season. Here are a few of Houston’s shadiest trails—just add water, sunscreen, and a comfortable pair of shoes.
1. Houston Arboretum and Nature Center
Miles of lush, shaded trails await your next summertime hike at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, located not even 10 miles west of downtown Houston on the western edges of Memorial Park. The 0.5-mile Ravine Trail contains its fair share of climbs and descents, but the effort pays off when you experience the cooler temperatures of this riparian zone. Formed by the flow of the Buffalo Bayou watershed, the ravine serves as both a natural corridor for the area’s wildlife and a critical flood control area for the nature center.
Admission to the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center is free, and the $6.50 parking fee is waived for all guests each Thursday. Trails are open each day from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and dogs are permitted on trails if leashed.
2. Buffalo Bayou Park
Buffalo Bayou Park is an expansive, 160-acre green space sitting just west of downtown Houston. Though most visitors travel along the 5.1-mile Buffalo Bayou Loop on the banks of the river, those who would rather find solitude in an enchanted forest environment can opt for the Green Tree Nature Area. Hidden in plain sight, this trail can be reached from Waugh Drive, located south of Memorial Drive. The 2.1-mile Blue Lagoon Trail in Buffalo Bayou also offers an easy, shady route perfect for introducing visitors to Houston with its paved paths and views of the downtown skyline. Dogs are welcome on leashes.
3. Memorial Park
Summertime’s sweltering heat means your first stop at the ever-popular Memorial Park must be the Clay Family Eastern Glades. The 100 acres of diverse habitats and environments were added to the park in 2020. Trek underneath leafy tree canopies in its pine and hardwood upland forest area, or go birdwatching along the shady Faultline Wetland, located just west of Hines Lake.
Enter the glades via East Memorial Loop Drive. Trails are open each day from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dogs must remain on leashes at all times in the park.
4. Hermann Park
This urban park, located at the southern tip of Houston’s museum district, offers a couple of shady environments to while away a summer afternoon. The Japanese garden at Hermann Park is home to Japanese maples and cherry trees, as well as white-petaled dogwoods, whose blooms provide as much visual interest as they do shelter from the sun.
The gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 1 through Oct. 31, and admission is free. Enter near the Pioneer Memorial obelisk near Molly Ann Smith Plaza. The park’s Marvin Taylor Trail is another easy journey, this one lined with massive live oak trees. Dogs must be leashed.
5. Lake Houston Wilderness Park
Located only a 40-minute drive northeast of downtown Houston, Lake Houston Wilderness Park is home to 5,000 acres of lush forest perfect for hiking, biking, birding, and horseback riding. The Ameri Trail Forest Loop offers nearly 10 miles of easy trails through forest canopies and the banks of the Peach and Caney creeks.
Note that waterproof shoes are best for this trail after recent rainfall, as the area can remain muddy. Dogs are allowed on leashes.
Not ready to return to the city’s traffic-filled roads after your peaceful hike? The park offers overnight stays in both cabins and campsites. Admission is $3 per person, and overnight rental prices vary.
6. Keith-Wiess Park
Comprising over seven miles of trails through dense, old forest and wetlands, Keith-Wiess Park in the East Aldine District, about 10 miles north of downtown Houston, is a summer hiker’s paradise. The beginner-friendly park loop sports wide, paved trails, a boardwalk, a pier, and a bridge that wind through shady trees, large retention ponds, and a lake.
Local hikers warn against using online maps to find the trail—park and enter through Aldine Westfield Road, and follow the trail past the tennis courts into a forested area that stays (almost) cool all summer long.
7. Lorraine Cherry Nature Preserve
Formerly known as West 11th Street Park, the Lorraine Cherry Nature Preserve aims to provide every Houstonian with an accessible pocket of wilderness—and help reduce Houston’s unbearable urban heat island effects. With 20 acres of forest, the preserve holds the title for the second largest track of native forest within Houston’s 610 loop. Interested to learn more about your leafy neighbors? The self-guided Wireless Wilderness tour around the main trail identifies local trees and shrubs. Dogs are allowed on leashes. Enter at 2400 W. 11th St.
8. Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary
The Houston Audubon manages the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary, a bird and wildlife conservation area located about 15 miles west of downtown Houston. Perfect for those who want to quickly experience some nature before heading back into the air-conditioning, the sanctuary’s 1.5-mile loop skirts forest and a restored log cabin in only 18 minutes. Dogs are not allowed at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary, and admission is free. Groups of seven or more must take a guided tour. The sanctuary is open from from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
