Dog Parks
*The following information is generously provided by the Houston Dog Park Association. For more information on this organization, visit www.houstondogpark.org
Allen’s Landing
1000 Commerce, Downtown Houston
Often described as “Houston’s heart” and Houston’s “Plymouth Rock,” Allen’s Landing is an area that truly defines Houston. It was here in 1836 that August C. and John K. Allen stepped ashore and claimed Houston as their own. The confluence of Buffalo and White Oak bayous also became Houston’s first port and a thriving commercial hub.
After years of deterioration and numerous planning efforts, Allen’s Landing is undergoing major revitalization and rejuvenation. Already completed is a concrete paved wharf designed to replicate the original port, a promenade, terrace overlooking the bayou, trail/walkway, entry plaza at intersection of Commerce and Main, terraced grass lawn, and text-based Public Artwork.
Improvements are being made west and east of the existing park, including the downtown streetscape enhancement project, which will feature pedestrian connections from Commerce Street to the bayou. Four major entryways will also include stairs, ramps, landscaping, signage, and public art.
Amenities:
- Benches
- Trash Receptacles
- Drinking Fountain
- Bike Rack
- Decorative Lighting
Size: 1.76 acres
Armond Bayou Park
8500 Bay Area Blvd., South East Harris County
Treat yourself to a day out of the city by visiting this park and nature refuge. About 10 miles southeast of Hobby Airport is a wonderful 2500-acre nature and wildlife preserve that offers a lot to visitors. Take your family on self-guided trails through the wooded bayou, or opt for a guided tour if it makes you more comfortable. Besides enjoying the simplest pleasures of the Texas flatlands and coastline, parents and children will also enjoy the wild game exhibits and the demonstration farm. Picnic facilities are available.
Autry Park
911 Shepherd/Allen Parkway, Downtown Houston
Bayland Park
6400 Bissonett, South West Houston
Bayland Park is the second oldest park in the Harris County Park System (Clear Lake Park is the oldest and was bought by the County in 1912). The 68-acre site that became Bayland Park was donated to the County in the 1920’s.
The name Bayland has a long history. The Texas Legislature created a home to care for the orphaned children of Texas Civil War Veterans in 1866. It was established on Galveston Bay and named Bayland. As the Civil War orphans grew up, the home took in other orphans. In the 1880s, the home moved to Woodland Heights in Houston, to a street that was named Bayland for that reason.
Bear Branch Dog Park
5200 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands
The Bear Branch Dog Friendly Area is OPEN! It has very shady acres, and it is separated into a large dog section and a small dog section (Per Parks Dept Rules: 25lbs and under qualifies as small). There is water available in both areas, many benches and of course, dog waste bags and waste containers. Dogs and companions are loving the shade!
Bear Branch Park is on the NORTH side of Research Forest Drive, west of Shadowbend.
Bear Creek Park
3535 War Memorial Drive, North West Houston
Bear Creek Pioneers Park occupies part of the Addicks Reservoir, created by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1940’s to prevent a repetition of a disastrous flood that had done great damage to Houston in 1935. The area that is now the reservoir had been occupied for 100 years previously by farmers, most of them immigrants from Germany and their descendants.
Harris County leased 2,154 acres of the reservoir in 1965 and started the park development. Bear Creek Pioneers Park is named for one of the creeks that flows through the area, creating one of the major tributaries of Buffalo Bayou. The park and the entire reservoir are subject to flooding but most of the land is dry most of the time.
Bill Bane Park
9600 West Little York, North West Houston
Brays Bayou Hike
SPRR to Gessner Road, South West Houston
This recreational trail along the bank of Brays Bayou in the 1970s after the bayou channel was paved. The initial section of the trail was near Stella Link Road. It was expanded over time, westward to Gessner and eastward to the precinct boundary at the Southern Pacific main line. The trail is about six miles long.
Briar Bend Park
7926 Woodway, South West Houston
Burnett-Bayland Park
6000 Chimney Rock, South West Houston
Burnett Bayland Park has a community center/YMCA site, with an outdoor basketball pavilion, hike and bike trails, a playground, and a lighted sports field.
The water playground has a multi-colored rubber surface, with spray and ground features that include three colorful arches, a flower, cactus, a spiral spray, and two water cannons.
Picnic shelters and plenty of benches are also available.
Cattail Dog Park
9323 Cochrans Crossing Drive, The Woodlands
Cattail Park is located at 9323 Cochran’s Crossing Drive in The Woodlands. Cattail Park is on the west side of Cochrans Crossing Drive, just north of the entrance to The Palmer Clubhouse/Golfcourse. It is approximately one acre + in size. It is separated into a large dog section and a small dog section. (Per Parks Dept Rules: 25lbs and under qualifies as small). There is a water source but please bring your own drinking containers for your dog(s).
Clear Lake Hike
Bay Area Blvd/El Dorado, South East Harris County
Danny Jackson Dog Park
Westpark Drive, Loop 610 & Loop Central Houston
The Danny Jackson Dog Park features swimming ponds, separate large and small dog area, shaded benches, a double gated entrance, poop pick up bag stations, walking path, fire hydrants, water drinking fountains, and trash cans. No children under 12 allowed.
Elizabeth K. Meyer Park
7700 Cypresswood Drive, North West Harris County
Elizabeth Baldwin Park consists of 4.88 acres on Elgin Street between Crawford and Chenevert Streets in a proud old neighborhood facing revitalization in the twenty-first century in the form of renovated houses and newly built townhouses and businesses.
Ervan Chew Dog Park
4502 Dunlavy, Inside Loop 610
Since 1994, Ervan Chew has been the first neighborhood park in Houston to allow dogs to legally run free, off-leash in a designated dog zone. The dog zone is located adjacent to the picnic area and swimming pool. It is a fenced-in space, approximately 9,000 square feet in size and is designed to allow dogs to exercise freely. The Ervan Chew Park dog zone was the first step in providing an area for off-leash dogs.
Amenities inlclude the double gated and fenced park, pick up bags, water fountain, and benches around large trees. The park is a small pocket park within a small neighborhood park that has a nice playground. Dawn-dusk; no children under 12.
Heights Boulevard Park
100-1900 Heights Blvd., Heights North West Houston
Herman Park
13000 MacGregor, South West Houston
Hermann Park has a bountiful assortment of entertainment: a golf course, an outdoor theater, a jogging track, a beautiful rose garden, picnic spaces, a butterfly exhibit, and even a museum! There is plenty to see and do in Hermann Park.
Herman Brown Park
400 Mercury Drive, South East Houston
The Herman Brown Park bikeway consists of 1.6 miles of trails through the park, and 1.0 mile of on-steet bike routes west of Hunting Bayou.
Herman Brown Park is located north of IH20 and east of the 610 East Loop. You can access the on-street bikeway off of Westshire or Dunegan.
The second phase of the project will connect off of the Dunegan segment and travel through the park to Crystalwood and Autumnwood. The second phase will consist of 2.8 miles of bike trails and on-street connector routes.
Hogg Bird Sanctuary
100 Westcott, Central Houston
The Hogg Bird Sanctuary is adjacent to Bayou Bend and shares its parking facility at 1 Westcott Street. While technically a part of Memorial Park, it is separated from it by an intervening neighborhood. The Houston Audubon Society has assessed the site’s suitability as a bird sanctuary and has found that it fits their criteria well. Its wild setting is ideal for bird watching, and local birders continually tally impressive lists from their visits there. The Houston Parks and Recreation Department hopes to plan more trails through it in the future for the enjoyment of bird lovers.
Houston Gardens Park
6901 Apache, South Houston
Katy Park
24927 Morton Ranch Road, West Houston
This park occupies 100 acres acquired by Harris County in 1983. The late Commissioner Bob Eckels started the development. Katy Park features baseball, softball, and soccer fields. A pavilion, restrooms, walking trail, picnic tables, and barbecue grills are also available.
Katy Park has been a regular camp ground for the Salt Grass Trail Ride for many years. The riders camp here on the Wednesday night preceding the Saturday parade that opens the Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo each year. Thursday night they camp at the Houston Farm and Ranch Club in Bear Creek Park and Friday night they camp in Memorial Park in Houston to get ready for the the big parade.
The names of the streets in this park are derived from the trail riders’ patronage. The main road is Salt Grass Trail. The side roads are named for Emil Marks, Reese Lockett, John Warnasch, and Pat Flaherty, the four men who started the tradition of trail rides as a prelude to the stock show. There were just the four of them on that first Salt Grass Trail ride in 1951.
Love Park
1000 West 12th Street, Heights North West Houston
MacGregor Park
5225 Calhoun, South East Houston
Maxey Bark and Run Dog Park
601 Maxey, North East Houston
Maxey Park community park, with 12 to 13 acres of parkland as a place for dogs, features a fenced-in space for the dogs to exercise off-leash. Amenities include doggie drinking fountains, separate areas for large and small dogs, a doggie shower, a waste disposal station, and benches throughout the space.
Amenities include a large dog park with a human park next door, triple gated and fenced; pick up bags; large and small dog areas; water fountains; doggie cool off shower; large shade trees; benches; information kiosk; porta-potty; and a small parking lot. Open dawn to dusk.
Memorial Park
6501 Memorial Drive to Memorial Way, South West Houston
Dubbed “the largest urban park in Texas,” Houston’s Memorial Park, just inside Loop 610 at Woodway, includes Texas’ top-rated municipal 18-hole golf course, as well as facilities for tennis, softball, swimming, track, croquet, volleyball, in-line skating, cycling and a popular three-mile running course.
Millie Bush Park
16756 Westheimer Pkwy, South West Houston
Located in George Bush Park and named after former President Bush’s dog, Millie Bush Bark park is thirteen acres. It is double gated and fenced and features pick up bags, large and small dog areas (with large and small fire hydrants in them!) in addition to doggie swimming ponds, water fountains, doggie showers, shade areas, benches, scattered trees, walking path, and parking lot. Picnic benches outside park. Restrooms close by, but not in the dog park. Open 7 days a week dawn to dusk.
Oak Forest Park
2100 Judiway, North West Houston
Officer Lucy Dog Park
4337 Lafayette, Bellaire
Officer Lucy Dog Park is double gated and fenced with amenities including pick up bags, large dog and small dog areas, some shade in large dog area, water available. No children under 12 allowed.
Lucy Dog Park is a small neighborhood park intended for residents of the area. It is not easily visible from the street, has no signs, and the parking lot and entrance is actually off Edith Street, one block south of Lafayette.
Post Oak/Hidalgo Park
Across from Transco Towers/Williams Co., West Houston
Sam Houston Park
500 Smith, Downtown Houston
In 1899, Sam Houston Park became Houston’s first public park. Historic postcards reveal “City Park” as it was then known, as having a children’s zoo, wading pool and picturesque wooden bridges. Today, as home to the Houston Heritage Society, the park is devoted to preserving Houston’s history by restoring and interpreting early historic structures.
Sylvan Rodriguez Park
1201 Clear Lake City Blvd., South Houston
Created with an astronomical theme, Sylvan Rodriguez Park is a great place to play and view the sky. Of the two playground structures, one is specifically designed for the little ones, ages two to five.
The wide-open space is perfect for watching fighter jets from nearby Ellington Field take off and maneuver across the sky, flying kites on windy days, and viewing the stars on clear nights. The park also features a walking trail system covering over two miles through thick wooded area where sightings of wildlife are common.
A crescent-shaped basin, like a small lake, provides a relaxing oasis around which to stroll or ride bikes, and set into the ground is a brick labyrinth surrounded by stone pillars aligned for the equinox - ideal for a meditative walk.
The Park has lacrosse fields and large grass fields for playing ball, throwing a Frisbee, or letting your dog run around. Amenities include restrooms (no changing tables), plenty of benches, and drinking fountains - even a ground-level drinking fountain for dogs!
An acoustically-tempting, domed pavilion provides shade, a couple of wheelchair-accessible picnic tables, and an opportunity for kids to delight in shouting to create echoes.
T.C. Jester Park
4201 TC Jester West, North West Houston
Pretty nice, this trail surrounds TC Jester park. There is a drainage ditch that offers up some good uphilling and downhill experience. Watch for high water in the ditch.
Telge Park
12400 Pleasant Grove Drive, North West Houston
Telge Park has lots of peace and quiet, a scenic walk on the nature trails, and sightings of wildlife if you are lucky and keep your eyes open. It is located 1.2 miles, (going east on Telge Rd) from the stoplight at Hwy 290 and Telge Rd. Officially it’s in Cypress, but it’s part of the Harris County park system. Early spring and late fall are the perfect times to go when it’s not too hot. It’s open 7 a.m. to dusk.
There are two excellent trails. Since not too many people go to Telge Park except those that bring young children to use the playground, you are likely to have the trails to yourself. From the playground, just enter the clearing between trees (between the footbridge and Telge Rd) and you are there. It’s scenic and on the edge of the tree line so you alternate having sun and shade which is fantastic in the spring and fall. It takes about 20-30 minutes to get to the end of this trail. This trail is good for hiking. There are too many stumps and obstacles for a bicycle.
Amenities:
- Restrooms, Handicap Accessible
- Phone
- Playground
- Picnic tables and grills
- Pavilion
- Nature trails
Terry Hershey Park
South from I-10 to Buffalo Bayou/Memorial Drive, West Houston
Terry Hershey Park was acquired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1940s as part of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs project. The Corps of Engineers later deeded this land to the Harris County Flood Control District. Harris County began planning to develop a park on the property in 1985 and eventually leased 488 acres along the banks of Buffalo Bayou and South Mayde Creek from the Flood Control District in 1987.
The Pearland Dog
288 North of FM 518 1/2 mi South of Beltway 8, Pearland
This cute, colorful, well-sized dog park takes up the south end of a community park that has picnic tables and playgrounds.Double gate added, sturdy agility equipment designed for having fun, rather than for competition (no training treats or any other food or treats allowed in dog parks). Also benches, and a shade canopy. Restrooms and parking are provided in the general area of the park. Please note: this dog park does not supply pickup bags or water at this time so you will need to provide both.
Tom Bass Regional Park
3542 Fellows Road, South Houston
Thomas Hutcheson Bass, born January 11, 1927 has served this community as a high school teacher, college professor, US Army Reserve Officer, State Representative, Harris County Commissioner from 1973-1985, Author of text books, and as a volunteer for numerous boards of area non-profit organizations. Because of his extensive environmental efforts, the Tom Bass Regional Park on Clear Creek was named in his honor.
Westbury Park
5600 Willowbend and Mullins, South West Houston