Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge and Surfside Beach
Told by Kuma & Written by Lorraine Bossé-Smith
I’m a snow dog, so I am looking forward to cooler days ahead. Bring on winter where the cool days make for great outings. Last winter, we ventured over to the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge one weekend to explore. We’ve heard that this place is infested with mosquitoes during the summer, so the colder months are ideal.
We had a bit of trouble finding it as the signage isn’t very good. Well, I’m no help at all since I can’t read. I just bark at any place that looks good to stop! Anyway, from Houston take the 288 south to Angleton then turn left onto Market Road 523. You’ll drive to County Road 227. Turn left and drive 1.7 miles to the refuge entrance on your right. You still have about 3 miles to the Discovery Center, which has restrooms and maps for humans.
The main trail is about 1.5 miles long, including boardwalks, and weaves through thick marshes. No alligators were out today, which is fine by me. They kinda creep me out! Some of the trail is packed down dirt and other parts are grassy. A great change up!
Because the coast was clear, literally, I took a quick dip in one of the ponds. During gater season, you won’t want to dare get near the water. We are considered snacks to those guys! Yikes!
After our hike, we enjoyed a picnic under the gazebo by the Discovery Center. With great views of water and birds, we soaked in the sunny day. Afterwards, we took the scenic drive around the refuge. We decided since we were so far south that we could swing by Surfside Beach. Wow! What a beach! The sand is super soft and deep, perfect for running and digging. Oh how I love to run and dig! The water is even a bit bluer, which my humans like. All the same to me: wet!
The beach doesn’t charge a fee in the winter months, but they do in the nicer months. They have plenty of parking and pilapas right on the beach to provide shade. A must visit if you haven’t before!
Good thing we were a ways from home (about one hour) as I needed a good nap after all my adventuring. Yes, life is good!
Kumaito (Kuma for short) is a multi-tan Shiba Inu, an ancient breed from Japan, who moved from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to Friendswood, Texas. He enjoys running almost every day with his mom, chasing squirrels out of his yard, playing with toys, pestering his brother Edmond, eating, napping … well, Kuma loves about everything and everyone! His mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith, was kind enough to help him tell his story. She is the author of seven published books, writes for magazines on assignment, has been seen on national television, and inspires people to live healthy, balanced lives through personal training, life coaching, and workshops. You can reach Kuma through Lorraine’s website: www.thetotalyou.biz. Be sure to visit Kuma Dog’s Facebook page.
You never know what he’ll be up to next!
