Baytown is a nature lover's paradise with an abundance of outdoor opportunities. With 50+ parks, more than 15 miles of scenic trails, and expansive greenspaces, residents and visitors can immerse themselves in the beauty of the city. One of the crown jewels is the Baytown Nature Center, a 500-acre peninsula surrounded by Burnet, Crystal and Scott Bays. This coastal oasis is a haven for birding, fishing, kayaking, picnicking and outdoor play.
As a designated site on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, the center's diverse habitats, including hardwood uplands, tidal marsh and freshwater wetlands, attract more than 300 species of resident and neo-tropical migrant birds. The Baytown Nature Center also includes the Crystal Bay Butterfly Garden, Children’s Nature Discovery Area, a sought-after bird sanctuary, seven miles of hiking trails and a broad spectrum of programming like full moon hikes and “tyke hikes” for the little ones.
Finally, explore the Wetlands Education and Recreation Center to deepen your understanding of the delicate balance between the region's diverse species and their habitats, and gain insight into Baytown's rich natural heritage.
The Blue Heron Park Trail is approximately 3 miles. The trail runs along the perimeter of Blue Heron Park connecting to Barkuloo Road through an easement and loops back to Blue Heron Parkway. The Blue Heron Park Trail is accessible from Blue Heron Park and Barkuloo Park. It connects to the residential subdivision to an elementary school to the north and also connects to the Goose Creek Trail via the Crockett Trail Connection.
The Crockett Trail Connection is a 2.65-mile trail connection that runs along the south side of W. Baker Road & Blue Heron Parkway from Emmett Hutto Parkway to the Cary Bayou Trails at Jenkins Park. The trail follows a commercial corridor and provides safe pedestrian and bike access to several residential subdivisions that flank the corridor.
The Goose Creek Trail constructed by Baytown Parks and Recreation is a scenic recreational trail that travels along Goose Creek and Tabbs Bay that connects residential neighborhoods, municipal facilities, and multiple parks. The trail travels through coastal marshes, prairies, and forests. The Eddie Gray Wetlands Education Center, Sterling Municipal Library, and Baytown Community Center are all accessible to the Goose Creek Trail via connecting sidewalks. Walking or cycling along the trail you can find playgrounds, picnic areas, fishing piers, boat ramps, and outdoor sports facilities.
The Cary Bayou Trails contains 3 miles of unpaved trails in the central-eastern part of Baytown. It runs through a heavily forested area along the Cary Bayou and connects W.L. Jenkins Park to J.C. Hollaway Park. The trail crosses Cary Bayou to the east of W.L. Jenkins Park on Crosby Cedar Bayou Road and continues southeast towards J.C. Hollaway Park on Racoon Drive. Approximately 1 mile of trails are located in the forested area between the two parks. The trails provide recreational opportunities in a natural setting and connect residential subdivisions in the east to sports facilities and recreational amenities such as the Baytown Bark Park and Jenkins Park Fitness Station. The trailhead at J.C. Hollaway Park has a playground, picnic pavilion, and parking lot.
The San Jacinto Trail is a 4.9-mile trail that runs along the San Jacinto, Bush, and Hunt Roads in north central Baytown. The San Jacinto Trail provides bicycle and pedestrian connectivity between Interstate 10, West Cedar Bayou Lynchburg Road, and West Baker Road. The trail also extends in the east-west direction along Hunt Road connecting N. Main Street to John Martin Road. Destinations on the San Jacinto Trail include Eddie Huron Park, residential neighborhoods, and commercial centers.
Baytown Nature Center, located at 6213 Bayway Drive, is a 500-acre peninsula surrounded by Burnet, Crystal and Scott Bays. It consists of hardwood uplands, high quality tidal marsh, and freshwater wetlands. This unique site is listed on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, providing habitat for 317 species of resident and neo-tropical migrant birds.
Open daily all year round except Christmas and Thanksgiving and during extreme inclement weather. Gates open 30 minutes before sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset. Daily Admission is $4 for Adults (13+) and $1 for Children 5-12 & Seniors (65+).
