Brazos Bend State Park, Needville

Where to begin?! The wildlife, the trees, the scenery, the nature center, the observatory and the campsites all come together to form one of the most comprehensive and enjoyable state parks I've ever been to in Texas. Alligators of all sizes are prolific in this park, if you don't see several you didn't try very hard. We saw about a dozen in the course of a day. The variety and population of birds in this park is spectacular. If you are into bird watching I strongly recommend a stop here. Herons, ducks, Roseate Spoonbills, and hawks were all sighted in a single day within hours. The trees in this park are massive and very old. I don't remember a collection of such magnificent trees in a park so abundant and accessible, including at the campsites. And speaking of the campsites, the pads for RVs are the widest I've seen at a state park, anywhere. The size of the pad makes backing in an RV a lot easier than usual and also offers a convenient place for additional guests to park. The observatory is a nice bonus, but make sure you get tickets for the evening events well in advance! Finally, the nature center is a wonderful place to see live snakes, baby alligators, spiders, glass lizards, and hummingbirds. You can learn about the history of the park there too. Park volunteers and rangers were very friendly and very knowledgeable. We will definitely be visiting this park again and again.

Brazos Bend State Park was an awesome state park to visit southwest of Houston. Great trails with my favorite being Elm Lake Trail around the lake as this is where I saw a large alligator basking in the afternoon sun, right by the trail!! Apparently he was on the trail prior! Tons of wildlife seen here from the variety of birds, alligators (spotted 4 of em), opossum, bunnies, and a Great Horned Owl whose 2 chicks just hatched at the front of the park. I’d highly recommend visiting; it is highly rated as you can see. I camped here and the showers and bathrooms are well kept. It’s a great state park!