When I think of camping, my goal is to get out of the city away from the hustle and bustle. Imagine my surprise when we found an amazing camping spot only 30 minutes from our home in The Woodlands. Lake Houston Wilderness Park is the only overnight camping park in the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.

Lake Houston Wilderness Park encompasses 4,786.6 acres of wooded parkland, approximately 30 minutes north of downtown Houston off of Highway 59 near the town of New Caney. A vehicle bridge over Peach Creek has opened the entire park to access by automobile. Cabins and walk-in campsites are available for rental. Activities include hiking and biking on 20 miles of hike and bike trails, kayaking on tree-lined creeks, and horseback riding on 13 miles of equestrian trails. (Bring your own bikes, watercraft, and horses). The park is a wilderness park and is heavily forested, so visitors need to be aware that wildlife in the park includes several species of snakes.

The Lake Houston Wilderness Park Nature Center is a fun educational place for young and old alike. It is open from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. (See website or call for updated information) The center opened its doors on November 9, 2007. It offers displays of forest and wetland habitats, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates, and a mural depicting the life cycle of butterflies.

Day passes are $3 for youth and adults 13 years and older. Children under thirteen, senior citizens and military are free.

The park nature center also offers group educational activities with a park guide. To find out more visit https://www.houstontx.gov/parks/parksites/lakehoustonpark.html