Armand Bayou Nature Center

Love the easy trails and small reptile habitat! You have three trails to choose from and it ranges from marshy land to forest, to flat plains. They also have an interactive historical farm and what seemed like a green house for children. In addition, a children’s discovery play area!
Truly a hidden gem in Pasadena!

Perfect for a nature exploring kind of day, it must look beautiful during summer when there are leaves on trees and flowers every where.

We recently moved to the Clear Lake area from the Midwest, and while we enjoy being near the water, we missed trees and «wild» areas to hike in. We took our toddler to Armand Bayou and it was a hit! We hiked the easy, wooded Lady Bird Trail (a little tough with our jogging stroller in the mulch), then visited the prairie observation tower and the live animals (a toddler favorite). What a treat to have so much open space in an otherwise built-​out area. We got a membership for next year as a family Christmas present.

Not often you see such a large area with all this nature! The guides were absolutely great and so informative. The kids and adults really enjoyed this hike looking and listening for owls and so many more creatures.

Great experience with Liz and Karen. They were our very informative and full personality. My children had a great time learning something new.

Bring bug repellent!
No picnics or pets.
Finding the place was very easy and there was plenty or parking. It was Saturday around 11am. I walked in and paid $ 4.00 for admission. That is such an inexpensive trip! I also got a map and asked the guy at the desk for information on the trails. He told me his favorites and why. It was great.
I entered the park and immediately there were red tail hawks in an enclosure! They are beautiful animals. The ones they have are not able to be released into the wild because they are injured so they are being taken care of by people to ensure they have a long and healthy life.
after that you walk to a wetlands area and there are so many things going on! There were birds resting in the trees, turtles sunning on rocks, turtles swimming, fish, bugs, and a lot of signs with a lot of information. I enjoyed relaxing and watching the animals. I find them so entertaining.
After that you go to the «Interpretive house» and in there are a bunch of other animals like snakes, alligators, turtles, frogs, lizards, fish, etc. and a lot of displays with a bunch of information. It wasn’t clear if the animals in there were going to be released back into the wild or not. This building is also where the restrooms are located.
After that you have your choice of trails: Martyn, Karankawa, Marsh, Lady Bird and Prairie trails. I did all of them. I saw the most wild life on the Martyn trail. There I saw cardinals, deer, and rabbits. There were tons of mosquitoes out there though and I recommend that you bring and use bug repellent generously.
The weather was beautiful and the place wasn’t crowded. I really only had to deal with other people on the «discovery trail» because that is where all the little kids go. There is an old farm house for them to see, scouting events for kids, and doll making stations. However this trail is also where the Buffalo are located. It is definitely worth making your way through all the kids to go see the beautiful animals.
This is a great way to keep your family educated and connected with nature. Also it is a cheap way to get everyone out of the house!
I just wish they had a trail specifically designed for runners so that way people could jog around the wild life. They just recommend you go to Bay Area Park next door.

I love this place! Great place to take your kids, dogs, canoe, fishing poles, etc.
This summer we went canoeing with the kids, not too crazy. They did panic when I thought I saw an alligator. (We’d only seen one once in the open water).
The little one loves watching the geese and ducks.
The kid park is great & shaded.
The dog park has a huge area for them to run & is divided into small & large dog.
Last night we saw the alligator out in open water near the dock! It was great, a real treat! REMEMBER! Don’t feed it! I don’t know if it should have come that close to us. –about 10 feet, watching us the whole time.
If you are new to the area, this is a great place. I went when I was a kid and I think it’s even better now. We love taking our kids.

It was a nice diversion from the Houston city limits. About 30 minutes from the inner loop, a nice bayou to hike 3 nicely marked trails. It’s cheap to get in ($ 4/​adult), and you have the chance to see turtles, alligators and water fowl. I was there for 2 hrs, and that was plenty. You cannot picnic there, so plan accordingly.

Beautiful and serene with some great scenery.
I’ve taken some portraits here and there’s tons of interesting places.
Go and enjoy!

Nice place to escape to! We really enjoyed it. Beautiful trails, quiet sitting spots and photo opportunities, which I love! No pets allowed, so don’t bring your dog. There’s a great dog park just up the road for Fido.

Our first and only time visiting ABNC was during the *Martyn Harvest Fest*.
Upon arrival, we paid $ 3 to park onsite. There was a shuttle from UH-​CL but we had small children and slight showers. Entry to the fest was $ 10/​adult and $ 5/​child over 4yrs. Keep in mind that many (if not all) of the activities were free. You should have some cash on hand for concessions or handicrafts.
It was nice that it wasn’t too busy — our only wait was for the wagon ride. The staff was very friendly and dressed in old-​era garments. They gave us a map and we were a little confused since the buildings/​activities weren’t always indicative. The ponds and the foliage were very pretty and had benches to sit back and enjoy, although no shade for hot or inclement weather (it did drizzle a few times during our visit).
During this festival, my kids painted okra ornaments, washed and hung clothes, and made candles and rope. They also stuffed scarecrows, played tug-​of-​war, rode in a horse-​drawn wagon, and peeked at bison, horses, bees, chicks, and a rabbit. We also snacked on sugar cane and some bake sale items. We stepped into the vintage-​looking «general store» and purchased some scented wax and jellies. Things were priced pretty well compared to typical festivals.
Before leaving, we traversed the boardwalk to the «Interpretive Building» to peek at some reptile exhibits. That was also a wholesome segment to our visit.
A festival vendor mentioned to us that (sadly) attendance had been dwindling over the years and there was less concessions. Also, since we just had an extremely dry year, there was a limit to activities and trails. It was still an enjoyable day for our boys (aged 3 and 7).

I was just looking for some nature spots out in Clearlake for photography and I was lucky to find this place.
I was just planning on going to check out the nature, however, I was extremely fortunate as the day I went just happened to be the annual Fall Festival. They charged for parking since it was an event and I think the admission was increased but it was worth it.
The first plus about this park is that it’s designed well. If you stay on the main path it makes a full loop from start to finish that puts you back near your car when you finish. This is a HUGE plus as back tracking is a pain, especially if you are lugging around a backpack.
There are lots of animals in this park that is in the natural environment and then others that are in cages.
This day though they have locals come in as blacksmiths, carpenters, candle makers, and many more.
One of my favorite nature spots in all of Houston!

I love kayaking here! Four stars because the gators scare me. It is really nice and serene though once you are away from them. I like to paddle out to clear lake from here. Makes for a good day trip. Plus you can fill up the cooler with hot dogs and burgers and grill when you get back! What’s not awesome about that?!

Best place to paddle inside a city limit!
«The Paddler’s Review»:
For those of you with canoes or kayaks, Armand Bayou is one of the nicest places to paddle within an hour of most Houstonians (just a few minutes if you live in Clear Lake). South from the park takes you into wide open water that will eventually lead into Clear Lake and civilization. North from the park leads you into the coolest pristine eco-​system full of wildlife and meandering channels (I recommend this way).
Enter the park off the first entrance on Bay Area Blvd. past the bridge, and stay to your right. This will lead you to a dock and the best place to put your boat in the water. Note the «no motors beyond this point» sign. Your only on-​the-​water competition will be other paddlers and the wildlife (and not a speeding powerboat).
Ten minutes of paddling North past the bridge brought me sightings of cormorants, a heron, an osperey eating a fish, and a 4 foot alligator. Stay to your left, or you’ll get into a channel that takes you into a flood controlled waterway that will eventually lead to a large industrial complex (interesting, but not natural). When the water’s low (North wind) or the water vegetation really starts growing, you might find you have to stay to the deeper water channels, but overall it’s a great, easy paddle that unless you’re really hardcore will keep you busy and in the more natural area for a nice half day trip.
This last trip (Feb 27, 2009) was on a balmy «winter» day with temp running close to 80. A little windy with overcast skies (just spotty sunlight). I wasn’t expecting any alligators, but I saw 17. From a juvenile 2 footer to what I estimate as up to 12 feet (my kayak is 16 ft), alligators were everywhere. On a previous trip several years back, I counted only two large gators — very exciting. Around gator #7, I admit that I was getting a little creeped out, and had to remind myself that my boat and I are not on the menu.
I hope the abundant and thriving wildlife is indicative of the improving quality of the water and the efforts that ABNC & other organizations are making (great job!). In past trips, I’ve seen wild hog, snakes & turtles, countless variety of birds and my most memorable sighting, an eight-​point buck swimming across the bayou in front of me. That and the wide open sky with the sound of wind rustling through the trees just makes me feel like I got away from it all.
Sorry Buffalo Bayou, but Armand wins hand down as the best urban paddle for me. You’ll love it, too!

The peaceful hiking trails here lend themselves well to long conversations with a friend — or jaunts with a child who imagines the nature preserve is another planet of wild jungle!
You will see all sorts of wildlife here — so watch that trail for snakes! And bring the binoculars for birdwatching.

Sometimes the zoo feels a little too distant. A place where you can view animals but not nature. When you want to reconnect with the wildlife that is native to the area head out to Armand Bayou Nature Center.
An educational and inspirational experience awaits you at Armand Bayou Nature Center. There are classes for all ages that will teach about the ecosystems through a variety of means. Whether you’re looking for a place for the kids to get some nature time or want to escape the urban bumper to bumper, there’s something for you here.
On the 2^nd and 4^th Saturday mornings you can paddle a canoe on a guided tour of Armand Bayou. On your journey you’ll get to see wildlife up close and personal up and down the banks of the water. And if paddling isn’t your thing, you can take to the water on a pontoon boat or join the group on a sunset cruise. There’s always something on the schedule whether you’re looking to head out early in the morning or you’re a night owl (they also have owl watching).
Armand Bayou Nature Center isn’t far from where you are but you’ll feel like you’re in a different world after spending a little time here. A nice way to take a break from interstates and the work week.

Now would be a wonderful time to visit the ABNC if you haven’t yet. The kids love it! The ABNC works to presernve wetlands, prarie, forest and marsh along Armand Bayou. While there, you can take a guided hike, have a picnic, take a canoe (kids 10 and up) or the pontoon boat. They also offer special events like a creepy Haloween day, moonlight cruises, and owl hunts. It’s a must see!