It always surprises me when I meet people around Houston and Clear Lake City, Friendswood, and Pearland areas who have never been to Armand Bayou. I've gone there since I was a kid. It's the large urban wilderness preserve in Texas, and one of the largest in the US. Over 4,000 acres of natural wetlands forest, prairie, and marsh habitat and 370 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians all within a hop skip and a jump from city life and the suburbs. They have great programs and activities for kids and adults there you can check out on their website. I like the morning pontoon cruises deep into the bayou. Even if you take the wooden boardwalk from the entrance a little ways and plop on a bench in front of the pond you will see so much in one spot. One day I saw deer, turtles, snakes, bullfrogs, butterflies, dragonflies, all kinds of heron, heron babies in nests, and big alligators and alligator babies all from that from one little viewing spot at the pond on the boardwalk.
I love it too Buck. The reason I brought it up is because I've met so many folks around here lately who never even heard of the place.
Last time I was there, 20 years or so ago, we hit it in late May, early June, and behind the white house was a funny looking tree, bright green and dark at the same time. Huh, I says, so I get closer. It's a 15' tall, 10' diameter tree covered with blackberries (she called it a mulberry tree, but they sure as hell looked and tasted like blackberries). The docent/ranger/whatever came over and said "please pick all you want, they don't last more than a week on the tree once they're ripe, there'll be plenty left for the birds and squirrels." We ended up taking a full plastic grocery bag home with us. Made 4 jars of preserves and a blackberry cobbler.
Between my elementary school days at James F. Bay and Stewart Elementary, I went there many times but not appreciate it at the time. Also played my All-Star baseball there. I remember lots of mosquitos. I know I would enjoy it much more now. Never knew how large it was
Any better than Brazos Bend? Attwater prairie was nice, Washington on the brazos felt a little dingy. Klebb Woods is a place my family really enjoyed.
I've never been. I used to hit up Brazos Bend when I lived down that way. If I was going to be on the south east side of town I was on my way to Galveston or Kemah.
This is cool: https://www.chron.com/wildlife/article/justin-hurst-wildlife-management-area-expansion-22315294.php
My hometown, Kemah, in Karankawa literally means "Wind in my face" I always thought it meant hello until my uncle set me straight.
That's interesting. When I was a doorman in Galveston, I asked anyone who b****ed that they should be let in free because they were 'locals' what native American tribe was indigenous to Galveston. It was pretty rare when they got it right but if they did I let them in.
It's completely different than Brazos Bend. Since Brazos Bend is a state park it's better for picnics, biking, hiking, fishing, and camping. Armand Bayou is a completely different. It's a nature reserve surrounded by wilderness. Here's the link for a better idea of the place. https://www.abnc.org/
