Sam Houston National Forest opens onto Lake Conroe on its west side. | Rene Steffan/The Cougar

After a gloomy, wet winter, many students may feel a burning itch to go out and explore nature. Now that the clouds are breaking up and cabin fever is losing its hold, here’s a list of natural areas around the city that’ll help you get your daily dose of Vitamin D.

The Blue Trees

Near the Waugh Bat Bridge, you may have spotted the Blue Trees from the portion of Memorial Parkway that encircles them.

A grove of crepe myrtles, the trees were painted blue using a natural pigment by Konstantin Dimopoulos. Mark this location on your maps; as the weather gets warmer, you can visit again to witness a spectacular grove of bright pink on blue stems.

George Bush Park

This large park lies to the west of Houston, occupying flat terrain around an open reservoir. The bright green of the open fields stretches for miles, while bridges and paths link to a wooded trail. The popping noises you might hear in the park come from the nearby shooting range, though they’re not loud enough to be bothersome.
If you want, bring a furry friend to the Millie Bush Dog Park, which is split into separate parts for big and small dogs. Be sure to avoid this spot after rain if you don’t want your pooch getting muddy.

Terry Hershey Park

Following the Buffalo Bayou, the trail runs through Houston’s Energy Corridor, with sections of the trail named after birds, and is great for hiking and biking.

It maintains a balance between nature and urban environment, and is great for a beginner who wants to walk, hike or ride without entirely leaving civilization behind.

Sam Houston National Forest

This forest of significant size is a ways north from Houston and occupies a large swath of land between Conroe and Huntsville. Inland enough to be affected by the seasons and remote enough to be free of city noise, Sam Houston National Forest will impress you with both its size and the range of activities you can engage in.

The park offers nature trails for the leisurely walker as well as for hiking and biking, which can be viewed on the forest’s website. Because it is bisected by Interstate 45, the park has two distinct halves; plan your trip accordingly.

arts@thedailycougar.com

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“Wake up and smell the pine needles: Four must-visit parks” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar