After Hurricane Ike hit, Brazos Bend State Park closed its doors for repairs. Tina Ibarra, a park employee, commented on the affect Ike had on the park's business. "There were people waiting at the door for us to open," laughed park operator Tina Ibarra, "If anything, our visitation is even higher."
However, the damage is not yet entirely eliminated. Maxfield Baker, a Texas State University student and recent visitor of Brazos Bend State Park commented "There were still fallen trees and branches in a lot of areas. Not on the roads or trails or anything, though." Ibarra affirmed, however, that all the debris left is just from trees and other plants and should only be in areas that visitors should stay out of anyway. The park staff continues even now to clean up what remains of the debris.
The park is home to over 50 varieties of birds and over 75 species of fish, making it an excellent spot for fishing and birdwatching. Several viewing areas, including docks and an observation tower, are constructed around the park, allowing for a wide view of the landscape and wildlife.
Texas State University Outdoor Center worker Connor O'Quinn offers other prime spots for birdwatching. "There are so many good places for birdwatching in Texas," said O'Quinn, "Brazos Bend is a good one, but the best that I know of would have to be Enchanted Rock. There's also Kenny Falls, Caddo Lake, and Garner State Park."
Campsites and picnicking areas are located among huge, moss-draped live oaks, while trails run along the lakes and through hardwood forests. There are several trails for hiking, bike riding, and even equestrian trails for horseback riding. There are six lakes accessible to fishers, restocked regularly, for which no fishing license is required.
The park is home to over 300 alligators, and visitors are reminded throughout the park by signs and the friendly park staff to keep an eye out for them, especially now as this is their mating season. "Spring is a very busy time of year here," remarked Ibarra, "The alligators are very active and a lot of people come here just to see them." Throughout the day, visitors may hear deep, throaty grunting reverberating from the lakes. This is the mating call of the alligators. They are numerous, but as long as visitors stay out of the water and the dense vegetation around the lakes, there should be no cause for concern. Children especially enjoy observing the gators from afar.
"Alligators aren't very common in Texas, so it's really cool to see so many of them in one area," said Outdoor Center worker Susana Rogers. She explained that Brazos Bend is special for that reason, since its location puts it closer to the marshlands of Louisiana, where alligators are much more common.
Most of the park is in the Brazos River floodplains, but there are also areas of flat upland coastal prairies. Periods of heavy rain caused freshwater marshes over time and the riverbanks are lined with sycamore, cottonwood, and black willow. This type of environment only springs to life around this time. "It's a dreary environment in the winter," said Rogers, "It's not very cold, but its so quiet and stagnant. There's not much real life until the Spring."
Approximately 28 miles southwest of Houston, Brazos Bend State Park covers roughly 5000 acres. It was the area of Texas' first Anglo colonization. It was purchased by the state in 1976 and was opened to the public in 1984.
Saturday, April 4th, is the park's 25th Anniversary. They will be holding several events throughout the day, including nature programs, guided hikes, and even live bluegrass music. For morning visitors, the entrance fee will be waived from 7am to noon.
The park is open seven days a week, year round. The gate hours are 8 am to 10 pm Monday through Thursday and 7 am to 10 pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/brazos_bend/
http://www.wildtexas.com/parks/bbsp.php
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=BGS133-045
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