Outdoors
National forests, parks, lakes and recreation areas with hiking trails near Pearland, closest first.
Good to know: Carry more water than you think you need, check the managing agency’s page for trail closures and fire restrictions, and start early on hot days.
24 mi northwest · US Army Corps of Engineers
These normally dry reservoirs are on the west side of Houston on both sides of I-10 at TX6. They contain the largest municipal park in the Nation and provide a unique recreational experience for the metropolitan area.
34 mi south · Fish and Wildlife Service
Established in 1966 to provide wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl and other migratory bird species, the refuge provides more than 45,000 acres of salt marsh and freshwater sloughs, impoundments and potholes among native coastal…
Map of 22 places loads as you scroll.
These normally dry reservoirs are on the west side of Houston on both sides of I-10 at TX6. They contain the largest municipal park in the Nation and provide a unique recreational experience for the metropolitan area.
Established in 1966 to provide wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl and other migratory bird species, the refuge provides more than 45,000 acres of salt marsh and freshwater sloughs, impoundments and potholes among native coastal…
Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge (originally named Anahuac) was established in 1963 to provide wintering and migration habitat for ducks and geese.
Established in 1968, San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge is a diverse refuge that protects salt marsh and saltwater lakes, coastal prairies, freshwater lakes and marshes, intermittent streams, and riparian and bottomland forests.
The 30,000-acre Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1994 to protect what was once a much larger, frequently flooded, bottomland hardwood forest ecosystem along the Trinity River.
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1972 to provide habitat for one of the last populations of the critically endangered Attwater’s Prairie-Chicken , a ground-dwelling grouse of the coastal prairie…
Cagle Recreation Area is a popular campground and day-use area that sits along the shoreline of Lake Conroe on the west fork of the San Jacinto River, just 1 hour north of Houston, Texas.
Double Lake Recreation Area was built in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and offers a little of everything, including camping, fishing, swimming, picnicking, hiking and simply relaxing in nature.
Life of all types abounds in the Big Thicket. This national preserve protects the incredible diversity of life found where multiple habitats meet in southeast Texas.
Lake Texana is formed by Palmetto Bend Dam which is feature of the Palmetto Bend Project . The lake provides over 11,000 acres of water surface and 125 miles of shoreline. Accessible from numerous roads.
The Karankawas fished and hunted here in 10-12,000 B.C. and the discovery of stone scraping tools, arrows and spear points, along with bones of bison, mastodons, wooly mammoth and saber-toothed tigers, suggest a bountiful hunting and…
Nearby points of interest include Bluebonnet Trails, Independence Day Trek and Salt Grass Trek.
Points of interest in this majestic "Big Thicket" region of Texas include four National Forests and an Indian Reservation.
Magnolia Ridge Park is located on the northwest side of B.A. Steinhagen Lake, between the towns of Woodville and Jasper, Texas. The lake provides a great getaway for fishing, boating, picnicking, camping and birding. Recreation B.A.
Sandy Creek Park is located on the southeast side of B.A. Steinhagen Lake between the towns of Woodville and Jasper in southeast Texas. The lake provides a great getaway for fishing, boating, picnicking, camping and birding.
Located on Boykin Springs Lake in Angelina National Forest, this recreation area offers a little of everything, including camping, hiking, fishing, picnicking and relaxing in nature.
What is today known as Aransas National Wildlife Refuge first emerged 120,000 years ago during the Pleistocene era when a barrier island was born.
Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
A 114,000-acre lake in the Big Thicket country of Texas, with native flora including orchids, insect-eating plants and scores of animal species.
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Rayburn Park lies on the north shore of Sam Rayburn Reservoir, a popular family destination with boating and fishing and access to hunting less than a mile away.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Pearland. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
A short Pearland day-trip montage from My Curly Adventures, including a Filipino food stop.
Watch on YouTube ↗
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
An aerial introduction to Centennial Park, shared by Natasha Carroll Realty.
Watch on YouTube ↗Buffalo Bayou (US Army Corps of Engineers), about 24 miles northwest of Pearland as the crow flies. Next are Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge (34 mi) and Wallisville Lake (43 mi).
Based on Pearland’s average highs, November–April. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including US Army Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.