Buffalo Bayou Park, Houston: Photos, Reviews & Location

Winding, 160-acre green space featuring views of the Houston skyline plus a fountain & a skate park.

At a glance

#1 of 3 Historical landmarks in Houston #16 of 85 Tourist attractions in Houston

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.70

1.1 km from the center of Houston

Rating breakdown

5 ★80%
4 ★15%
3 ★3%
2 ★1%
1 ★1%

What reviewers talk about

Share of 16 recent reviews that mention each topic.

View44%
Cleanliness31%
Price & value19%
Waiting & crowds19%
Location13%
Service & staff13%

Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street between Allen Parkway and, Memorial Dr, Houston, TX

buffalobayou.org

(713) 752-0314 ext. 301

Photos of Buffalo Bayou Park (168)

View all

Quick facts

What is the rating of Buffalo Bayou Park?: Buffalo Bayou Park is rated 4.7 out of 5 based on 10,589 reviews.
How does Buffalo Bayou Park rank in Houston?: Buffalo Bayou Park is #1 of 3 Historical landmarks in Houston by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is Buffalo Bayou Park located?: Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street between Allen Parkway and, Memorial Dr, Houston, TX — 1.1 km from the center of Houston.
What do visitors mention most about Buffalo Bayou Park?: Most often: view, cleanliness, price & value (from 16 recent reviews).
How can I contact Buffalo Bayou Park?: Phone: (713) 752-0314 ext. 301 · Website: buffalobayou.org

Reviews (16)

lovehandler nite 2024 Sep 01

Buffalo Bayou Park is a great place to take your dog. It's a big park with a swimming pool that dogs love. The downside is that it can get muddy, so expect your dog to get dirty. Some parts of the park are still under construction, but overall it's a pretty good park. It's my favorite in Houston and better than any other park.

Kevin Lange 2024 Aug 30

I travel a lot and always look for good running trails. Buffalo Bayou Park was great with a sidewalk to run or walk on and a parallel trail along Buffalo Bayou. I also came across green spaces with volleyball, soccer, ect... as well as a dog park.

Auda Gee 2024 Aug 18

Huge beautiful park.
Lots of shade.
Beware -
bicycles also on walking trail - and they don’t announce themselves.
Also, finding a parking spot is extremely difficult.

Jane Jing 2024 Jun 20

I felt very familiar with the Buffalo Bayou Park even that this is my first time visiting. Because the Canal Trail is the same concept in DC area. I love both of them.

jkaylene90 2024 Jun 08

Love this park. Huge dog park for small or big dogs. Waugh bat bridge is nice during season, many flowers, follows on either side of the bayou, one sand volleyball court, great trails for bikes and skates too, love the skate park and cistern at the north end. Be to your vehicle before dark or very likely you'll have a window shattered.

Meghna Patel 2024 May 11

Insanely huge downtown park. Great for everyone who want to catch the skyline, go for a run, walk dogs, kids, picnicking or just sit and be at peace. Very quiet, clean and well maintained. Lots of security driving though to ensure no help is needed and will guide where you’re going.

N and C Farrell 2024 Apr 26

Not from Houston and loved this park. Did nearly 4 miles along the bayou with the dogs with great views of the city skyline and some nice art along the way. Paved and appreciated the pedestrian only sections of the trail. Some shade and some nice mini-park areas and gardens as well. Very clean, well-maintained and felt safe (on a Friday morning). Parked near the trail and paid $1 for 3 hours. Well done, Houston!

Tasnim Ara Islam 2024 Feb 23

I have visited Buffalo Bayou Park couple of times and explored different trails6. Visiting this park was a serene experience! The numerous trails in the park offer delightful walks and biking opportunities amidst stunning natural vistas and captivating sculptures. The park has a bat colony, a skate park, a water works park and a cistern with light displays - all of which are Houston's tourist attractions.

Ample parking near the park adds convenience, but weekends can be crowded. If you are attending any event, it is quite impossible to get parking close to the event you are going. Nonetheless, the panoramic skyline view is worth visiting! Highly recommend.

Nicholas P 2023 Dec 05

Nice park to walk, jog, run, etc. It was very clean. They have some intriguing artwork. You can stay until sunset to watch the bats come up from under the bridge. Amazing sight to see and you’ll see a lot of locals gather to watch it together. Sufficient amount of parking, it was easy to find a spot.

Lili Mendoza 2023 Nov 20

The park itself portrays a calming experience! It has a nice view and a clean atmosphere. And for my people who like to go on runs/ walks, they have small stations for you to stop by and get some water as you go.

Emma LeMasters 2023 Nov 04

This is the best part of Houston — an absolute gem. On the bayou, you will find people walking dogs, taking strolls, exercising, having picnics, and more. There are 2 dog parks, one for smaller dogs and one for bigger dogs. There is a public restroom located at the end of the trail near the city. A water fountain is located at the far end of the park, near Kirby drive (there may be others). There are both walk paths and bike paths, and the trail totals roughly 5 miles from beginning to end. I love this park because there are always people around walking the trails and they are friendly enough to smile or wave as you pass. There is so much activity on the weekends that it gives you energy to get out and move. When I walk the trail, I will typically pass at least 2 people speaking different languages, often Spanish and sometimes French or Italian. There are very fit men (and women) playing soccer on Saturday mornings. There are beautiful people taking wedding, pregnancy, or quinceañera photos. There is a small botanical garden. There are plaques all around explaining the different trees along the trail and their extraordinary features, and people who come just to observe the plants and trees themselves. It is a wonderful park and a quite impressive development right in the heart of Houston. If I ever leave Houston, I will never forget walking and running these trails on Saturday mornings. It has been my favorite place to live thus far.

Ivan Varela (Iver) 2023 Oct 23

History. The area now known as Buffalo Bayou Park was earmarked for parkland since the early 1900s. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, the City of Houston was gifted or outright purchased tracts of land around the Bayou with the intention of creating a city park.

If you happen to be In Houston this is one of the spots that you should visit and have a relaxing walk; enjoying the nature and his multiple colors.

Rejuvenate your soul.

Join me on this path.

Ivan Varela

Tyler Self 2023 Sep 28

This is one of the best parks in Houston. I walk it almost every day and always find something new to look at. It is worth walking the full loop and seeing all of the work they’ve done to restore and protect the environment.

abigail bailey 2023 Sep 14

The park is very big and has some nice views. While there are signs some places, it would be great if more signs were posted a long the park that guide you to where to see the skyline.

Mari Almz 2023 Jul 07

This was the very first park I visited when I first moved to Houston. 3 years ago. I loved this park.. a nice trail great for hiking and running with a beautiful scenery. Very busy. Nice park to go for a walk and enjoy nature. This is a nice hiking trail, very well maintained. Awesome place to get out in nature but stay basically in town and There’s plenty of paid parking, which is also very close/right next to the trail. Very easy to access. Lots of people walking, running cycling, skating, you name it! And Is Dog friendly.