Looking for a great place to stretch out those legs of yours after a long day in the office? Or maybe preparing for one of the many thrilling races that take place along our Gulf of Mexico Coastline? Either way, this Tourism Intern is here to give you some insight and perspective on our local trails. We have about 15 different parks in our area that are equipped to give you the opportunity to utilize their running trails. Here is just a highlight of my favorites.
The Goose Creek Park near Texas Avenue’s Historic District is the perfect place for an evening run. This park has concrete trails with nice benches along the way, and lots of shade trees in certain areas. The greatest part of this park is that the trail follows a large portion of Goose Creek! With the sun setting, the pink, purple, and soft orange clouds create the most beautiful reflections. It’s definitely a place I have been for both a relaxing and serious run.
Then there’s David G. Burnet Park. It doesn't matter what time of day it is, this park is absolutely breathtaking. It's great for all, but especially moms & dads. Not only is the track properly marked with the exact amount of mileage you’ll be getting yourself into, but it also is equipped with great informational stone settings in the sidewalks! You and your family will learn all about the early days of the Republic of Texas, PLUS get your steps in. On top of that, the playground is close enough to the quarter mile trail that you can walk/run the whole trail while keeping your kiddos within sight. A major plus for this park!
PS, the wildlife is great. The squirrels are cute and spunky, and just the other day two Mexican Tree Whistling Ducks were fearless as they marched all over the lawn in search of their midday snack. It was a great spectacle.
Last, but not least, W.I. Jenkin's Park. Man oh man, this is my favorite park of all time. Not only is it easy on the shins with its packed dirt/gravel mixture for trails, but it’s gorgeous all around. This park provides wide spaced trails and an easy-going, comfortable atmosphere. The trails are shaded for almost eighty percent of the time; and there are multiple different routes to take. You can whip and weave almost any direction you want to and not pass over the same paths multiple times. It may look like a normal park with wide open spaces, huge trees, and bright green grass, but there are three bridges that pass over a quaint little canal ( PSA: it reminds me a lot of the Shire from Lord of the Rings). These bridges lead you into a gateway of nature. The trails continue into a wooded area with full shade and a lovely breeze. In my years of running, *cough cough I just passed the two year mark*, W.I. Jenkin's has easily become my favorite park.