Brazoria County Outdoors

BRAZORIA COUNTY

OUTDOORS SPRING EDITION

Find the right rod State takes over snapper Club invites you to canoe Site keeps eye on coast Hot spots to go hiking

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What’s inside

Paddle boats PAGE 4

Local club gets a fresh view of Brazoria County from local waterways.

Reel deal

PAGE 8 Getting a prize catch takes more than the right bait.

Better red

PAGE 16 Texas takes over federal red snapper season.

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SALES • SERVICE • PARTS All material herein c. 2018, Southern Newspapers Inc., dba The Brazosport Facts, 720 S. Main St. Clute, TX 77531. No material herein may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher.

979-237-0100 • www.thefacts.com

109-111 Oyster Creek Drive, Lake Jackson

979-297-2510 Closed Mondays

MAY 24, 2018 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • 3

4 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

Hearts & crafts

Brazoria Paddler’s Club finds adventure, serenity on county’s waterways

By RICK COUSINS Facts correspondent

Poet Henry David Thoreau never made it to Texas, but had he done so, he might have offered a few words about the Brazoria Paddler’s Club. This informal organization treks over the still waters of local streams and bayous, or as Thoreau wrote, “Wherever there is a channel for water, there is a road for the canoe.”

The 19th century nature enthusiast was not alone among such visionaries. Much of early America was explored on barks, rafts, canoes and other primitive craft. Some of these are similar to the kayaks Mike Mullenweg, who serves as the lead interpretive ranger for Brazoria County Parks, makes available, along with his professional water safety instruction, to locals who decide to venture into this sea-level view of our county.

Based on reports from dockside, our Brazoria County is even more beautiful from a boat.

“The county has such a diverse water system,” said Carlos Armintor, who has been participating for quite a while with the club. “We have kayaked in rivers, creeks, bayous and bays. Paddling in Oyster Creek through Lake Jackson is much different than kayaking in Christmas Bay. “Sometimes you get that diversity in just one

MAY 24, 2018 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • 5

Join the club O The Brazoria

Paddler’s Club, formerly known as the Small Watercraft Club, hosts two padding events each month on one of the waterways in Brazoria County.

O Participants can

bring their own boat, kayak or canoe, or borrow one from the club.

O The excursions are great for families and first-time paddlers.

O Summer trips are planned for June 9 and 23, July 14 and 21, and Aug. 11 and 18.

O For information or reservations, call 979864-1152 or email mikem@brazoriacounty.com

river. For instance, the San Bernard River changes dramatically from tree-lined to coastal marshlands and ultimately to beach. On the upper portion you have cypress trees growing out of the water and it feels very swamp-like. The river is narrow there and you are hemmed in by the trees of the Columbia bottom lands. On the lower portion, the trees disappear and you are in marsh lands with reeds and oyster shells lining the banks.”

In addition to taking in the inspiring views, the club provides both a public service and some educational insights.

“Some of our trips are designed to be trash clean-ups and some are designed to be about wildlife watching and others might include a hike along the beach,” said Armintor, who lives in Lake Jackson.

But for youth, there’s an added benefit.

Not only does the canoe club get them out of the air conditioning and detached from their video games and social media frenzies, it also teaches self-reliance in a traditional, almost frontierish, manner.

“When a kid is in a solo kayak, they are dependent on themselves,” Armintor said. “They have to work to accomplish a goal. Their success depends on them.

6 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

Of course, we adults are there to help guide them, but they do it. When they complete a trip, they have accomplished something on their own. It’s something they can be proud of.”

It seems to be hard not to wax poetic when gazing at the natural world streaming slowly by while sitting only a few feet above the bayou. Canadian author Roderick Haig-Brown was so captured.

“I have never seen a river that I could not love,” he wrote. “Moving water has a fascinating vitality. It has power and grace and associations. It has a thousand colors and a thousand shapes, yet it follows laws so definite that the tiniest streamlet is an exact replica of a great river.”

But you needn’t be a professional poet to glom onto the beauty of the bayou and its egrets, herons, ducks, cypress and more. Alejandra Howard recently spent a romantic and inspiring trip here with Mullenweg and the club.

“My husband Michael and I were celebrating our anniversary and wanted to do something different,” Howard shared. “Somehow, I stumbled across Brazoria Paddler’s. I was absolutely thrilled because I had never done

anything like this before. I figured that my nonathletic self might be able to do it and it was free.

“The day came and Mike, our instructor and guide, said we could not have picked a better day. The sun was shining, there was a cool breeze and not a cloud in the sky. Out in the water, everything looked so beautiful from the birds in the sky to the sparking water we were dipping our paddles into. We were even fortunate enough to see dolphins. We both had a wonderful time, no pressure to keep up with the group, the attendees were all very friendly, and Mike had wonderful information about the area. We definitely look forward to our next trip.”

The only real caution is such travels might not only be ennobling, but possibly also addictive.

M. Mendoza said she started out nervously, but now is a convert to the club. She said she can’t wait for their next session.

“I fell in love with kayaking on my first trip out,” Mendoza said. “My sister and I paddled on Oyster Creek the first time. I was anxious about going but Mr. Mullenweg reassured me and gave great instruction on how to paddle and what to expect. Though the chance of tipping over is very small, all we’d have to do if it happened was simply to stand up. This trip was so much fun. You would forget you were in the city. There were people of all ages and fitness levels, including a 12-year-old who kept up just fine. She also seemed to be enjoying the scenery as much as the adults.”

Few Americans have seen their country as clearly through nature as John Muir, the 19th century naturalist and national parks advocate. He spent so much time on the nation’s waters that they became in some sense, a part of him.

“The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing,” Muir said.

The club welcomes experts as well as newbies.

“I have been canoeing and kayaking for a long time,” Armintor said. “My son is an Eagle Scout and we did canoe trips ranging from day trips to multi-day trips all over the country. As my daughter got older she decided she wanted to do it, too. My wife wanted us to do it in a safe way. She felt more comfortable if we did with a group. The club was a safe way to introduce my daughter to kayaking.”

Ranger Mullenweg is ready to help introduce this generation of Brazorians to the wonders of water exploration at a sedate and manageable, hand-swept speed. The club is completely free and no experience is required. For details, call 979-864-1152 or email mikem@brazoria-county.com.

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BARCLAY FERNANDEZ/The Facts

Rooke Thull baits his hook May 5 during the TakeA-Child Fishing event at Freeport Municipal Park.

8 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

What’s the Catch?

Anglers need the proper tool for what they intend to fish

By JOEL LUNA joel.luna@thefacts.com

An activity that dates back to prehistoric times, fishing is a sport that can become a lifetime of adventures.

But like so many things, there is always that first step those interested in taking up fishing need to take. For most beginners, that means trying to figure out which rod is the best for what they want to catch.

Rod Key from Rossco’s Outdoors in Clute gave us a lot of good ideas to start the process.

“I guess it just depends on how you are going to fish, if you are a lure fisherman or bait fisherman,” Key said. “So if you go bait, nine out of 10 times you will be throwing a 7- to 7-foot-6 rod. It will have a fairly heavy backbone to it and a bit heavier tip to it.

So if throwing with a shrimp, croaker, mullet or whatever, the stiffer rod will heave that heavier bait.

“Now, if you are a lure thrower, you will throw a shorter rod from a 4- to a 7-footer. It will have a faster tip with a lighter rod because you are throwing that bait over and over, over and over, over and over, and you won’t be so exhausted at the end of the day.”

Without too many hassles, Zebco rods are probably some of the easier ones to maneuver, especially for beginners, he said. But there are just so

many different ways to fish, it’s difficult to narrow the starter rod down to just one.

“One can get as technical with the rod as far as with the kind of eyes that they throw which are actually placed on the rod,” Key said. “A lot of guys throw with a recoil eye, which is like a stainless spring, one piece of wire and take it to match the eye to the rod itself on the blink and it will spring back up. Whereas you do a fixed eye, it is a stainless steel eye with a graphite or all kinds of different inserts in them.”

Rossco’s Outdoors custom-builds rods and is currently working on one called the Slick Water Rod. They also carry Fish Sticks Rods, Sarge Rods and will soon incorporate Waterloo Rods as well. So they mostly carry major brands of rods.

Former Fishin’ Fiesta weighmaster Kevin Burns has been in the water for ages. Just by weighing fish over the years he’s seen countless rods but gets the most joy from seeing younger anglers taking to the water with a rod and reel.

“For somebody just starting out, it is best with either a spinning reel, because they are easier to cast,” Burns said. “The bait-casting rod takes some practice which can be frustrating to beginners because when you try to cast you will have overruns, which will cause backlashes. That can be very

MAY 24, 2018 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • 9

frustrating for a beginner, so if they are just starting out, they can get a push-button reel. With those they can get a feel for what they are doing and are easier to cast. But sometimes it is harder to land a bigger fish with that kind of setup, but that will give them options. That is what most kids will start using until they can advance to a more advanced setup.”

Burns also recommends the Zebco and Johnson rods, which have been around for ages.

In early May, Burns was the weighmaster for the Port Freeport Take-A-Child Fishing Tournament at Freeport Municipal Park.

“Yeah, I still do some of those every once in a while, but right now I have a fairly new job where I am a park ranger at San Luis Pass Park,” he said. “But it was good to see all of those kids out

BARCLAY FERNANDEZ/Facts file photo

Cordae Hooyle cast his line March 16 during the Brazoria Parks Department Kids Fishing Derby at San Luis Pass County Park in Freeport. The kids were taught about fishing safety.

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there having fun and learning something that hopefully they will stay with.”

Key’s children also fish, and he started them from the beginning with simpler rods along with a reel so they could get a feel for what they are doing.

“Any kind of shorter rod is better for children with a spincast reel where you just push the button like the Zepco rods,” Key said. “If they graduate to a spinning reel, hopefully they end up with a bait caster in their hand where they have to feather the spool with your thumb so that you don’t backlash the line.

“So just by keeping it simple for kids is good because if they worried about casting, then maybe they will quit fishing because it is too hard. Start them out easy and let them grow as their interests grow.”

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2015 Events

•

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G

Look ahead Website gives people a peek at what’s happening on the Brazoria County coast

Contributed photo

Saltwater Recon was started by Larry Perez, chief financial officer and staff meteorologist; Urs E. Schmid, president and CEO; and Broc Adams, vice president and chief technical officer.

By JOEL LUNA joel.luna@thefacts.com

Call it another way to look at things, at least that is what Saltwater Recon founders Urs Schmid, Broc Adams and Larry Perez have attempted to do when it comes to anglers and the weather.

Saltwater Recon was an idea that started with Schmid and Adams. Now two years later, it has transformed into a business that will give an angler a bird’s-eye view at what current conditions are in 10 coastal locations in Galveston County and Brazoria County.

“Our website is completely free and we post 12 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

webcams all around Galveston Bay and surrounding areas,” Schmid said. “We provide webcams, eye charts, weather reports and wind maps — anything that a fisherman, a boater or an outdoorsman that enjoys going out to the beach can check out what the conditions are going to be live and in real time.

“There are some other cool resources, like bait camps and boat ramp maps, there are extreme reports, marine traffic maps and bacterial levels over the beach. There is just a lot of great information on there.”

The website is saltwater-recon.com.

“The cameras are what bring it home for us, because no one else has cameras that reach the network that

we have,” Schmid said. “We have a lot of fans who are emailing us and just thanking us for what we do. It is a lot of fun and really cool and we are excited for what we do.”

Both Schmid and Adams were born and raised on the island. The 34-year-old Schmid, a lifelong angler, just got tired of driving down to the coast without really knowing what the waters were like.

“I would drive down to Galveston and the conditions were just horrible,” he said. “And I would look at tide charts and at weather reports and still could not see the whole picture. At one point, my buddy and I wanted to put up a webcam just so we could see what the conditions were doing. It snowballed from there and it’s turned into its own company and its own business. Really, this was something that we didn’t think it would work. We are just kind of proving the concept at this point. It is proving itself and it is getting exciting right now.

“This has never been done before, it is kind of like a fishing wonderland which is all online. Before, most would have to go call the bait shop to find out what the water looks like. But now you can see it for yourself.”

With Schmid taking care of most of the business side of things along with wearing many other hats, Adams is the vice president, chief technical officer and creative director. Adams is self-taught in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop as well as web coding and web building, and poss ibly the best angler on the team.

“Broc handles the day to day on the website and all of our graphic design and advertisement creation,” Schmid said. “We owe Broc a lot for all of the hard work that he’s put into this company. It’s safe to say that we wouldn’t be here without him.”

Perez is the vice president, chief financial officer and resident on staff meteorologist, who with his Texas A&M degree has been able to give the website a legitimate weather expert.

“The cameras add the interactive nature where the users can come on and can control the camera in 10 different locations right now,” Perez said. “You can go to these 10 different locations and actually pan the camera around, zoom into sites that are miles from the camera and still get a clear view. That is the most unique feature and the most draw that our site has right now. Viewers are shocked at how good the quality is on the camera, which are pretty costly cameras. But we are trying to think of new ways to differentiate ourselves from other sites that have similar services.”

Perez came on board after the company had been started, bringing accounting expertise with him, but he’s proven to be a jack of all trades.

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When You Just Have To Get Out There!

Warning: The Polaris RangeR®, SPORTSMan® and RZR® are not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate. Passengers must be at least 12 years old and tall enough to grasp the hand holds and plant feet firmly on the floor. All SxS drivers should take a safety training course. Contact ROHVA at www.rohva.org or (949)2552560 for additional information. Drivers and passengers should always wear helmets, eye protection, protective clothing, and seat belts. Always use cab nets or doors (as equipped). Be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Never drive on public roads or paved surfaces. Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Check local laws before riding on trails. ATVs can be hazardous to operate and are not intended for on-road use. The Polaris 50-cc ATV model is intended for operators ages 6 and over.

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Warning: The SPORTSMan aCe® is not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate. All drivers should take a safety training course.

Contrace ROHVA at www.rohva.org or (949)255-2560 for additional information. Drivers should always wear a helmet, eye protection, protective clothing, and seat belt. Always use cab nets or doors, as equipped. Be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Never drive on public roads or paved surfaces. Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Check local laws before riding on trails. All vehicles shown with optional acessories. Printed in the U.S.A. Part #9930015.

Pictures for illustration purposes only.

MAY 24, 2018 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • 13

2018 STATE OF TEXAS ANGLERS’ RODEO Including StarKid and StarTeen Divisions

MAY 26 - SEPT 3 13 DIVISIONS

A screenshot shows the Saltwater Recon camera looking out over San Luis Pass County Park.

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startournament.org 14 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

During Hurricane Harvey last year, saltwaterrecon.com became widely known by many beyond Southeast Texas.

“We did five blog posts on Harvey as it moved across the Yucatan and into the Gulf of Mexico rapidly intensifying; simultaneously, we did radio bits KGBC in Galveston,” Perez said. “We had approximately at the peak 85,000 on the site looking at what was going on with Harvey from different locations with the webcams. It was unfortunate that it happened, but we were happy to provide real time information to all of our followers.

“Our hope is that the National Weather Service, the Coast Guard and many of these shipping companies that have their interests and assets in the Galveston Bay or along the beach are hopefully looking at our website to see what is going on, so that they can best protect themselves.”

The cameras in Brazoria County include San Luis Pass County Park and Surfside Beach.

“At the moment, that is as far west that we go,” Schmid said. “But we are probably going to go to Port O’Connor, getting down to Matagorda Bay down there.”

The project clearly has worked out to be a go-to, real-time view of conditions.

“We work out deals or contracts with bait shops, restaurants and municipalities,” Schmid said. “We work with the city of Galveston and Brazoria County. We basically are able to do this on an almost exchange — they get free advertising and we get to go set up a camera there. We handle the back-end stuff, we pay for the equipment and we install it. The website is getting about 2,000 hits a day on average through the summer.”

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Greater amberjack swim over sandy soil.

Double standard

Feds, state set different rules for red snapper, amberjack seasons 16 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

Greater amberjack Greater amberjack is the largest and most common amberjack that lives along the coast.

Although they average about 20 pounds, they can weigh more than 170 pounds. The Texas record is 115 pounds and 66.5 inches, set in 1994.

Life History

Food consists of other smaller reef fish. Small jacks may congregate, but larger fish often are solitary and usually females, because they tend to live much longer than males. Spawning occurs offshore and begins at about 2 to 3 years of age.

Habitat

Greater amberjacks live primarily near structures such as artificial reefs and oil rigs in Texas waters.

Distribution

Amberjacks are found through the tropical and temperate Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico.

How To Catch

Fish are often caught incidental to red snapper around offshore oil rigs and artificial reefs. They can be caught with large hooks on cut bait or using fish, especially ribbonfish, for bait.

Limits

Daily Bag: 1 Length: 38-inch minimum; no maximum

Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife

MAY 24, 2018 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • 17

N

ew regulations are allowing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to regulate red snapper for the next couple of seasons, but the amberjack is still only regulated by the federal government.

“Under an exemptive issued permit, we are managing the red snapper season in federal waters,” said Julie Hagen, social media specialist with the Coastal Fisheries Division.

Red snapper season will get going June 1 in Texas in federal waters. Federal waters start 9 nautical miles up to 200 nautical miles, and for the first time ever this summer, Texas Parks and Wildlife will be assessing the After years of increasingly shorter recreational fishing seasons in federal fisheries. waters, Texas negotiated for control of the federal season. Red snapper is Texas Parks and Wildlife still one of the most popular species for sportfishing in the Gulf of Mexico. manages the shoreline up to 9 nautical miles year-round.

“That is how our fishing seasons work in Texas,” Hagen said. “Federal waters will open June 1 and is projected to Deep rosy-red color with a dark fringe around last 82 days. Now we think it will last 82 days, but we are the dorsal and tail fins, adults average 2 to 4 working under a quota. Once we reach that annual quota, we pounds but can reach over 50. will have to close the fishery, but we think that will be after 82 days.”

Life History The federal red snapper season had been getting shorter Spawning is June through September when and shorter. Because of that, only three days were given to adults are about 2 years old. Juveniles are Texas last year for red snapper. widely distributed over muddy or sandy bottom and are caught in great numbers “So we went into negotiations last year with NOAA, which during shrimping operations. Growth is fairly is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, fast, reaching 8 inches the first year and which is federal partners, and also the National Marine gaining 3 to 4 inches each year thereafter.

Fishing Service under the Department of Commerce,” Hagen said. “We negotiated with them to get 39 more fishing Habitat days, so last year you could just fish for red snapper in Adults are located primarily near structure in deeper water. They feed on crab, squid, shrimp federal waters only on weekends. Knowing that the federal and small fish which they find near artificial government has been giving us less and less days and all reefs, oil rigs and other underwater structures. other Gulf states in the United States, we went into an

Red Snapper

exempt fishing permit with the federal government this year.

“We’ve been working on this for the past year; they approved it in April. And they are giving up control this season and next season to make the days to open and close the fisheries. After that, we hope to get a permanent solution about who and about how we manage the red snapper fisheries.”

According to Hagen, there is no shortage of red snapper.

“In fact, it is very healthy and it has rebounded,” she said.

“At one point in our history, red snapper was on the decline and that is why regulations were created years ago. But we 18 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

How To Catch

Hand line, manual reels and electric reels are used, all equipped with heavy weights and multiple hooks. Bait with fresh squid or cigar minnows; live pinfish or pigifsh will catch larger snapper. This is the most sought-after offshore fish.

Limits

Daily Bag: 4 Length: 15-inch minimum; no maximum Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife

do extensive study on red snapper, and we know what it can handle. We think we are in the best position to make the best decisions for red snapper in Texas waters.”

With a scientific measure, Texas has kept a close eye on the red snapper. That is possibly the reasoning for the federal government to give up control.

“We want for people to fish for red snapper in Texas waters, and last year we got three days for that and Texas didn’t think that was fair,” Hagen said. “We know our fishery and we know it can handle more than three days for recreational anglers out in the water. The only way to have that happen is for us to control the fishery.

“Every state along the Gulf coast is managing their own red snapper fishery, but we are still all considered one part of the Gulf.”

Changes for the amberjack are for completely the opposite reasoning.

“Because of quotas that we have to abide by, the greater amberjack is a species that is undergoing a rebuilding because the population depleted,” NOAA Southeast Deputy Regional Administrator Andy Strelcheck said. “So setting the season helps reduce, obviously, fishing effort directed at harvest. Having the closures when they are is to allow for harvest of other species that are open while the amberjack is closed, and then to allow for harvest of greater amberjack when some of those species have closures.

Amberjack does spawn in March, April, May, so we are also protecting amber jack during a portion of their spawning season in the earlier portion of the year.”

Older regulations allowed anglers to fish amberjack from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. Sometimes, because quotas were met, those closures would be earlier than the set date.

“So the new start date will be Aug. 1 and go through the following July, and a lot of reasons we did that was because a lot of anglers wanted the opportunity to harvest amberjack in the fall when a lot of offshore species are closed,” Strelcheck said.

“So we will have a three-month season, from Aug. 1 through the end of October. If quotas remain, then we will reopen the following May 1 to the 31st. This year it is a bit unusual because we just changed the regulations, so we actually opened it at the start of May and go through the 31st. Then we will close it and reopen Aug. 1 at that time.”

Amberjack regulations started back in 1990 by NOAA and the Gulf Council.

“We will evaluate the landings after October, and if quota remains that we have additional harvest, then we would reopen the following May,” Strelcheck said.

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Brazoria County communities have plenty of places to take a hike

Trail Mix While Brazoria County is known for its beaches and fishing, there are also opportunities for other outdoor activities, such has hiking or just walking. Here are just a few spots to get out and stretch your legs without getting your feet wet.

MacLean Park

The hub of activity for the Parks and Recreation Department in Lake Jackson, MacLean Park features a fitness trail, a food service building, a lighted basketball court, a pavilion, picnic tables, a playground, sand volleyball courts, soccer and softball fields, a stage with lighting, swings and tennis courts.

Kelly Hamby Nature Trail

The 5.6-acre day use facility is about a mile southwest of the Galveston toll bridge near San Luis Pass just outside the Treasure Island community. It can be accessed off Bluewater Highway (CR 257).

The park features handicapped accessible parking, a walking trail and beach access for swimming.

The Kelly Hamby Nature Trail provides a natural habitat for birds such as the scissortailed flycatchers and orchard orioles, as well as migrant birds like buntings, tanagers, cuckoos and warblers.

Kelly Hamby Nature Trail

Photos courtesy Brazoria County Parks Department

20 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

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Brazos River Park

Located in Planter’s Point Subdivision near Holiday Lakes along CR 30, Brazos River County Park features a half-mile walking loop and so much more.

It is also home to the largest playground in the county, featuring hillside slides, large sand boxes, tot lot, playground equipment, playhouses, and a 60-foot wide tire glider.

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Buffalo Camp Park

Located within Lake Jackson’s Buffalo Camp Subdivision on the corner of Otter Trail and Deer Trail, Buffalo Camp County Park offers not only a walking trail, but also a covered pavilion, a gazebo, fishing pier adjacent to a small pond and a playground.

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Camp Mohawk County Park

Situated along Chocolate Bayou at 110 CR 193 between Angleton and Alvin, the 53-acre park features both hiking and walking trails, along with much more. The park opens at 8 a.m. and closes at dusk. Overnight facilities are available on-site.

If also offers a large swimming pool with bathhouse, two covered pavilions, fishing along Chocolate Bayou, picnicking, a playground, kayaking and canoe areas, basketball court, baseball field and tent camping.

Among its features is Loblolly Loop, a great trail for all levels of hikers. The 1.7-mile loop includes the only stand of native pine trees in Brazoria County, a guide for identifying tree species along the trails, bird watching, nature viewing and fishing.

National Oak Park

Also in Alvin at 310 E. Sealy St., the 8-acre National Oak Park features a hiking and bike trail as well as pavilions and picnic tables.

MAY 24, 2018 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • 21

Facts file photo

An artificial reef adorns the entrance to Quintana County Beach Park.

Dow Woods Park

Located about one mile north of the intersection of FM 2004 and Highway 288 Business near Lake Jackson, this area consists of two trails — Tveten Trail and Bayou Loop.

Tveten Trail is a concrete path 0.9 miles in length and is on Bastrop Bayou. While it is easy to navigate and not strenuous, there is an abundance of wildlife to see, making it a popular destination for local outdoors enthusiasts. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour Bayou Loop is longer than Tveten Trail at 1.5 miles and is not paved, but provides a more remote experience and access to a wildlife viewing platform.

White-tailed deer and wood ducks are just a couple of animals that could be roaming near the trail.

Estimated time to complete: 90 minutes.

Hanson Riverside County Park

Located 3 miles southwest of West Columbia along the San Bernard River, the park features a 1-mile hard surface trail for either hiking or biking. It also has a large playground, observation tower, fishing along the river, picnic tables and a large group pavilion.

22 • THE FACTS’ SPRING OUTDOORS • MAY 24, 2018

Big Slough Boardwalk and Trail

Part of the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge off CR 227 in Freeport, the 0.6-mile boardwalk over the slough provides a close encounter with a marsh crowned with cattail and bulrush and offers renowned wildlife viewing and photography opportunities. Benches offer a great place to rest and quietly observe wildlife. Take the full loop that passes by an observation platform over Big Slough or one of the three shorter loops through the shady thickets.

Quintana Beach County Park

Located on Quintana Island, Quintana Beach County Park offers paved off-beach parking, boardwalks, covered and/or shaded pavilion, restrooms and showers, a wooden, lighted fishing pier, horseshoe and volleyball areas, playground, two historic homes, hiking trails and a pedestrian-only beach.

Quintana Beach County Park also offers airconditioned cabins overlooking the water and a campground, plus a new education center to learn about the local wildlife.

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