How It Started

77 miles of trail were originally built along the bayous by entities such as the City of Houston, Harris County, the Texas Department of Transportation, and TIRZs. By 2012, Houstonians showed overwhelming support for Bayou Greenways 2020, which would set aside $100 million in funding towards new trails and parks for the city. Since then, Houston Parks Board has leveraged the commitment, support, and expertise of its private, civic, and philanthropic partners to raise another $120 million with an extraordinary lead gift of $50 million in 2013 from the Kinder Foundation. Together, we are connecting Houstonians to our improved, safe, and beautiful bayous—all throughout Brays, Buffalo, Greens, Halls, Hunting, Sims, White Oak, and the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.

Since the beginning, the work of Bayou Greenways 2020 is an invitation to get closer. To get closer to our friends, to joy, to our city, to curiosity, to our goals, to our health. To get closer to the things that matter. To step outside and into parks, onto trails, and along bayous to create community and make memories, together.

Houston Parks Board and its project partners are transforming our bayous into Greenways, connecting people to trails, parks and neighborhoods.