Brazos Bend State Park Bird Hike 

This is a perfect birding hike for a newbie or a birder with years of experience. 

Common Yellowthroat - a winter visitor               Vermilion Flycatcher - another winter visitor

For the newbie, it’s just a hike with friends where you’ll see lots of birds.  You can learn about them or not, up to you.  For the experienced birder, with 5,000 acres of wilderness you never know what might decide to pay a visit!  You don’t even need to be a birder if you just want to come out and enjoy a leisurely hike.  Of course, birds are by no means the only wildlife we will see!!  We’ll start at the Observation Platform at Elm Lake.  It’s not unusual to see 10-15 species from the platform alone.  We walk halfway around Elm Lake to the Spillway Trail then east to the Observation Tower at 40 Acre Lake. We’ll return back down the Spillway Trail then finish the other half of Elm Lake. 

Round trip is +/- 4 miles and takes 2 -2.5 hours. 

There is a $7 entrance fee unless you have a State Park Pass.  You’ll need to be at Headquarters by 7:45 to make it to Elm Lake by 8:00.  The gate is usually open by 7:30. You MUST fill out an Early Check-In envelope and pay your entrance fee before heading to Elm Lake.  You MUST fill out the envelope and get a sticker for your windshield EVEN IF YOU HAVE A STATE PARK  PASS!! 

How to find us:  Take the Park Road +/- 2 miles to the Nature Center.  Turn left at the Nature Center, go .25 miles to the Elm Lake Group Pavilion Parking area.  The Viewing Platform is just beyond the Pavilion.

There are several other Bird Hikes at the Park each month.  Below is a link to the list.

Brazos Bend SP Bird Hikes