City Walks Houston

We often walk in Memorial Park and the Houston Arboretum but this time with an eye toward the natural (and engineered) features of these parks that make them a welcome break from concrete and air conditioning. Following paths and creekbeds we will see that Houston is not all as flat as your coffee table. From the top of the Memorial Drive land bridge/tunnel project where we see the park from the level of the treetops, down to a scant few feet above sea level at the edge of the Buffalo Bayou we will have a nice Sunday afternoon walk on the wild side. We finish the walk through the Eastern Glades part of the park.

Today's walk is through West University Place. It is a city, not a neighborhood, complete with a municipal hall, police force, and a fire station. As its name suggest, it is built west of Rice University. Many of the homes are big and worth millions of dollars, but we can still see some of the original small homes. Many of the residents display fine art in their yards, while other show their love to the place they call home in different ways.

FOR THE A STUDENTS: A list of addresses to pay attention to, in the order of the walk.
1. Mad-hatter tea-party statue at Evelyn’s Park
2. 424 Mulberry Lane (St. Mark Coptic church)
3. 4310 Mulberry Lane (Stained glass fence)
4. 4235 university Blvd (corner of community, modern statue)
5. 3934 University Blvd. (statue)
6. 3834 University Blvd (grand entrance, etched glass doors)
7. 3201 University Blvd (“the bunker house”)
8. 3120 University Blvd (girl statue)
9. 3024 University Blvd (Far-eastern themed statues and landscaping)
10. 2808 Rice Blvd (modern statue)
11. 2920 Rice Blvd (tiled wall detail)
12. 3224 Sunset Blvd (several statues, also on the side of Rutgers -corner house)
13. 3304 Sunset Blvd (“Roman villa”)
14. 3506 Sunset Blvd (“Glass house”)
15. 3702 Sunset Blvd (metal alligator)
16. 3801 Nottingham (corner of Auden, landscaping)
17. Corner of Academy and Milton (funky yard)
18. 4225 Riley (landscaping)

Wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water. The heat in Texas is always a concern so let someone know if you are having a hard time. For more information about hiking check out this very useful hiking website: https://www.hatsandmore.org/
Our average speed is close to 3 miles per hour.

Our organizers are not guides nor do we have any special training. We are here to come up with hiking ideas and get the hike started. Take the same precautions you would if hiking alone, including the fitness needed to make long hikes. Then enjoy the hike among friends.

COVID PRECAUTIONS:
Bring and wear a mask when not hiking and follow the best practices to prevent the transmission of COVID.

Gathering Place:
Evelyn's park (the seating area with the metal chairs and round tables along Bellaire Blvd.)
4500 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, 77401. (Free parking 4509 Bellaire Blvd. diagonally across the street from the park.)

Call or text 281-250-0305 if you need help. Calls after the start of the hike will not be answer because of the need of the leader to focus on the hike.

Bathrooms available at the starting point only.

The Hike:
The walk is mostly paved and is mostly shaded.

Starting at Stude Park this walk will follow the bayou around to Woodland Park, over the freeway and through Hollywood cemetery, last resting place of circus magnates and others. Then into Moody Park with its colorful Luis Jimenez statue "Vaquero." From there we cross under the freeway to Monte Beach Park and down Norhill's interesting esplanades back to where we started.