Bayou Greenways: Bike the Bayous

Houston is a city of bayous — slow, tree-lined waterways that thread through every part of town — and over the past decade the Bayou Greenways initiative has been stitching them together with a connected network of hike-and-bike trails, eventually some 150 miles of them. This tour is a sampler: it hops between trailheads on the major bayou greenways so you can ride a stretch of each, from the polished central path through Buffalo Bayou Park to the quieter greenways along White Oak, Brays, and Sims. Because the trailheads are spread across the city, drive between them, then ride each segment out and back. Bring a bike, plenty of water, and sun protection, and check trail conditions after heavy rain — the bayous flood, and low sections can stay muddy or closed.