Brazos Bend State Park - Spring Break - Marsh Madness

HOUSTON - Get ready for Spring Break Marsh Madness at Brazos Bend State Park. It’s an affordable family friendly adventure for Spring Break. This great park is located so close to Houston, but can make you feel so far from the craziness of life. It’s perfect for day trips or take advantage of their camping facilities.

Instead of the usual three programs offered every Saturday and Sunday, staff and volunteers will offer at least 3 programs or hikes every day from March 13-21. It’s called “Marsh Madness” and it’s all FREE for Brazos Bend State Park visitors. For nine straight days, these programs and hikes will cover various topics including snakes, bees, owls, children’s story time, birds and of course everyone’s favorite “Marsh Monster” the American Alligator.

After a cold, wet winter everyone including wildlife will be ready for spring. Early spring is a time of transition and one of the best times to visit Brazos Bend State Park. Migratory birds will need a rest stop .Reptiles will relish the warmth of the sun. Wildflowers will blanket the meadows and trail sides.

“Alligators will be ready to fatten up after a very a long period of inactivity and loss of appetite due to the colder than normal winter,” says Park Naturalist Sharon Hanzik. “Visitors are sure to see plenty of basking alligators around Elm and 40-Acre Lakes. The prairie is one of the best areas to view and photograph wildflowers. With the abundant winter rainfall spider lilies are sure to dot the landscape and dominate wetter areas of the prairies.”

The park’s Nature Center will be open to public each day from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. The center interprets the park’s varied ecosystems and includes live reptile displays that include six-month old hatchling alligators as well as both venomous and non-venomous snake species. Children and adults can also enjoy a real hands-on experience with The Touch Table in the Nature Center.

FOX26 Meteorologist John Dawson profiled the park last May. See his report and more information from his blog: http://community2.myfoxhouston.com/_Alligators-and-more/blog/258618/82250.html

For detailed information about Marsh Madness programs, day-use facilities, camping and other park information, visit www.brazosbend.org .