Sims Bayou Greenway

Dogs Leashed

Sims Bayou is a major drainage in the Houston region with an extensive greenway. Unfortunately, in early 2022, the retaining wall under 288 South Freeway failed and as a result the underpass will be closed indefinitely. Accordingly, the portion upstream of 288 will remain a separate trail for the foreseeable future.

If you want to get to the Upper Sims Bayou Greenway, use the sidewalk along Airport Boulevard to go west to the Houston Sports Center entrance road. Go south to Mowery, west to Kirby, then south to reach the trail. The detour is clearly marked with signs.

The main greenway downstream of 288 effectively begins at Margaret Jenkins Park, though you can access about a mile of trail upstream to the underpass closure point. This section does have a pleasant overview loop, and will be the site of a bridge to the Hills on Sims detention pond trail development to the south in the future.

From Margaret Jenkins Park the wide concrete trail follows the left bank of the bayou to the southwest corner of Airport Blvd and Scott Street. Use the pedestrian crosswalks to get to the northeast corner and use the sidewalk on the Airport Blvd bridge over Sims Bayou. The greenway now continues on the right bank to at-grade crossings of Cullen Blvd and Martin L. King Blvd reach Law Park. A bridge crossing the bayou is followed by an eighth of a mile of woods. The trail is now well marked here: Coming out of the woods, follow the park road east about an eighth of a mile and the greenway starts again, running through a wooded section to return to the right bank of the bayou.

After passing under Mykawa Road the trail divides into separate paths at Reed Road. The multi-use path occupies a barrier-separated lane of Reed Road while pedestrians are provided a separate paved path, the Reed Road Pedestrian Segment. After an at-grade crossing of Swallow Street, the two paths recombine and continue along the left bank of the bayou.

The next major landmark is Robert C. Stuart Park after which the trail runs passes under Telephone Road. Passing Reveille Park, the trail continues to an underpass of Broadway and Interstate 45.

At the Houston Botanic Garden, the trail crosses to the right bank and passes under Galveston Road. The trail loops back to parallel Galveston Road to skirt the Sims Bayou South WWTP. The trail turns northeast on Central Street then drops bank down to the left bank before ending at Charles H. Milby Park.