Mud Lake in Texas

Trip Overview

It's across the road from Clear Lake and separated by a bridge. The Houston Rowing and Sculling Club have a couple of low docks that are great to launch from If you go back away from NASA Rd 1, you can get back into Armand Bayou Nature Preserve. It's quiet and away from civilization.

There are alligators in Mud Lake, but I haven't seen one over 4 ft yet. A mullet jumped and landed on the WS Manteo my son was paddling the other day. It flopped back in the water and was gone. There are fish hawks in the woods back by Armand Bayou. They're shy so you have to be really patient to get anywhere close to them. Binoculars are helpful.

It's not an adventure like a whitewater destination and it's not total wilderness like Boundary Waters, but for a city like Houston, it's a qu

iet spot to get away

If you go under the bridge into Clear Lake, you can paddle south (left) and get into the Clear Creek area. I haven't been there yet. But, it's residential in some areas back there.

Accommodations:

Nassau Bay Hilton is about 1/4 mile North on NASA Rd 1, there are several restaurants along that road. Windsurfing and Paddle Sports is about 2 miles south toward Seabrook on the left for any outfitting or equipment needs.

Directions:

On NASA Rd 1 just south of Johnson Space Center. It's on the East side of Houston across Clear Lake from the Kemah Boardwalk.