Nature In The City
Living in the concrete jungle known as New York City, there are seldom any places to go if one wants to experience unfiltered nature. Central Park is a great sight to behold but, it is not the same as going on a hiking trail through a forest or sitting on a bench overlooking a large pond with lily pads. If that is an experience that someone wants to have on a perfectly sunny Saturday or early in the morning on a Sunday, upstate New York is the best bet. As not everyone has the free time to make that long drive upstate or even the means to make the trip, most settle and visit Central Park or go to the Bronx Zoo for a taste of “nature”.
Houston, Texas is a different story. Living here in Houston has been a bit of a challenge as when anyone moves, they must get acclimated to the area, learn their way around etc. The best thing about moving to this kind of city is the sheer size of the state. Texas is a very large state with a great amount of open untouched space. This has led to many national parks and/or hiking trails for people to enjoy. One such place is the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. The Arboretum is a nature trail that covers 156 acres, grants people to get up-close and personal with animals, flowers and overall get closer to what this planet has to offer us when leaving the busy life of the city behind for a few hours. The Arboretum is a beautiful place. The scenery is wonderful, from the large pond that is home to many fish and small reptiles, to the trails in the trees where spiders make their homes as if they are displaying works of art to the colorful and vibrant flowers. Not only is this a dream for those who are fans of hiking, visiting national parks or reserves, or even into macro/landscape photography, but this is also a must as not visiting is ill-advised.
It can get tiring as the walking is not for the faint of heart but isn’t something that anyone can handle. Timing is key here as early in the morning, the many birds that call this area home are more likely to be seen and heard. Mid-day is more for the smaller animals such as lizards and snakes, to come out and forage for food. Evening/night for those that love the nightlife. The temperature also is a major factor in when to visit as no one wants to be eaten alive by mosquitos. Pick the time wisely if having the quiet and calming effect of nature is what is desired. The fewer people the better the experience and the deeper connection with nature becomes. Being able to enjoy the escape from city life and view animals that aren’t native to New York was such a treat.
This is something that everyone needs to add and check off their bucket list regardless of if they are visiting Houston or are a local. While there, another person who also recently moved to Houston from the east coast was kind enough to answer a few questions. They have chosen to remain anonymous but were comfortable using their initials.
C.A: “Back home, there aren’t trails or nature centers like this. This is great to have right here in the city and the plus is that it’s dog friendly! My dog loves it out here and we can’t wait to visit the others one around the state.”
There are many other national parks/hiking trails in Texas such as Big Bend National Park that are wonders in and out itself but for those who want a spur of the moment type of getaway, the Arboretum is a must. Just make to bring a great deal of bug spray to fight off those pesky mosquitos. Also wear long sleeves and pants to not get any hitchhikers that love to nibble or any plants that will not be fun to rub a special ointment on.
