Clear Creek

Description: Clear Creek is south of Houston, and forms part of the boundary between Harris County, Galveston County, Fort Bend County, and Brazoria County. It is a pristine fluvial woodland stream in its upper reaches, and altho the lower reaches also have natural beauty, it becomes more of a water ski, jetski, and powerboat raceway. Millions of dollars of taxpayer money are in the hands of the Harris and Galveston County Flood Control Districts to "improve" the stream and control flooding, so stay tuned.

Directions: From the Gulf Freeway (Interstate 45, south of Houston), exit FM2351 and travel southwest approximately 2 1/2 miles to Randolph Park. Oops, don't turn into the park, go just beyond the marked entrance, to the parking lot on the other side of the road (2351). This park is called "1776 Park".  Park there, pass your boats over the fence and go on down to the riverbank. Before you get too far along, you'll want to run a shuttle so some of the cars of your group are at the takeout in Countryside Park. Follow 2351 farther southwest to its intersection with route 518. Go left (southeast) at that intersection. In 2 or 3 miles you will come to the Bay Area Boulevard intersection.  Go left (north) and travel about a quarter mile to the Countryside Park entrance, which will be on your right.  Drive past the covered basketball court and on down closer to the water and canoe launch.). The run from Randolph Park to Countryside Park is about 7 miles and will take the better part of the day at a leisurely pace. An alternate takeout that adds a mile or two to the paddle is at Challenger Seven Memorial Park which has very good access to the water - but increased density of motor traffic.  Unfortunately, that site has been closed for some years, but if you have an organized group, and liability insurance, you can get permission to take out or put in there, but you must clear this with the Precinct One park commissioner's office at (713)440-1557.

Additional public parks with access to Clear Creek are at Walter Hall Park in League City (just south of where Highway 3 crosses Clear Creek); FM270 Boat ramp.  East of here ("downstream"), you soon enter Clear Lake with all its sail clubs and marinas; finally passing under the tall highway 146 bridge at Kemah/Seabrook and empty into Galveston Bay.  There is a great deal of motorized boat traffic eastward of Challenger 7 Park.  The city of League City has plans to develop waterfront parks along segments of Clear Creek  between highways 3 and 270, but there is no public access there as of this writing.