Plan Your Visit

Admission is free!

Hours

Grounds & Trails7 am – dusk, daily
Nature Center9 am – 4 pm, daily

January 1 New Year’s Day
February 10 at 2 pm Tapas on the Trails
March 3 at 12:30 pm Pup Crawl
March 31 Easter
April 7 Private Event
April 19 at 3 pm Alfresco Gala
May 27 Memorial Day
July 4 Independence Day
September 2 Labor Day
October 19 ArBOOretum
November 3 until 2 pm Private Event
November 28 Thanksgiving
December 24 at 12 pm Christmas Eve
December 25 Christmas Day
December 31 at 12 pm New Year’s Eve

Dates listed in italics indicate grounds and building closure.

Address

Woodway Entrance
4501 Woodway Dr.
Houston, TX 77024
610 Entrance
120 W Loop N Fwy
Houston, TX 77024

Parking

Parking is available at both the 610 Entrance and the Woodway Entrance.

School bus parking for School Tours is available on the 610 Parking Loop.

Help reduce theft. Please remove all valuables from your car.

Arboretum Members receive free parking. Become a Member today!

Parking fees can be paid via credit card at the parking meters or through the ParkHouston app, available for Apple or Android devices. There are two parking meters at each parking loop.

All revenue from parking fees goes directly back to the Arboretum to continue to restore much needed native habitat and provide nature education experiences for Houstonians and out-of-town visitors alike. The Arboretum does not receive tax money for maintenance and operations, so these funds will help keep the Nature Center and trails free and open to the public daily.

Parking is free for Arboretum Members and free for all visitors on Thursdays. To become a Member, please visit our Membership page.

If you are a new Member, your code can be found at the bottom of your Membership receipt email in the highlighted area.

To use your code on the Parking Meter:

  • Press any button to start
  • Follow the “Pay by Plate Enter License Plate” prompt and press OK
  • Once you have entered your license plate, press 1 for Coupon Code
  • Enter your Member parking code and press OK

 

To use your code in the ParkHouston or ParkMobile app:

  • Open the ParkHouston or ParkMobile App
  • Select the correct parking zone (610 is 3410, Woodway is 3411)
  • Add your vehicle and click “Proceed To Checkout”
  • You will be required to add a Payment Method, but you will not be charged
  • Under Price, click “Add Promo Code” and enter your Member parking code
  • Once you see a zeroed out Price section, click “Start Parking”
  • You will need to start a parking session each time you visit, however the App will remember your parking code so you only need to enter it once per year.

 

In addition to your parking code, you also have access to a printable Parking Pass that can be placed on your dash when you visit the Arboretum.

Please follow these directions to find your Parking Pass:

  • Open your Membership receipt email
  • Click on the “Membership Welcome Letter and Card” link
  • Once the link opens in your browser, download the Membership Welcome Letter and Card
  • The second page of the PDF will include your printable Parking Pass which should be placed on your dash for free parking when you visit the Arboretum

No – per City of Houston policy, all individuals with a disabled parking placard or license plate must pay for parking while parking in a metered parking lot.

For assistance with the parking meters or ParkHouston app, please call 713-840-7275.

For questions regarding parking fines and fees, please call Parking Revenue Recovery Services, Inc. at 877-302-7275.

Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Trail Map

If you’re looking for something fun to do on our trails, try out a Habitat Hike.

View Trail Map

Visitor Policies

We ask you to observe the following rules for the protection and safety of all plants, wildlife, and visitors:

  1. All plants (their leaves, flowers, cones) and all animals (including turtles and snakes) found at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center are protected. Collection and removal are not allowed.
  2. Trails are designed for hiking only. Jogging, biking, skateboarding, horseback riding and other sport recreation activities are not allowed.
  3. Leave no trace. Littering hurts our wildlife and damages our landscape. Trashcans are located around the building for your convenience. Balloons and confetti pose huge threats to birds, turtles, and other wildlife, and both are strictly prohibited.
  4. There are no designated picnic areas at Houston Arboretum & Nature Center grounds. However, Memorial Park next door is equipped for such activity.
  5. The health of wildlife as well as your safety is jeopardized by feeding native animals. Please do not feed the animals.
  6. For your safety and to reduce environmental impact, stay on designated trails.
  7. Dogs are permitted only if they are controlled by a leash and restrained to trails during their visit. This is as much for the safety of the pet as for the protection of the wildlife. Potential hazards to dogs not controlled by a short leash include snake bites and contact with poison ivy. Please be aware that for safety and sanitation reasons, pets are not allowed in the Nature Playscape. All City of Houston Ordinances regarding dogs, including clean up of waste, must be followed. Pets should not be left in unattended vehicles.
  8. Increase your chances of seeing wildlife by refraining from making loud noises.
  9. For safety and greater enjoyment, we require that adult sponsors supervise visiting youth groups. At least one adult chaperone per 10 children is required.
  10. No weapons of any kind are permitted on the Arboretum grounds or in our buildings.

Pursuant to Section 30.07, Penal Code (trespass by a license holder with an openly carried handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a handgun that is carried openly.

Conforme a la sección 30.07 del código penal (traspasar por poseedor con licencia para portar arma de fuego abiertamente) personas con licencia bajo del sub-capitulo H, capitulo 411, codigo de gobierno (ley de portar de armas de fuego), no pueden entrar a esta propiedad portando abiertamente una pistola.


Upcoming Events

Educator Workshop

March 21 from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

All educators are welcome at our workshops – anyone who wants to learn fun, hands-on ways to teach children about science and nature.

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Eco-printing with Evergreen

March 21 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Let nature do the artistic work for you with eco-printing! Use plants to create cyanotypes and hammered botanical prints in this fun class.

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Upcoming Events

Support the Houston Arboretum

The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization which depends on donations to support nature education and conservation programs for Houstonians of all ages.

Donate today