With summer soon approaching, now is the time to start looking for your summertime getaway! Texas A&M University is surrounded by a collection of local parks, lakes, and other hidden gems to amuse your inner adventurer!

If you’re still searching for your own outdoor adventure, all you have to do is look around to see the opportunities near you!

Aggie Park – On Campus

Behind the Association of Former Students and across the street from Kyle Field lies Aggie Park! With beautiful winding walkways, tons of open space for recreation, and plenty of seats for you and your friends, Aggie Park is the perfect place to spend some time outdoors while remaining close to home. 

Perhaps its best feature is the man-made lake filled with fish for your fishing pleasure! You can stand on the shore or on the bridge to fish one of the 500 Largemouth Bass that populate the lake! Aggie Park also makes a fantastic backdrop to capture your favorite moments in Aggieland!

Lake Bryan – 24 minutes from campus

Northwest of Texas A&M University is Lake Bryan, which spans across 800 acres of water and features depths up to 45 feet. Lake Bryan is open 365 days a year, making it the perfect location for recreation! Entrance fees are incredibly affordable at only $5/per car a day or $75 for the entire year! 

Lake Bryan features different camping amenities, including primitive (tent) camping and RV camping, including electric-only and water-and-electric options! In addition, there are multiple biking and hiking trails available to visitors! And of course, there are plenty of fishing spots around the lake!

Lastly, Lake Bryan is home to Cadillac Ranch, a veteran-owned restaurant where visitors can enjoy great food, live music, and outdoor games without leaving the lake.

Lake Somerville – 49 minutes from campus

Travel southwest of campus and you’ll find Lake Somerville, which features up to 40 miles of trailway! At Lake Somerville, camping, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, birding, and geocaching are readily available! 

Fishing is also very popular here; the 11,000 acres of water are home to plenty of species of fish including hybrid, largemouth, and white bass; crappie; and catfish. Best of all, you do not need a fishing license to fish from the shore!

Entrance fees for Lake Somerville are $5/day for adults and free for children 12 years and under.

Lake Walk – 14 minutes from campus

West of campus is Lake Walk, a 350-acre district complete with parks, ponds, trails, and an observation tower from which you can see beautiful Brazos Valley sunsets! Best of all, Lake Walk features restaurants, a coffee shop, and dozens of events throughout the year!”

Sam Houston National Forest – 1 hour 3 minutes from campus

About an hour to the east of Texas A&M is Sam Houston National Forest. This gargantuan forest is one of four national forests in Texas, and it spans three counties and over 160,000 acres!

One of the great features of Sam Houston is its Lone Star Hiking Trail, which traverses the forest for nearly 130 miles! From the trail, three developed campground areas are available: Cagle, Double Lake, and Stubblefield. Also in the forest are two lakes, the 22,000 acre Lake Conroe and 82,600 acre Lake Livingston, from which you can go boating and fishing year-round!

With spectacular outdoor recreation spots an hour away or less, you can embark on your own private adventure right here in the local area! Texas A&M Rec Sports’ very own Outdoor Adventures program gives everyone the opportunity to rent tons of outdoor gear for kayaking, hiking, camping, and more! From canoes to yard games and more in between, Outdoor Adventures has the gear you need to get out and get exploring!