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Recreation In Addicks and Barker

Park Facilities & Activities Offered

If our visitors are looking for a more developed recreation facility, Bear Creek Park, located in Addicks Reservoir and operated by Harris County Precinct 3, is the place to go. It is a complex, heavily wooded park blessed with a wealth of recreational facilities such as a 54-hole golf course, tennis courts, soccer, rugby, ball fields and picnicking areas. Also located in Bear Creek Park is the Houston Farm and Ranch Club center, the Texas A&M Agricultural Extension center and the Bear Creek Community center. Park office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for holidays.

Harris County Precinct 3 also operates and maintains the George Bush Park located in Barker Reservoir. Other developed facilities located in Barker Reservoir include the American Shooting Range, a model airport, soccer and baseball fields, horse riding trails, and the Millie Bush Bark Park for doggies. For more information about Bear Creek Park or the George Bush Park, call (281-496-2177) or write to Harris County Precinct 3, Bear Creek Park, 15115 Clay Road, Houston, TX  77084.

Federal Recreation Fees

In January 2007, a new federal Fee Demonstration Program called “America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass” replaced the Golden Eagle passport and the two lifetime passes, the Golden Eagle, Golden Age and the Golden Access Passports as well as the National Parks Pass. The passes cover recreation opportunities on public lands managed by four Departments of the Interior agencies – the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation and by the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service. All participating agencies sell the  "America the Beautiful” recreation passes at sites that charge entrance and standard amenity fees. Existing passes will remain valid until expired, lost or stolen.

What are the passes for the “American the Beautiful” program? The program has four different passes in the interagency program:

  • An annual interagency pass costing $80--For visitors to multiple federal sites, the pass offers unlimited coverage of entrance and standard amenity recreation fees for a specific period of time, typically a year, beginning from the date of first use;
  • A $10 lifetime senior pass for U.S. citizens 62 or over;
  • A free lifetime access pass for citizens with permanent disabilities; and
  • A free annual volunteer pass for volunteers acquiring 500 hours of service on a cumulative basis

For more information, please contact the DOI’s U.S. Geological Survey at 1-888-275-8747 (option 1). The annual pass are available for sale through the USGS store and through the government’s federal lands recreation web portal (www.recreation.gov).

Community Outreach

The Addicks Project Office supports the Greater Houston/Galveston community in many ways. This includes, but is not limited to the following types of activities:

  • Public events
  • Speaker requests
  • Partnering programs and projects

To learn more about these activities visit the Addicks Project Office or call (409) 621- 6990 and ask for the outreach coordinator.

Feral Hog Management Program

Public Reminders

Public Reminders

Addicks and Barker Reservoirs are governed by federal law (Title 36, CHAPTER III, PART 327). These are rules and regulations that govern public use of water resource development projects administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chief of Engineers. The following rules cited below are partial, but specifically apply to users of this project (Addicks and Barker Reservoirs). A brochure containing the complete list of rules and regulations may be obtained from the Addicks Project Office (281-497-0740).

  • The operation of any vehicle off established roadways is prohibited.
  • Hunting is prohibited unless authorized by District Commander.
  • Trapping is prohibited unless under special permit issued by the Addicks Field Office.
  • Fishing is authorized throughout the project except in restricted areas such as active construction sides or immediately adjacent to the upstream water control structures.
  • Possession of loaded firearms, ammunition, projectile firing devices, bows and arrows, and explosives of any kind is prohibited unless authorized by District Commander.
  • Disposal (garbage, trash, rubbish, litter or waste material) is prohibited.
  • Destruction, injury, defacement, or removal of public property, including natural features, historical, and archeological features, and vegetation is prohibited.
  • Camping is prohibited.
  • Fires are permitted, only if they are situated in developed campsite or picnic site areas and must be confined to grills and fireplaces.

A complete list of rules is available at the Addicks Field Office, 409-621-6990.