Willow Waterhole Greenway provides an urban getaway for individuals, families, and groups wanting to observe and conserve the park's unique environment and wildlife, help expand and maintain its amenities, and participate in educational activities and events.

Six Lakes at the Greenway

The six Willow Waterhole Greenway lakes provide flood control, wildlife habitats, opportunities for education, recreation, and conservation, and unexpected beauty in the middle of Houston.

Scout Lake
Scout Lake, the smallest of the compartments at 10 acres, is south of and adjacent to The Gathering Place on S. Willow Dr. It was excavated in 2003. During high water, it drains stormwater from the bayou via one of the basin’s two concrete weirs. The water then flows into Triangle Lake and spreads out into the rest of the basin. To view the weir, you can take the short Bayou Trail from the parking lot of The Gathering Place that leads to the bayou.

Willow Lake
Willow Lake, excavated in 2006, is 57 acres and has several overlooks with benches and picnic tables. It is enclosed by S. Willow Dr., Ricecrest St., Gasmer Dr., and S. Post Oak Rd.

Scout Lake’s weir and culvert are easily seen from the Bayou Trail.

Access to Prairie Lake is restricted to protect an endangered flower.

Triangle Lake
Triangle Lake, completed in 2011, was named for its location at the intersection of S. Willow Dr. and Gasmer Dr. Near this 23-acre lake is the Native Prairie Garden and one of the park’s two ancient live oak trees. The Arboretum Trail and Birding Center are situated east of the lake.

Westbury Lake
Westbury Lake is the largest lake, at 109 acres. It is south of Gasmer St. and southeast of Westbury High School. Completed in 2013, this lake is the one most familiar to the public because of the many events that take place at the Bob Schwartz Gazebo. The walkway around the gazebo provides a dramatic panoramic view of the lake, two small islands, and footbridges that dissect the lake. The Naturescape Garden, with its carved tree trunks, is next to the parking lot and overlooks the lake. A walking trail and a cross-country racing trail circle the lake. Three large butterfly sculptures, “Flowers for a Lady,” were installed in 2013. Sculptor Rosalinda Toro created the art to honor Kathleen Tinsley Ownby for her support and patronage of art installations, particularly in schools, throughout Houston.

An 8-foot-wide pier installed in early 2023 juts off the north side of the lake and near the Dryad St. parking lot. The pier extends 46 feet into the lake, makes a 90-degree turn, and then extends another 32 feet. It is ADA-compliant and is enclosed by a custom safety railing. The pier will soon be accessible by an ADA-compliant concrete trail leading from the top of the hill down to the water’s edge.

Triangle Lake offers a tranquil backdrop for small gatherings.

Prairie Lake
Prairie Lake, completed in 2015, is the only compartment east of S. Post Oak Rd. Gasmer Dr. dead-ends at its southeast edge and provides a broad view of the 73-acre lake and surrounding native prairie preserve. The lake edge is home to the endangered native Texas prairie dawn flower (Hymenoxys texana). The Harris County Flood Control District has preserved 15 acres around the lake as a Prairie Management Area, which is home to more than 300 coastal prairie species of plant life, 244 of which are native. Access to the area is currently restricted, but eventually, the lake’s perimeter will have trails, benches, a footbridge, viewing areas with picnic tables, and an outdoor classroom.

Heron Lake
Heron Lake, completed in 2019, is located adjacent to and just northeast of The Gathering Place on S. Willow Dr. The 18-acre lake is connected to Willow Waterhole Bayou by the basin’s second weir, which sends floodwater into Willow Lake and the rest of the basin. Heron Lake was renamed from Dog Lake in 2022 in recognition of the popularity of birding at the Greenway.

Wildlife

The six ponds and connecting greenspaces offer an inviting year-round habitat for native plants and animals and a stopover site for migrating birds. With careful planning and consultation, the no-mow areas, wetland and native plantings, and reforested pond banks have been used to replicate the area’s native coastal prairieland and upland plateaus.

The park is sliced into two sections—east and west—by S. Post Oak Rd. It provides a safe habitat for many species of plants and animals, including the endangered native Texas prairie dawn flower (Hymenoxys texana), from the sunflower family. This tiny yellow flower is protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Harris County Flood Control District, which is restoring and conserving the flower’s coastal prairie ecosystem.

Egrets are year-round visitors to the lakes.

TRAILS

Walking and biking trails, a hilly cross-country trail, and a future ADA-compliant trail wind through the Greenway, linking the ponds and habitats. The year 2023 saw many new trails installed and paved around the lakes. They provide visitors a peaceful getaway within easy walking or driving distance from the Westbury, Meyerland, Bellaire, Braes Oaks, Fondren, Robindell, and Braeburn-area neighborhoods. Plans are under way to connect the trails to the Brays Bayou bike path.

Activities and Events

The trails, pond overlooks, gazebo, and picnic areas offer park goers unexpected retreats and occasions to connect with nature. The coastal prairie habitats, flora, and fauna provide community organizations opportunities for educational and community service activities. The park regularly hosts family-friendly concerts and events, including October’s one-day free MusicFEST combined with Halloween's Trunk or Treat, multiple cross-county races, monthly bird surveys, Scout and other group projects, and conservation workdays.

Trails ringing the six lakes are popular for exercising, training, and enjoying the scenery. Trails are currently being upgraded and added around all the lakes.