Secure Your Spot! The Park Ball-Gala in the Glades 2026

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Clay Family Eastern Glades

Clay Family Eastern Glades

What To See
Maps & Parking
Reserve a Pavilion

Spanning 100 acres of open space, Clay Family Eastern Glades features a 5 ½-acre lake, extensive trails and boardwalks, and picturesque picnic spots.

Hines Lake and surrounding wetlands are abundant with wildlife, providing a thriving environment for a variety of species. The waters are teeming with bullfrogs and turtles, while the air is alive with the songs of birds.

Explore 2.5 miles of scenic boardwalks, accessible walking trails, and wetland paths, allowing visitors to discover and learn about natural habitats.

A Memorial Park Master Plan and Ten-Year Plan Project

ABOUT THE PROJECT

What To See

Hines Lake is a scenic gem within the Clay Family Eastern Glades, serving as a home for local wildlife, while playing a crucial role in managing stormwater runoff into Buffalo Bayou. Visitors can wander along the winding boardwalks and piers that encircle the lake, immersed in the sights and sounds of this peaceful environment.

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For those seeking a moment of solitude or a romantic sunset, Bowden Terrace offers a perfect spot. Peer into the lake to see wildlife like turtles, ducks, frogs, and more!

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The generous 5.5-acre Central Lawn of zoysia grass creates a centralized place for people to gather in the Clay Family Eastern Glades Oval. This expansive, well-maintained area is a vibrant oasis for Park-goers of all ages.

Bordered by mature trees that provide shade and a sense of enclosure, smaller enclaves within the glades create intimate lawn areas perfect for a family picnic, talking with a friend, and many other activities.

Two wooden piers stretch out over Hines Lake, located on both the north and south sides of the lake. These piers are equipped with benches and offer fantastic viewpoints for watching wildlife and appreciating the vibrant native vegetation.

Please remember, fishing is not allowed at Hines Lake. Feeding, catching, and touching wildlife are also prohibited.

GLADES FAQ

Nestled under the sprawling branches of majestic live oak trees, Live Oak Court offers a delightful outdoor hangout experience. Picnic tables sit in the shade of the tree canopies and twinkle lights create a festive atmosphere in the evenings.

A regular rotation of food trucks and community events turns this spot into a lively hub of activity!

FOOD & DINING

The pavilions at Clay Family Eastern Glades provide a beautiful and convenient setting for gatherings of all kinds, from family reunions and birthday parties to corporate picnics and community events. You and your guests can relax and enjoy your time together surrounded by the natural beauty of the Park.

Pavilions are first-come first-served without a reservation.

BOOK A RESERVATION

The North Lakeside Pavilion is located near Live Oak Food Truck Court and north of Hines Lake. This pavilion offers a large, covered space for parties and gatherings. The North Lakeside Pavilion comes with a beautiful view of Hines Lake and a built-in fireplace with a grill for food preparation and electrical access. At this time, six picnic tables are available. Guests may bring additional tables and chairs.

The South Lakeside Pavilion, located south of Hines Lake, offers a covered space for parties and gatherings with a lakeside view. The South Lakeside Pavilion includes a fireplace with a built-in grill for food preparation and electrical access. At this time, five picnic tables are available. Guests may bring additional tables and chairs.

 

The Promenade Pavilion, located on the southern portion of the Oval Trail, is nestled between four Eastern Glades Picnic Pads. The Promenade Pavilion includes a fireplace with a built-in grill for food preparation and electrical access. At this time, there are four picnic tables available for use. Guests may bring additional tables and chairs.

Blossom Plaza serves as the inviting entrance to Clay Family Eastern Glades. Flanked by pillars that honor the main access road from Camp Logan, this entryway acts as the threshold to a stunning green space.

There are 2.5 miles of trails and paths available to walkers in the Clay Family Eastern Glades division of the park. All trails are accessible. Bikes are not allowed on these trails.

VIEW MAP
Oval Promenade

This trail leads users on a scenic loop through Clay Family Eastern Glades, encircling Central Lawn and offering picturesque views of Hines Lake.

Length: 0.45 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Pedestrian Only

GRAVEL PATH

Hines Lake Trail

Surrounding Hines Lake, this trail and boardwalk run alongside the water’s edge, providing intimate views of the natural
flora and fauna that inhabit the area. It grants access to both the northern and southern piers. 

Length: 0.44 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Pedestrian Only

GRAVEL PATH

WOODEN BOARDWALK

Wetland Boardwalk

A hidden boardwalk that leads you through a native wetland and upland forests nestled in the heart of Memorial Park. 

Length: 0.19 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Pedestrian Only

WOODEN BOARDWALK

Learn more about Memorial Park’s past, present & future

FOUNDING OF
THE PARK

THE TEN-YEAR &
MASTER PLAN

More Information

THE MASTER & TEN-YEAR PLAN

The first major project of the Memorial Park Master Plan, Clay Family Eastern Glades reclaimed 100 acres of largely inaccessible parkland. This project significantly expanded picnicking, meeting a growing demand by families wishing to enjoy the Park; added new parking and restrooms; extended the Seymour Lieberman Trail to a full 3-mile loop; established a 5-acre lake and wetlands; provided trails, boardwalks and opportunities to experience and learn about natural habitat systems; and honored the Park’s military history. Located north of Memorial Drive between Memorial Park Golf Course and Crestwood Drive, the completed Eastern Glades opened to the public in July 2020.

The Memorial Park Master Plan is a visionary plan for the future of Houston’s largest urban wilderness and recreation park. The Master Plan focuses on: restoring the Park’s ecological systems and creating greater resiliency; reconnecting the Park’s land, waterways, trails, and people; consolidating compatible uses together in appropriate areas; tending to the land and the Park’s cultural history, maintaining balance through responsible management; and enhancing the overall Park experience and amenities. It includes capital improvements, long-term conservation, and an operations and maintenance plan for the Park.

The Ten-Year Plan enables the design and construction of significant components of the Memorial Park Master Plan and was made possible by a catalyst gift from Kinder Foundation, which leveraged public funding through the Uptown Development Authority and by the generosity of other donors. Execution of the Ten-Year Plan is overseen by the Memorial Park Standards Committee, a partnership comprised of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Memorial Park Conservancy, Kinder Foundation, and Uptown Development Authority.

EXPLORE THE MASTER PLAN

Paid parking, restrooms, and hydration stations are located at multiple locations in the Clay Family Eastern Glades.

MAPS & PARKING

The Clay Family Eastern Glades is wheelchair accessible. Strollers and on-leash dogs are permitted. Bikes, scooters and skateboards are prohibited. Bicycles are not allowed on the Eastern Glades trails.

Fishing, boating, swimming, or entry of any kind into Park water features and Hines Lake are prohibited. This applies to dogs as well. We enforce this rule to help protect the Park’s natural habitats and not disturb wildlife. Feeding or touching wildlife is also prohibited.

Please be aware: The parking lots at the Running Complex and Picnic Loop will close each night at 9:00 p.m. and will reopen the following morning at 4:30 a.m.


The automatic gates allow free exit, meaning that any park user still in the lot after closing time can leave once the lot is closed.

The western portion of Outer Loop Trail will remain closed until 2027 for the construction of Memorial Groves.

Interactive Park Map

Visit the Memorial Park map to explore all the Park has to offer: trails, recreation facilities, historic sites, and more!

GO TO MAP
Park Calendar

Visit the calendar to see our upcoming events and plan your next visit!

VIEW CALENDAR
General Guidelines
Help keep the park WILD & beautiful for everyone to enjoy.
Use the Park at your own risk.

Please obey all posted signs and check trail status regularly.

Please only use designated trails or greenspaces.

Please do not disturb wild flowers and natural elements.

Do not touch, feed, or scare wildlife.

For information on events and permitting, please visit our Events and Permitting FAQ.

EVENTS & PERMITTING FAQ

For more information on parking at Memorial Park, please visit our dedicated Parking FAQ.

PARKING FAQ

To ensure the health of the Park ecology and the safety of other Park users, the following activities are prohibited:

  • Balloon arches, balloons, and balloon fragments—more so than other trash materials—end up in the natural areas of the park and make their way to our waterways, including Hines Lake, the park streams, Buffalo Bayou, and ultimately Galveston Bay. Balloons are not allowed in Memorial Park due to the threat they pose to wildlife.
  • Slack lines or tethering items to a tree
  • Use of equipment that causes any harm to the Park, such a tire-dragging
  • Water activities such as dunking booths or ‘slip and slides’, water balloons, petting zoos or non-domestic animals, moonwalks or other inflatables
  • Candles, rice, confetti, flower petals, plastic eggs, smoke/fog machines, silly string, birdseed, potpourri, glitter, or any substance of that nature
  • Attaching anything to the exterior or interior of any Park property which will cause permanent changes or alterations
  • Tape, nails, or staples on anything within the Park, including trees
  • Generators are prohibited without a special use permit and are approved on a case-by-case only basis.
  • Glass is prohibited

 

Contact us for more information.

Contact Us

We encourage biking in many areas of the Park, except on the Seymour Lieberman Trail and Cullen Timing Track. Motorized bikes and e-bikes are not permitted.

Bike racks are located at the Cullen Running Trails Center, the Tennis Center, and Clay Family Eastern Glades.

Yes! We love furry animals of all kinds. Please keep in mind, per the City of Houston ordinance, dogs must remain on a leash at all times. Dogs are not allowed on the Roy H. Cullen Timing Track.

Yes, strollers are allowed throughout all areas of Memorial Park.

Most areas of Memorial Park are fully accessible in accordance with ADA standards. However, rugged and natural terrain in Bayou Wilds trails may present greater challenges to accessibility.

Yes, there are a number of accessible parking spaces throughout Memorial Park. Designated disabled spots are free with valid plates or placards. Vehicles with valid credentials may park free for the time limit posted at the meter zone.

Vehicles with valid Disabled Veterans Plates may also park for free during the time limit posted, so long as the license plate is visible, and they are not violating ADA parking rules.

There is limited WiFi access at the Park. Trails and greenspaces do not have accessible WiFi. WiFi is available in the Visitor’s Center and for patrons at dining establishments including Vibrant and Becks Prime.

Memorial Park Conservancy is pleased to have a variety of dining options available at the Park.

Dining Options

Visitors are also encouraged to bring their own snacks or picnic items to enjoy.

Visit Our Map

Yes! We love when park users capture their favorite spaces at Memorial Park. If you would like to share your photos or videos on social media, feel free to tag us @memorialparkconservancy.

While professional photography is allowed at Memorial Park, it does require a permit. Please visit our Events and Permitting webpage for more information.

PERMITS

Yes! Memorial Park has an abundance of picnic-perfect locations, from Picnic Loop to Clay Family Eastern Glades. Visit our map to help plan your next picnic!

Visit Our Map

Memorial Park Conservancy offers a membership program that allows park users to get involved and give back to their favorite greenspace! Check out our Friends of Memorial Park webpage to learn more about this great program.

Both free and paid parking is available throughout the Park.

Parking Info

Items found in Memorial Park can be turned in to the Memorial Park Conservancy front desk located in the Cullen Running Trails Center: 7575 North Picnic Lane, Houston, TX 77007

 

Please visit Cullen Running Trails Center during operating hours or call the front desk at 713.863.8403 x0 to inquire about lost items.

 

There is an additional lost and found at the Memorial Park Golf Course Pro Shop and at the Memorial Park Tennis Center. The Golf Course can be reached at 832.968.7486.

 

The ‘Lost and Found’ board located along the Seymour Lieberman Trail is not managed or monitored by Memorial Park Conservancy.

The sale and/or marketing of goods and services is not permitted.

 

Vending or commercial sales of any sort, including recreational offerings, are prohibited without a permit.

Permitting Info

Exhibiting or performing to derive revenue is not permitted.

For information about becoming a sanctioned Memorial Park Food Truck, please contact us below.

All Group Fitness vendors must be permitted through Memorial Park Conservancy. Permits are granted through an application process.

For information contact us.

Contact Us

For disposal of items during your visit, recycle bins are available throughout the Park at the Cullen Running Trails Center, Clay Family Eastern Glades, Kinder Land Bridge, and Cyvia & Melvyn Wolff Prairie. We can accept plastic bottles and containers, paper, glass, steel, aluminum, and tin cans.

To keep the Eastern Glades and Land Bridge lawns healthy, Memorial Park Conservancy does not allow organized recreational activities such as soccer or volleyball games. Sports nets of any kind are not allowed on the lawns. The use of stakes is also prohibited. Please visit the Houston Parks and Recreation Department website for more information on permitting the multi-purpose and soccer fields.

Memorial Park is home to many wild animals, including coyotes and venomous snakes. Please respect the natural habitat of these animals. Always stay on marked trails, do not walk through tall grasses and watch where you step. Please keep your pets on a leash and dispose of litter properly.

To preserve the natural habitat at Hines Lake, all activities including fishing, swimming, and boating are prohibited. Feeding, trapping, and touching wildlife are also prohibited.

Feeding wildlife is prohibited throughout the Park as it can be dangerous for both the animals and for humans.

Use the Park at your own risk.

Restrooms in the Park are available to the general public.

All visitors must avoid negatively impacting the Park or other park users in any way.

Park users must comply with directions from Park personnel. Please obey all posted rules and signs.

Parking is for park users only. Do not leave valuables unattended in your vehicle. Vehicles are prohibited off roadways and beyond parking areas. No parking on grass or unpaved areas. Improperly parked vehicles may be ticketed or towed.

The sensitive nature of the Park’s ecology may require closures from time to time. Use of closed areas of the Park or trail system may be considered criminal trespass or potential destruction of city property.

  • Distribution or sale of alcoholic beverages are prohibited, unless otherwise permitted.
  • Littering and dumping are prohibited.
  • Smoking and vaping are prohibited.
  • Balloons are not allowed in Memorial Park due to the threat they pose to wildlife.
  • Candles, rice, confetti, flower petals, smoke/fog machines, silly string, birdseed, potpourri, glitter, or any substance of that nature are prohibited.
  • For the comfort of other Park users, generators are not allowed.
  • Trees, plants, and fauna shall not be disturbed or installed.
  • Feeding or touching wildlife is prohibited.
  • Scooters, skateboards, and motor vehicles of any kind are prohibited on natural surface (hike and bike) trails, the Roy H. Cullen Timing Track, and the Seymour Lieberman Trail.
  • Staking items into the ground is not allowed at Memorial Park. Tents, hammocks, and umbrellas may be used, but must be on stands only. Attaching tape, nails, or stakes to anything within the Park, including trees, is prohibited.

To ensure the health of the Park ecology and the safety of other Park users, the following activities are prohibited:

Hunting or use of firearms, and unlicensed guns are not allowed in the Park.

Fishing, swimming, or watercrafts of any kind are not allowed at Hines Lake.

No gambling of any kind.

Use of equipment that causes any harm to the Park, such a tire-dragging.

Water activities such as dunking booths or ‘slip and slides’, water balloons, petting zoos or non-domestic animals, moonwalks or other inflatables.

No attaching anything to the exterior or interior of any Park property including trees—this includes tape, nails, staples, rope, or wires which can cause permanent changes or alterations.

The Seymour Lieberman Trail is pedestrian only. NO BIKES.

 

When using the Park’s trail systems, stay on designated trails. Shortcutting the trail and bypassing muddy areas destroys vegetation, leads to erosion, reduces habitat quality, and causes unsightly damage. Remain respectful and courteous of other users.

Pets must remain on leash at all times. Owners must pick up after their pets.

Fires must be contained in grills. Grills are available for use on-site, and personal charcoal grills are allowed (unless a burn ban is in effect). Fires may only be built for the purpose of food preparation and must be contained in grill. Use of propane requires a permit from the fire marshal.

 

Personal grills are allowed for use at Picnic Loop and Vale-Asche Playground only. If not reserved, on-site grills are available for use on a first-come, first-served basis. On-site grills are available at Picnic Loop and Clay Family Eastern Glades Picnic Pads and Pavilions. Personal grills are not allowed at Clay Family Eastern Glades.

Be respectful of other Park users and nearby residents by keeping noise levels to a minimum. Users must adhere to the City of Houston noise ordinance. Amplified sound requires a permit. Memorial Park Conservancy staff are authorized to lower amplified sound if deemed too loud.

Vending and commercial activities, including professional photography, requires a permit.

 

Photography or film props exceeding hand-held size or lighting amendments are prohibited. Film and professional and/or commercial photography requires a Film and Photography Permit issued by Memorial Park Conservancy.

Permitting Info

Marketing and advertising are prohibited without explicit permission from Memorial Park Conservancy.

 

Drone/aerial craft operation and aerial photography is prohibited without explicit permission from Memorial Park Conservancy.

 

The following items are prohibited without prior approval from the Memorial Park Conservancy:

 

  • Propane
  • Amplified sound and equipment
  • Distribution of food and alcohol

 

Please note that proof of permit, insurance, a fee, and/or a deposit may be required at least 10 business days prior to the event.

 

Any structures exceeding 800 square feet, portable stage, portable toilets, and any event exceeding 250 guests requires advance proof of insurance and permitting to Memorial Park Conservancy. On-site cooking or service from a commercial vendor requires advance proof of health certificate.

 

Certain areas of the Park are available for private rental. Groups or gatherings of 30 or more requires a permit. See Reservations to learn more and make a reservation.

Reservations

Events that practice discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, gender, national origin, age, or condition of handicap are not permitted. Memorial Park Conservancy reserves the right to deny any event, activity or equipment in its sole and absolute discretion.

To help preserve the health of the lawn areas, the following are NOT permitted:

  • Volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, or other sports nets/goals
  • Organized events, sport games, or practices
  • Cleated shoes
  • Golfing/chipping 
  • Staking, drilling, or hammering into the ground
  • Bicycles and skateboards must be walked on grass

The use of drones is not allowed in any part of Memorial Park, unless explicitly authorized by the Memorial Park Conservancy.

Crawfish boils are not allowed in Memorial Park.

Memorial Park strictly adheres to the City of Houston Smoking Ordinance and is smoke-free.

All Group Fitness vendors must be permitted through Memorial Park Conservancy. Permits are granted through an application process.

 

For information contact us.

Contact Us

Plan Your Visit To The Park

THINGS TO DO

PLACES TO SEE

Maps & Parking

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Secure Your Spot! The Park Ball-Gala in the Glades 2026