Nestled into the southwestern arm of Kinder Land Bridge and Cyvia & Melvyn Wolff Prairie, the Running Complex is a major hub and access point complete with a state-of-the-art timing track, visitor center, and café.
With a range of amenities such as the 400-meter Roy H. Cullen Timing Track, viewing decks, an Event Plaza and Terrace, gathering areas, trails, and more, the Running Complex is thoughtfully designed to be a central meeting place for all Park visitors while also providing an entrance to explore the Bayou Wilds trails of Memorial Park.
A Memorial Park Master Plan Project.
What To See
ROY H. CULLEN TIMING TRACK
The 400-meter Roy H. Cullen Timing Track features five lanes for runners and walkers. A series of stretching decks along the eastern side of the track create an inviting spot for visitors to enjoy. To ensure that the Cullen Timing Track can be enjoyed by everyone, the Park prioritizes free public access, with the possibility for reservations only available during off-peak hours.
CULLEN RUNNING TRAILS CENTER
The Cullen Running Trails Center acts as the Visitor Center for Memorial Park, operating seven days a week. It provides a variety of refreshments, beverages, and Memorial Park Conservancy branded merchandise.
Guests can also access public restrooms and showers, with a small fee for shower usage. If you’re interested in free shower access, consider becoming a member of the Friends of Memorial Park!
Additionally, the Running Trails Center functions as a key office and meeting space for Memorial Park Conservancy staff. Click below to find out more about the center’s operating hours.
EVENT PLAZA & TERRACE
The Event Plaza & Terrace is a new jewel box event space located behind the Cullen Running Trails Center. Beautiful, salted concrete features an etching of Buffalo Bayou, which forms Memorial Park’s south border.
Seat walls and whispering shade trees form a venue perfect for weddings, corporate events, or luncheons. The Memorial Park Conservancy also hosts programs at the Event Plaza.
Contact us to inquire about hosting your private event at the Event Plaza and Terrace.
VIBRANT CAFÉ
Operating hours vary depending on the season.
Vibrant is the latest addition to the dining line up at Memorial Park. The café’s menu is all made in-house from scratch with optimally nutritious, local, regenerative and organic ingredients. Patrons can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings complemented by a full-service organic coffee program, freshly made pastries and bread, natural wines and specialty retail products.
Dining is available both inside and outside on their seated patio or grab your refreshments to-go and find your favorite spot in the Park to enjoy.
BAYOU WILDS
Located in the southwest section of Memorial Park, Bayou Wilds offers more than 8 miles of natural surface trails for running, hiking, and biking.
LIVING BRIDGE
Providing a stunning vista of Kinder Land Bridge and elevating users above Memorial Drive, the Living Bridge not only connects two parts of the Park but also celebrates the harmony between nature and urban life, making it a cherished destination for both locals and visitors alike.
Rally Pavilion
Rally Pavilion
The Rally Pavilion, located in the southwest side of the Park, is nestled between the Cullen Timing Track and the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Prairie. The Rally Pavilion has electrical access, and is very accessible with an adjacent parking lot and restrooms conveniently located nearby. At this time, eight picnic table are available for use. Guests may bring their own tables and chairs.
Maximum Capacity: 75 persons
Electrical Access: Yes
Grill: No
Learn more about Memorial Park’s past, present & future
More Information
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Memorial Park’s Running Complex is a major programmatic hub and access point on the south side of the Park, located in the southwestern arm of Kinder Land Bridge and Cyvia & Melvyn Wolff Prairie. The project, which opened in November 2023, is designed to be a central gathering spot for all types of Park users, while serving as a new gateway to enjoy the Bayou Wilds trails of Memorial Park.
The project includes the Roy H. Cullen Timing Track, a 400-meter, five-lane track nestled among nature, open seven days a week; an Event Plaza, which will be available to rent for both personal and corporate gatherings in the future; and an onsite café that opened in April 2024, offering an assortment of healthy options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Running Complex complements the adjacent Cullen Running Trails Center, which opened in 2014 as the central hub for visitors to Memorial Park. Visitor Services is housed inside the Center, and it offers restrooms and showers for park users.
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 the Kinder Foundation, which leveraged 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.
RUNNING COMPLEX RULES
The track is for pedestrian use only. Dogs are not allowed on the track, and metal spikes are not permitted.
PARK UPDATES & ALERTS
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.
