Fishing, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, birding, hiking – whatever your outdoor passion, you can pursue it here. We’re between Houston and Austin.

Four units make up Lake Somerville State Park. Birch Creek Unit is on the north side of the lake, while Nails Creek Unit is on the southwest side. The 13-mile Lake Somerville Trailway connects the two units. Somerville Public Hunting Land is nearby, also on the lake.



Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway

The primary activities at the lake unit are fishing and wildlife observation. Sheldon Lake is open every day to public fishing with appropriate licenses. Boats must not exceed headway speed while operating on the lake; they may be launched at the south boat ramp on Pineland Road. Bank fishing is permitted year-round.

Activities at the State Park and Environmental Learning Center include group programming, birding, wildlife/nature study, hiking, and fishing for children. The park (open daily) includes a 0.5-mile self-guided nature trail that passes 28 naturalized ponds that contain alligators and other wildlife. (Binoculars are recommended for best viewing.) Free catch-and-release family fishing is permitted for children accompanied by adults, in the two fishing ponds. Alternative energy technologies and green building techniques (photovoltaic, solar hot water, wind turbine and ground coupled-geothermal) are demonstrated at the Pond Center. A wildscape demonstration garden shows techniques for using native plants and wildflowers to attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife to your backyard.

State Parks Tagged With: State Park Other