Photos: The Inertia.
Editor’s Note: This feature is presented by our partners at Athletic Brewing.
Houston might be the last place you’d expect to find epic outdoor adventures, but don’t be fooled by its urban sprawl. The latest stop in Athletic Brewing’s “Great Urban Outdoors” series proves that the Bayou City has more to offer than just skyscrapers and traffic jams.
From killer running trails to surprisingly good urban fly fishing, Houston’s outdoor scene is thriving, and it’s all right there in the heart of the city.
Running the Urban Trails: More Than Just Concrete
When you think of Houston, images of endless highways and concrete jungles probably come to mind. But as local endurance runner Cal Neff will tell you, the city has its fair share of green spaces too.
“You have this beautiful park that’s basically akin to something like Central Park in New York. It’s a huge area, and you can get off the concrete,” Cal said, as he geared up for a morning run through his go-to spots at Memorial Park.
With a five-kilometer loop, inner loops, and single-track trails, the park is a haven for runners looking to escape the city’s hustle. And it’s not just the scenery that keeps Cal pounding the pavement — there’s a tight-knit running community that’s hard to beat. “It’s a place where you can escape, and there’s also just a great running community here,” he says.
Houston’s flat terrain might not offer the mountainous challenges of other regions, but Cal has adapted his training to the local landscape. “I had to pivot some of my focus — more like flat, fast road marathons and even road ultras just because that’s what I can prepare for best here,” he explained.
And while the city’s notorious humidity might seem like a disadvantage, Cal sees it as a secret weapon. “Humidity beats altitude training for sure,” he quipped, revealing the unique edge that Houston’s climate offers.
Urban Fly Fishing: Houston’s Best-Kept Secret
Once you’ve tackled the trails, it’s time to switch gears. Houston’s waterways — often overlooked and under-appreciated — are a goldmine for urban fly fishing. Rob McConnell, an urban fly fishing enthusiast and author, knows this all too well.
“There are thousands of miles of waterways in and around the Houston area,” Rob said. “You drive over them every day, think nothing of them, but lo and behold, there’s fish in them, and there’s a lot of them actually.”
Urban fishing in Houston isn’t just about the catch; it’s about the adventure. “When you pass the line into an urban waterway, you don’t know what kind of fish you’re gonna get. It’s like a polyculture,” Rob explained. Whether you’re pulling out a bass, catfish, or something else entirely, each cast is a surprise.
What makes Houston’s urban fishing scene so unique is its accessibility. “This is something that you can do after work. You just walk out and fish the forgotten ditch that’s behind your house,” Rob enthused. It might not be a world-renowned fly fishing destination, but as Rob put it, “Fun is what you make it!”
The Unexpected Adventure in Houston’s Backyard
Athletic Brewing’s “Great Urban Outdoors” series is all about finding adventure in unexpected places, and Houston delivers. From its underrated running trails to its surprisingly fruitful waterways, the city offers plenty of opportunities to get outside and explore.
As Cal and Rob have shown, you don’t need to leave the city to find your next outdoor mission — Houston’s urban wilderness is ready and waiting. So grab your gear, lace up your shoes, and see for yourself why the Bayou City might just be your next favorite place to get outside.
