Located north of Houston near FM 1960, Mercer Arboretum provides convenient parking and easy access to the river bank.  The last few feet down to the water present a bit of a challenge that we met by lining boats down a vegetated slope, then hiking down with the assistance of a safety rope. 

Welcome–We’ll be Your Hosts Today: Tom Douglas and Linda Shead		Descent to the River Photo by Tom Douglas		A Boat Would Work Better Here Photo by Tom Douglas
Photo by John Rich

A short distance downstream, we encountered the first of many small rapids and riffles.  There were clear signs of a bat colony at Treaschwig Road, where we lined our boats under the bridge to avoid rubble from an older bridge.  A little farther downstream, the creek is slowly but surely carving a shortcut across a sharp bend – the numerous small lakes located nearby testify to how this process has been going on for a long time.  At the mouth of Turkey Creek, we were reminded that stormwater doesn’t just go away, as this is where much of the runoff from Bush Intercontinental Airport enters Cypress Creek.  A little poking around at the sandbar where we had lunch revealed an isolated pond with many tadpoles, a tree branch that had been gnawed by beavers, and several large insect larvae attached to a piece of wood. We also discovered several unexpected connections among members of the group when we introduced ourselves.  One paddler recounted how she had spent many days riding her horse along the creek when she was a girl.  Later, we waved to several riders up on the equestrian trail that follows along the creek’s bank. 

Bat Colony at Treaschwig Road		Where Runoff from IAH Enters Cypress Creek		Insect Larvae Found During Our Lunch Stop
Photo by Tom Douglas		Photo by Tom Douglas		Photo by Tom Douglas

A small grove of cypress trees, the species for which the creek is named, came into view a little farther along.  As we paddled out onto Spring Creek, we saw a neatly excavated round hole in the vertical sand bank where a belted kingfisher had made its nest – just high enough up so that predators couldn’t reach it from below, and low enough down so that they couldn’t reach it from above, either.  Here, the transition from the deep and narrow valley of Cypress Creek into the wide valley of Spring Creek gave us an expanded view, but it also opened up more exposure to the wind.  Several sandbars later, we were glad to sight the canoe ramp at Jones Park.  Some of the wildlife that we saw during the trip included great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, Cooper’s hawk, red-tailed hawk, and broad banded water snake.  In addition to the long-established bat colony at Treaschwig Road, we also saw evidence that bats are beginning to set up housekeeping at the new Spring Creek Greenway Trail’s bridge. 

Broad Banded Water Snake		Small Grove of Cypress Trees		Nest of a Belted Kingfisher
Photo by Tom Douglas		Photo by Tom Douglas		Photo by Tom Douglas

Jones Park Boat Ramp – A Welcome Sight!		Fishing Bobbers, etc We Found in the Creek
Photo by Tom Douglas		Photo by Linda Shead

Total paddling distance for the trip was approximately 7.4 miles.

Participants:

Art Ashworth
Brian Bentley
John Berlinghoff
Bill Burge
Tom Douglas
Zandra Hall
Linda Leatherwood
Bill Ohsie
John Rich
Linda Shead
Dale Stevens

Thanks to Bill Burge and Brian Bentley for clearing out an amazing amount of floating debris during one of our rest breaks in a slowly-circulating eddy, and to John Rich, Linda Shead, and Tom Douglas for the photos that accompany this article.  We owe a real debt of gratitude to Rae Inglis and Joe Coker for helping to scout out the most suitable section of the creek for this trip.  Also, thanks to Rae Inglis for finding the best river access point at the put-in and for clearing out a brush pile (during a scouting trip) that would have complicated access to the sandbar where we had lunch.  The staff at Jesse Jones Park was extremely helpful, including giving us background information about local wildlife.  Note: In case you are considering doing this trip on your own, be sure to file the appropriate reservation form ahead of time with the Harris County Precinct 4 Parks Department. 

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