Cutting a swath through Houston's Third Ward, the Columbia Tap Trail is a 4-mile rail-trail connecting parts of southeastern Houston with offices, a convention center and a ballpark near downtown.
Completed in 2009, the trail follows the old Columbia Tap railroad route from Dixie Street in the south, passes through the campus of Texas Southern University, runs by churches and schools in the Third Ward and ends in a warehouse district on St. Charles Street, just blocks from Minute Maid Park, where the Houston Astros play.
The 10-foot-wide, paved trail is lined with native trees, is lighted for nighttime use and has many benches along its route, creating an inviting greenway through the neighborhood.
At the southern end, the Columbia Tap Rail-Trail connects with the
Brays Bayou Hike and Bike Trail, a 16.4-mile trail providing access to Hermann Park, the Houston Zoo and the museum district.
The northern end of the Columbia Tap is a short ride on busy city streets to two other new rail-trail projects: the
Harrisburg and Sunset Rail Trails, east of downtown, and the
MKT/SP Rails to Trails (Heights Trail), which offers spectacular views of Houston's skyline and connects with neighborhoods north and west of the city center.
You can access the Columbia Tap Rail-Trail from numerous points in downtown Houston. For parking information, contact:
Houston Parks & Recreation Dept.
2999 South Wayside
Houston, Texas 77023
832-395-7000
askparks@houstontx.gov