Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
7,648 acres15.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Fort Brown · Photo: Pi3.124 · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Brownsville
19% of Brownsville’s land is conserved: 15,000 acres
177 miles of mapped trail cross Brownsville, 1.5 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (15.7 mi), World Birding Center - Resaca De La Palma State Park (8.5 mi), Sabal Palm Sanctuary (8.1 mi). 56% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 78% of U.S. towns · #71 of 642 in Texas. What drives it
Conserved land
19%
15,000 acres · of 122.0 sq mi of land
Trails
177 mi
1.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,138 ac
11 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
56%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
72 mi
35 mi lanes · 33 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
16
5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Brownsville?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Brownsville have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Brownsville is ahead of 78% of U.S. towns, #71 of 642 in Texas. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Brownsville’s overall grade.
Conserved land19% of the land · typical TX town 2% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (177 mi) · TX 0.2 · U.S. 0.4APark land11 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,138 acres) · TX 9 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home56% of residents within a half mile of a park · TX 69% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 78%
LessMore
Texas towns of 2,500+ (642)Ahead of 89%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Brownsville ranks #213 on Outdoors.
Few Texas towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Brownsville’s 19% is ahead of 95% of Texas towns, while its trails per square mile lead 94% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, with 15.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
World Birding Center - Resaca De La Palma State Park
Managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
1,381 acres8.5 mi of trail
Quail LoopFlycatcher TrailYellowtroat TrailWhite-winged Dove Loop+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Sabal Palm Sanctuary
Managed by Gorgas Science Foundation & National Audubon Society
562 acres8.1 mi of trail
Via del RioResaca Loop TrailForest TrailNative Trail+1
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
Managed by United States Fish and Wildlife Service
2,969 acres5.1 mi of trail
Bahia Grande Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Brownsville Sports Park
Park
161 acres4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Monte Bella Trails Park
Park
86 acres2.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Ernesto Gamez Cascade Park
Managed by Cameron County Drainage District 1
52 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 31 parks & preserves
Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge7,648 acres · 15.7 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
DirectionsWorld Birding Center - Resaca De La Palma State Park1,381 acres · 8.5 mi of trail · Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Sabal Palm Sanctuary562 acres · 8.1 mi of trail · Gorgas Science Foundation & National Audubon Society
DirectionsLaguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge2,969 acres · 5.1 mi of trail · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Brownsville Sports Park161 acres · 4 mi of trail
DirectionsMonte Bella Trails Park86 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
Ernesto Gamez Cascade Park52 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Cameron County Drainage District 1
DirectionsDean Porter Park15 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLincoln Park21 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsMorningside Park38 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsOliveira Park35 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsNorth Brownsville Park31 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsCharles Martin Cabler Park20 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLinear Park5 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsTony Gonzales Park21 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsAlice Wilson Hope Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPortway Acres Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Xeriscape Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWest Brownsville Little League Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
La Esperanza Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Cameron County
DirectionsGarfield Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Los Ebanos Bougainvillea Display Garden2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Harry E. McNair Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Texas Trail of Trees Park84 acres
DirectionsLas Palomas Wildlife Management Area - Voshell Unit64 acres · Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Washington Park6 acres
DirectionsVeterans Park6 acres
DirectionsWindwood Park3 acres
DirectionsStillman Dog Park3 acres
DirectionsPrax Orive (Sunrise) Park3 acres
DirectionsCentral Avenue Park2 acres
Who protects it
15,000 conserved acres
19% of Brownsville’s land. Who manages Brownsville’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service21,544 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)2,347 ac
National Park Service1,805 ac
State fish & wildlife1,482 ac
State parks1,173 ac
Town or city1,032 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits709 ac
National Wildlife Refuge · 21,544 acConservation Easement · 4,596 acHistoric or Cultural Area · 1,805 acState Park · 1,383 acLocal Park · 478 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 462 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 70 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 15,711 | Restricted |
| Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 5,834 | Restricted |
| Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park Historic or Cultural Area | National Park Service | 1,805 | Restricted |
| Resaca de la Palma State Park State Park | State fish & wildlife | 1,383 | Open |
| Sabal Palm Grove Sanctuary Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 150 | Closed |
| Brownsville Sports Park Local Park | Town or city | 145 | Open |
| Monte Bella Park Local Park | Town or city | 90 | Open |
| Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 69 | Restricted |
| Morningside Park Local Park | Town or city | 37 | Open |
| Joe & Tony Oliveira Park Local Park | Town or city | 34 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
36 places to go in Brownsville
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Brownsville
Pirate Ship PlaygroundIn Dean Porter Park
DirectionsPlus 24 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Brownsville
Pet Smart Dog Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Brownsville
Brownsville Event Center Public Boat Ramp
DirectionsBrownsville Event Center Public Boat Ramp
DirectionsBrownsville Sports Park Resaca 1 Boat RampIn Brownsville Sports Park
DirectionsBrownsville Sports Park Resaca 2 Boat RampIn Brownsville Sports Park
DirectionsRio Del Sol Boat Ramp
DirectionsPicnic areas in Brownsville
4 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Brownsville
1 campground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
21 named trails and 16 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.1 miUnpaved · 31.2 mi
Quail Loop1.2 mi
Flycatcher Trail1.2 mi
County Road 3171.1 mi
Yellowtroat Trail1.1 mi
Via del Rio0.6 mi
Resaca Loop Trail0.6 mi
White-winged Dove Loop0.6 mi
Mesquite Trail0.6 mi
Bahia Grande Trail0.5 mi
Forest Trail0.4 mi
11 more trails
Sleepy Hollow
0.4 miCoyote Trail
0.4 miNorth Mexican Olive Trail
0.4 miNative Trail
0.4 miMexican Olive Trail
0.3 miCounty Road 118
0.3 miScrewbean Alley Trail
0.2 miEbony Trail
0.2 miHog Trail
0.1 miRiver Trail
0.1 miWetland Bridge
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Brownsville Sports Park Resaca 1lakeBrownsville Sports Park Resaca 2lakeCuates LakereservoirDana-Tule Reservoir 1reservoirDana-Tule Reservoir 2Fort Brown ResacaLozano Banco ResacapondResacaResaca de La Palma ReservoirreservoirResaca de Los Cuates ReservoirRoos ReservoirRoos Reservoir CSalt PondSan Martin LakelakeTown ResacaRío Bravo / Rio Grande
Biking & sports
72 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
35 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
33 mi
off-road bike paths
5.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
81Tennis
54Baseball
29Basketball
20Soccer
8Football
8Pickleball
2Skate park
1Multi-sport
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →30 places on the National Register, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 77 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic SiteNational Historic Landmark · Site · listed 1966
About itOld Brulay PlantationBuilding · listed 1975
About itBrowne-Wagner HouseBuilding · listed 1977
About itSouthern Pacific Railroad Passenger DepotBuilding · listed 1978
About itCharles Stillman HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itImmaculate Conception ChurchBuilding · listed 1980
About itCameron County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1980
About itManautou HouseBuilding · listed 1983
About itLa Nueva LibertadBuilding · listed 1984
About itAugustine Celaya HouseBuilding · listed 1986
About it18 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in Brownsville
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.7 | 11.2 | 11.9 | 12.7 | 13.4 | 13.8 | 13.6 | 13.0 | 12.3 | 11.5 | 10.8 | 10.5 |
| High (°F) | 71 | 75 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 93 | 94 | 96 | 92 | 87 | 79 | 73 |
| Rain (in) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.3 |
January is the driest month (1.1 in) and August the warmest (highs of 96 °F). 5.4 inches fall in September, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 96 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Brownsville →
Next door
Brownsville and its neighbors
Brownsville has the most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Brownsville177 miPort Isabel29 miDel Mar Heights9.0 miSan Benito5.6 miLos Fresnos1.4 miEncantada-Ranchito-El Calaboz1.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville | 19% | 1.5 | 11 | 56% | A− |
| Encantada-Ranchito-El Calaboz | 4% | 0.4 | 8 | 90% | B |
| Port Isabel | 100% | 1.6 | 6 | 94% | A |
| Los Fresnos | 1% | 0.3 | 5 | 60% | C |
| Del Mar Heights | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| San Benito | 2% | 0.4 | 2 | 63% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Brownsville
Where can I hike in Brownsville?
The longest trail networks: Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, 15.7 miles; World Birding Center - Resaca De La Palma State Park, 8.5 miles; Sabal Palm Sanctuary, 8.1 miles; Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, 5.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Brownsville is conserved land?
19% of its land, against a typical 2% for a Texas town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Brownsville’s trails?
Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge and World Birding Center - Resaca De La Palma State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Brownsville?
72 miles of bike routes are on the map: 35 of painted or protected lanes, 33 of off-road paths and 5.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Brownsville?
3,810 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Brownsville or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,150 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Brownsville have?
Ahead of 78% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #71 of 642 in Texas. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Brownsville neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →