Do you wonder how the Woodland to Moody Trail came to be?
According to FWP Board Member, Pat Rutledge, “Nat Smith (partner of another FWP Board member Becky) is an explorer extraordinaire and he no doubt hiked the banks of the Little White Oak Bayou from Woodland Park to Moody Park long before he invited me to join him, probably as early as 2005-2010.”
Once a month, Bike Houston, Houston Parks Board, and others held casual bike rides to show off the City’s bayou trails and amazing waterway, and they were affectionately referred to as Skelly rides after one of the key organizers, Mike Skelly. Nat thought the riders would find it interesting to see both Woodland Park and Moody Park via Little White Oak Bayou by bicycle. He volunteered to lead a ride one spring Sunday morning, and a weekend or two prior Nat, Tony Banks, and Pat brought some basic trail clearing tools and trimmed tree branches so that the riders could get through with just a little effort.
Although Pat credits Nat with doing much of the work, both played a key role and have a great depth of knowledge about the bayou and its banks. Pat says, “I was there because I enjoy his (Nat’s) company, his sense of adventure, and his can-do positive spirit.” This sentiment truly embodies the spirit of the FWP board to this day!
Early in the spring/late winter is the best time to explore, before the weeds make it difficult to pass. See the attached map as a rough guide for your adventure. There are several residences along the bayou, homeless camps (abandoned as we went through), a pristine meadow and beautiful stream, as well as of course Hollywood Cemetery, so please be respectful and mindful of your surroundings as you make your way along this 4 mile loop.
Woodland Park trail map.
