Lake Houston Wilderness Park (LHWP) is a beautiful, lushly forested expanse of nearly 5,000 acres located four miles east of New Caney (approximately 30 miles north of Houston, TX) off Hwy-59. Lake Houston Wilderness Park is the only park in the City of Houston – Parks and Recreation Department’s inventory that allows overnight camping. It offers a variety of outdoor learning experiences for people of all ages including: camping, hiking, trail running, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, birding, fishing, and horseback riding. Most of the park is heavily forested with beautiful trails which provide a perfect setting for photography, nature study, bird watching, and relaxing.

Joe Turner Nature Center is located within the park and is an incredible place to visit and learn about some of the woodland creatures that call LHWP home. Visitors can tour the Ecosystem Displays which include the Wetlands Ecosystem Room featuring live fish and turtles; the Bugs Room, which features spiders and mounted insects of all types including moths, butterflies, beetles, and more; the Reptile and Amphibians Room, containing live specimens of both venomous and non-venomous snakes as well as several lizards and amphibians; the Nature Center classroom; and, Eye on the Wilderness, an exciting display of local flora and fauna with lighting and sound effects. Joe Turner Nature Center offers classes and programs for all ages and is open Wednesday through Sunday 9am – 4pm.