In the summer, the Gulf Coast city of Houston can get very hot and muggy. For people who enjoy the outdoors, going to a lake offers the opportunity to cool off and have some fun. There are five lakes either in or near Houston that can be reached within an 1.5-hour's drive from downtown. Take your fishing pole---these lakes offer excellent opportunities to catch a variety of fish.
Located less than a mile from Beltway 8, which surrounds Houston, Sheldon Lake is the perfect getaway for city folks who don't want to drive very far. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, Sheldon Lake is a good lake for catching catfish and crappie. A relatively shallow 10 feet at its deepest point, it is a good size considering it is in an urban area, covering 1,230 acres. Go to Sheldon Lake and you'll have the opportunity to see Cypress trees, as well as a variety of other vegetation.
The San Jacinto River feeds into Lake Houston, which is located only 15 miles from Houston. It is easy to reach from Highway 59---all you need to do is exit once you are in Humble.
If you enjoy camping, you'll be pleased to know that according to the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, the Lake Houston Wilderness Park permits camping, and has cabins available for rental as well. Lake Houston is one of the smaller lakes, with a surface area of 11,854 acres.
Largemouth bass fishermen will enjoy a trip to Lake Conroe, as it is the site of the largest bass ever collected by Texas Parks and Wildlife during surveys. With a surface area of 20,118 acres that creates a man-made lake 21 miles long, Lake Conroe branches out in all directions, providing multiple entry points to the lake.
You can get to it by taking I-45 North. It is approximately a 1-hour drive from downtown Houston.
Lake Raven is a small (203 acres) lake with clear water that is located close to Lake Conroe. It is situated in a state park, and no fishing license is required to fish on the lake, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It is known for having largemouth bass that weigh more than 10 pounds. You can also catch sunfish in this lake.
Get to it by taking the Huntsville State Park exit off of I-45 North of Houston. It is approximately a 1-hour-and-20-minute drive from the downtown metropolitan area.
A speedy 50 miles from the outskirts of northern Houston, Lake Livingston is a popular recreational area for many. Fed by the Trinity River, Lake Livingston boasts 90,000 acres of surface area on which to water-ski or fish. Fishermen will enjoy casting their lines for white bass and catfish, which are plentiful, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. Lake Livingston boasts a large state park in which people can enjoy camping, mountain biking and many other recreational activities.
Get to Lake Livingston by taking Highway 59 North until you are approximately 90 minutes from downtown Houston in the town of Livingston.
