Cochran’s Crossing opened in 1983, the third village in The Woodlands. It honors the Cochran family of Montgomery County, who co-owned the lumber company that once held much of the land The Woodlands was built on. The village sits in Montgomery County in the 77381 ZIP code, and Community Impact describes it as bounded by Research Forest Drive, Lake Woodlands Drive and Cochran’s Crossing Drive. More than 16,000 people lived here as of 2017, and Community Impact notes that residents call it “the happy village.”
History
Before it was a village, this was timber country. George and Will Grogan started a timber company in 1912, and in 1917 it became the Grogan-Cochran Lumber Company, cutting pine around Tamina and the land that is now The Woodlands. The company merged with Lone Star Lumber in Magnolia in 1927 and closed in 1960. The Cochran name came through Laura Grogan Cochran and her husband, T.M. Cochran. Their Conroe home, built in 1924 from Grogan-Cochran pine, now houses the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County.
George Mitchell bought the company’s land in 1964, and Cochran’s Crossing opened on part of it in 1983, the year total investment in The Woodlands passed $1 billion. The village association was formed that same year. The Cochran’s Crossing Shopping Center followed in 1994. The original YMCA branch in The Woodlands is on Shadowbend Place in this village. More recent changes are at the parks: Shadowbend Park was renovated in 2013 and 2014, and Bear Branch Park added a covered basketball court in 2020 and a covered multipurpose court and sprayground in 2024.
Parks
Bear Branch Park, at 5200 Research Forest Drive, is home to the Township’s Recreation Center, which runs programs all year. Outside there’s a pool and sprayground, a skate park, a dog park, tennis and volleyball courts, covered basketball and multi-use courts, pavilions and play equipment.
The Bear Branch Sports Fields, at 5205 Research Forest Drive, have synthetic turf fields for soccer, lacrosse and football, plus an 18-hole disc golf course, walking trails and a new playground.
Shadowbend Park, at 4995 Lake Woodlands Drive, has tennis courts with pickleball lines, basketball and sand volleyball courts, open fields, playgrounds and a one-kilometer trail along a creek.
Across Lake Woodlands Drive from Shadowbend Park is the Shadow Lake Marsh Experience, a nature park at 5050 Lake Woodlands Drive.
The Township lists 22 parks in Cochran’s Crossing. See Parks in Cochran’s Crossing for all of them, and Bear Branch Park for more on the main park.
Pools
Two Township pools are in Cochran’s Crossing, and both have spraygrounds:
- Bear Branch Pool, 5200 Research Forest Drive
- Shadowbend Pool, 4991 Lake Woodlands Drive, with water slides
The pools are seasonal, so check the Township’s pool schedule before going.
Golf
The Palmer Course at The Woodlands Country Club is in Cochran’s Crossing. The country club’s courses are private and open to members.
Shopping
Cochran’s Crossing Village Center, anchored by a Kroger, is at 4747-4825 Research Forest Drive near Gosling Road.
Schools
Cochran’s Crossing is in Conroe ISD. Attendance zones are redrawn from time to time, so check a specific address with the district.
Village Association
The Cochran’s Crossing Village Association meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at The Woodlands Township. The village’s Residential Design Review Committee meets at 5 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month at Township Town Hall, 2801 Technology Forest Blvd.
Neighborhoods in Cochran’s Crossing
Amberglow, Bridgeberry, Capstone, Castlegreen, Chancery Place, Copper Sage, Copperknoll, Forest Ridge, Golden Sage, Havenpoint, Hayden’s Run, Hollymead, Lyric Arbor, Meadowmist, Mystic Lake, Palmer Bend, Palmer Crest, Palmer Point, Palmer Woods, Shadowlake, Shadowpoint, Silvershire, Somerset, Stone Springs, Summerstorm, Trillium, Turnstone, Waterford Bend, Wedgemere, Wyndspire.
The Woodlands Texas Activities Guide
Family Activities
For the same reasons many choose to make their home here, families find charm and appeal in spending a day, a weekend or a week in The Woodlands.
Waterway Activities
The centerpiece of Waterway Square is the 120' Waterwall and circular fountain featuring regularly scheduled light and music shows. The public venue also features restaurants, hotels, and is the nightlife area of The Woodlands Texas.
Festivals in The Woodlands
Several festivals and other outdoor events held throughout the year in Town Center. Festival events are frequently held on the Great Lawn in Town Green Park including, the Annual Crawfish festival.
Sports Activities
From the jogging loop in Grogan's Mill, you can travel along the pathways to Disc Golf courses, pickle ball courts, Bocci Ball, and various playfields.
Swimming Pools
Live Music in The Woodlands
Throughout the year, you’ll hear about concerts, performance art shows, festivals and free live music, all happening in The Woodlands.
The Woodlands Sculptures
The Woodlands is home to one of the largest collections of public art in the State of Texas. From mosaics and sculptures to a growing collection of art benches, there are many pieces to view, and enjoy. Make plans to visit the various mosaics, sculptures and a collection of art-benches, to view, enjoy, and of course, have a sit and a selfie!
The Woodlands Public Parks
Public Parks offer a wide variety of outdoor activities. A public park in The Woodlands is a short bike ride, or a nice stroll away along a nearby pathway. Wheel Friendly Parks are located in several villages, and the softer surface of Millbend Linear Loop in Grogan's Mill Village is favored by joggers.
The Woodlands Public Art Bench Project
The Woodlands Public Art Bench Project showcases local, national, and international artists who add their own flair to Town Center by contributing a custom built bench. The Woodlands Art Council oversees the benches up to installation prior to transfer to the The Woodlands Township.
The Woodlands Village Guide
Town Center
The Woodlands retail district - Woodlands Mall, Market Street, Waterway Square.