Park Types and Rules in The Woodlands

The Woodlands Township sorts its parks by size and purpose in Order No. 019-09, the rules for every Township park, pool and pathway. The board adopted the order on Nov. 16, 2009, and last amended it on Oct. 25, 2023. This page sums it up; the full order has the exact wording.

• Townwide parks are large parks built for big gatherings and events.
• Village parks are usually 6 to 10 acres, serve about a one-mile radius and include a swimming pool.
• Area parks are usually 2 to 4 acres, serve about a half-mile radius and have tennis and basketball courts.
• Neighborhood parks are usually half an acre to 2 acres and serve the homes within about a quarter mile.
• Urban plazas are public spaces, mostly in Town Center.
• Specific-use facilities include the dog parks, wheel-friendly areas and skate parks, disc golf courses, pools, community gardens, all-weather fields, boathouses, the archery range, Texas TreeVentures and the George Mitchell Nature Preserve. Each can post its own rules.

Commercial events of more than 300 people are limited to Town Green Park, Gosling Sports Fields, Bear Branch Sports Fields and Alden Bridge Sports Park.

Parks are open from dawn to dusk unless a sign says otherwise. Lighted courts and sports fields, and the fishing area at Northshore Park, close at 11 p.m. Town Center facilities close from midnight to 6 a.m. Pathways can be used at any hour to get from place to place.

• Vehicles: roads and parking lots only, 10 mph, nothing heavier than one ton. Only maintenance vehicles and mobility devices go on the pathways.
• Water: no swimming or wading in the lakes, ponds or the Waterway. Town Center fountains are off-limits too, except Grandma’s Purse at Waterway Square.
• Boats: no gas motors. Canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, rowboats, paddle boats, sailboats with masts up to 25 feet and Coast Guard-approved inflatables are allowed, with electric motors up to 3 horsepower.
• Fishing: every lake and pond is catch and release except Lake Woodlands and Lake Paloma, which are catch and keep. Texas Parks and Wildlife rules apply. No fishing in the upper Waterway or from the Hughes Landing boardwalk.
• Pets: on a leash no longer than 10 feet, except in dog parks. Owners must pick up after them.
• Alcohol: not allowed at pools, on the Texas TreeVentures campus or in Town Center areas marked for children.
• Smoking: not within 25 feet of the entrance to a pool, splash pad, playground, recreation center or boathouse.
• Safety: no glass containers and no fireworks. Fires only in park grills and fire rings or portable grills in designated areas. Weapons only where state law allows.
• Other: drones and metal detectors can’t get in the way of other park users. Horseback riding needs board approval. Amplified sound can’t disturb others.

Breaking a rule can bring a fine of up to $500 for each day.

Park pavilions, tennis courts and pickleball courts can be reserved online, and sports fields are requested through the Township’s field form. Pools and the recreation centers have their own rental rules. For help, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 281-210-3800.

Many neighborhood parks have little or no parking and are meant to be reached on foot or by bike. Where there is a lot, park only in marked spaces, not on the grass. For Town Center, see parking in Town Center.

Report broken equipment, vandalism or other park issues through the Township’s Report a Concern page or call Parks and Recreation at 281-210-3800.