One fine Houston afternoon I decided to go for a run down the new bayou trails along Allen Parkway. As I approached the bridge at Waugh, a pervasive order struck my nostrils, and as I ran under it, tiny screeching could be heard above me….it could only mean one thing…BATS! Houston has a lot of great things going on in the city but one thing not many people know about Houston is it has its very own bat colony under the Waugh Drive Bridge. Many people have probably driven over this bridge and had no idea that underneath is a huge bat colony living (its not until you are out of your car that you can really smelly these furry little fellas). There are over 250,000 Mexican Free-Tailed living at the Waugh bat colony in Houston . At dusk every night these bats fly out from under the bridge and it is a site you can not miss.
There is two different ways you can view this colony flying from under the bridge. One way is just merely walking over to the bridge or even in the Buffalo Bayou Park and just watch the bats emerge. This way is a great way to watch the bats because its an easy way with no hassle. The only real problem with this way is you may not get the best view depending on how many other people are there doing the same thing. But this does not cost any money and is a great thing to do one night!
The other way to see this colony is the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony Pontoon Tour. You will spend the evening learning more about the bat colony and then viewing the colony emerging from the bridge at dusk. This is a great way to see the bats and even learn more about them. You will get a great view of the colony from the bayou and spend a great evening with friends and family. This tour costs 35 dollars for adults and 25 dollars for children (4-12).
This bat colony has called Houston home for a long time. This is something every Houstonain or even visitor should not miss and take advantage of seeing…just don’t forget to bring your noseplugs!
