Paul D. Rushing Park: Enjoying Wide-Open Spaces in Katy, TX
One of the wooden walkways over the lakes in Paul D. Rushing park
Katy, Texas, Prairie Lands
There used to be boundless prairie lands consisting of waving native grasses attracting migrating birds, plus the resident avian and other creatures calling what is now Katy, Texas, home.
While subdivisions and other enterprises keep expanding across this portion of Texas, Katy still celebrates its connection to the prairie and migrating birds. Look at the sculptures in public spaces and the water tower in that locale to prove that point.
Paul D. Rushing Park
Purposely, many of the 232 acres of Paul D. Rushing Park aid and help sustain the resident and migrating birds, plus other creatures that thrive in open prairie land conditions.
From my numerous photos, you can see a series of ponds (shallow lakes) interconnected with pathways and bridges. Also built are six observation bird blinds for birders who surreptitiously seek to add one or more bird sightings to their lists without disturbing any birds who may be nearby.
Most of the trail is paved asphalt with wooden bridges over the waterways. Wearing sunscreen would be a good idea if spending any time in this part of the park since there is little shade. The trail length is 2.13 miles and is ADA-accessible.
Paul D. Rushing Park Photos
Softball
The sports facilities in Paul D. Rushing Park focus on girls' softball and those who play cricket. My husband and I have been there when both sports were being played and enjoyed by participants plus spectators. It is always enjoyable hearing those cheering crowds of people with smiling faces.
Cricket
I grew up playing occasional baseball games with my family and watched the Braves play professional baseball in the Milwaukee stadium. Cricket was relatively unknown in the United States when I was a child.
The game of cricket is widely popular in England and likely originated there as early as the 13th century. Similar to baseball, hockey, tennis, badminton, squash, and golf, it involves a ball and bat, or some implement to hit and move the ball. Now, it is a worldwide sport and is played competitively.
If you are unfamiliar with and wish to know more about the rules, check it out in the sources at the bottom of this page.
I took these photos using a zoom camera lens from the lake area of Paul D. Rushing Park.
Game of Cricket in Paul D. Rushing Park
Playground
The large parking lot in this park is adjacent to the children's playground, plus the softball area, dog park, and cricket fields. The lakes and trails around those water-filled areas lie further away from the parking lot.
All restroom facilities for this park are in the softball pavilion.
Dog Park
As in most Harris County dog parks, there are delineated areas for small and large dogs. It is always fun to watch dogs running and playing off-leash.
When taking these photos, there were no smaller dogs and only a few larger ones. On other days, these dog parks are probably well utilized. In the video with Weimaraner Grayson, he seemed to have the entire park by himself with no other canine buddies with whom to frolic and play.
Namesake
Paul D. Rushing had the honor of having a large Harris County park named after him. Its dedication was on October 4, 2002. After reading about his obituary in the Houston Chronicle, I am glad he got to enjoy that tribute for a short time before his death in May of the following year.
It appears fitting since he worked in public works and ultimately retired from being the engineering manager for Precinct 3 of Harris County, the most populated county in Texas and third most populated in the nation.
The use of public lands such as this park will continue to serve multi-use purposes, including recreation, water containment, and conservation.
Many of the parks in Precincts 3 and 4 have changed. While my photo shows this as a Precinct 3 park, it is now in Precinct 4. The next time we venture out that way, I will see if the sign has changed to reflect that flip in precincts.
Park Sign
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Address and Availability
The address is 9114 Katy Hockley Road, Katy, Texas, 77493. The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
To make reservations for special events, call this number: 281-353-8100.
For more details about the amenities and usage rules, click on the source link below.
The great Texas coastal birding trail sign adjacent to Paul D. Rushing Park denotes that this area attracts numerous local and migrating birds. The next time my husband and I visit this park, we hope to see more birds like the person who shot the video below with the American white pelicans.
Birding trail sign
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Sources
- Houston Chronicle: Paul D. Rushing Obituary
- Harris County Precinct 4 Park: Paul D. Rushing Park
- Britannica: Game of Cricket
Suggested Reading About Katy, Texas
- M-K-T Railroad Museum With Caboose and Depot in Katy, Texas
A charming little pocket park in the heart of Katy, TX. The historic M-K-T railroad depot and caboose are located at this small but impressive museum/visitor center. - Pictures of Katy Heritage Museum and Vintage Contents
A fantastic and informative museum shows vintage farming equipment and artifacts dating back to Katy, Texas, from pioneer times up to modern times. Admission is free! - Thomas Park in Katy, Texas: A Tri-County Park
This Katy, Texas, park may be small, but Thomas Park is the exact spot where three counties meet. See photos and read about the amenities here.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2023 Peggy Woods
