Lake Somerville State Park & Trailway

Birch Creek:
14222 Park Road 57
Somerville, TX 77879-9713
979/535-7763
Birch.Creek@tpwd.state.tx.us

Nails Creek & Trailway:
6280 FM 180
Ledbetter, TX 78946-7036
979/289-2392
Nails.Creek@tpwd.state.tx.us
Park locator map

The water only campsites near the boat ramp at Nails Creek can expect duck hunters to be launching boats as early as 3:00 am. Some of the boats can be very loud.

Lake Somerville State Park and Trailway offers a multitude of recreational opportunities. The extensive Lake Somerville Trailway links the Birch Creek unit to the Nails Creek unit. More than 20 miles of trails are open to hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. Water lovers can enjoy fishing, swimming, boating, and skiing on Lake Somerville.

History: Lake Somerville State Park Complex consists of four units: Birch Creek, Nails Creek, Lake Somerville Trailway, and the Somerville Wildlife Management Area. It is northwest of Brenham in Lee and Burleson Counties. Birch Creek is 2,365 acres in Burleson County on the north shore, and Nails Creek consists of 3,155 acres in Lee County on the south shore near the west end of the reservoir. The two units are connected by a 13-mile trailway system. The Somerville Wildlife Management Area (WMA) consists of 3,180 acres with the Yegua Creek Compartment in southwest Burleson County and the Nails Creek Compartment in northeast Lee County.

The Somerville Reservoir was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Work was started in June 1962, and deliberate impoundment of water was begun in January of 1967. The dam is located on Yegua Creek, 20 miles upstream from its confluence with the Brazos River, and about two miles south of Somerville. Somerville Reservoir covers 11,630 acres with a shoreline of 85 miles. Its main purposes are flood control, municipal water supply, and recreation. The state park complex was leased from the Federal Government in 1969 and opened in 1970.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manages the Somerville WMA under a license agreement and in cooperation with the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Flag Pond is a 350-acre impoundment in the Yegua Creek watershed; it is located within the Lake Somerville State Parks along the Somerville Trailway. The pond is a natural depression which has served as wetland habitat for waterfowl wintering (mid-October to mid-February) in the Lake Somerville vicinity. Flag Pond was originally developed by a private hunting club in 1926.

Activities: Both units offer a multitude of recreational opportunities such as camping, picnicking, boating, fishing; hiking and biking, volleyball, horseshoes, basketball, backpacking, and equestrian use (visitors must bring their own horses). More than 20 miles of trail are open to hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians affording visitors the opportunity to exercise and enjoy the beauty of the parks. Water lovers can enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, and skiing on Lake Somerville.

Educational and Interpretive Programming (Program is subject to staff availability and is typically offered on Saturdays or upon request):
Hot on Their Tracks - A guided hike with a park interpreter to collect animal tracks and make casts of them.
Sixth Grade Outdoor Laboratory at Birch Creek State Park media download (PDF 530.7 KB)

Area Attractions: The Lake Somerville Complex is located along the Presidential Corridor between Austin and College Station. Nearby attractions include Bastrop State Park, Buescher State Park, Stephen F. Austin State Park, Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, San Felipe State Historic Site; Bluebell Creamery; and Texas A&M University. You may also want to refer to nearby U.S.Army Corps of Engineers Somerville Lake and Lower Colorado River Authority parks. For more information on the Somerville area visit the Somerville Chamber of Commerce web site at www.rtis.com/reg/somerville/

Facilities: Birch Creek Unit facilities include restrooms with and without showers; 3 group picnic pavilions; primitive campsites; walk-in tent sites; campsites with water and electricity; equestrian campsites; a group trailer area with water and electricity sites adjacent to the group dining hall (dining hall may be rented separately for day-use); a fishing Jetty; a fish cleaning shelter; a family fishing pond; trailer dump stations; a convenience store adjacent to the park entrance; a sand and a grass volleyball court; basketball; horseshoes; two double-lane boat ramps; a boat dock; and multi-use trails. Total trail mileage (including the Trailway) is 19 miles with 13 for backpacking and equestrian use and the entire 19 for day hiking, mountain biking, birding, and nature study. Ground fires are prohibited along the trail and in primitive camping areas. Be sure to visit the Texas State Park Store.
Nails Creek Unit facilities include restrooms with and without showers; 10 equestrian campsites with water in the area; 10 boat ramp area walk-in tent campsites with water in the area; 20 campsites with water & electric in the Bent Tree Equestrian area; 20 campsites with water & electric in the Cedar Creek area; 2 group picnic pavilions; kids fishing pond; fish cleaning shelters; a double-lane boat ramp; and multi-use trails. Total trail mileage (including the Trailway) is 16 miles with 13 for backpacking and equestrian use and the entire 16 for day hiking, mountain biking, birding, and nature study.
The Lake Somerville Trailway, located around the west end of the reservoir, connects Birch Creek State Park with Nails Creek State Park via 13 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, backpacking, birding, and nature study. Flag Pond, located approximately 4 miles from Nails Creek State Park and 9 miles from Birch Creek State Park along the Somerville Trailway, provides waterfowl hunting and non-consumptive wildlife viewing opportunities in conjunction with a system of interpretive trails, nature study, outdoor classrooms, and wildlife photography. The Flag Pond Nature Theater provides an excellent wildlife-viewing platform. The management objective is directed toward wintering waterfowl and increasing food supply to better condition the birds before their journey to spring nesting grounds. Strategies to accomplish these objectives include planting of domestic grain crops, moist soil management, and water level control. This project will increase waterfowl hunting opportunity and non-consumptive wildlife viewing opportunities in conjunction with a system of interpretive trails, as well as opportunities for nature study, outdoor classrooms, and wildlife photography. Campgrounds for equestrian and backpackers are located along the trailway. Well water for horses only is available at Newman Bottom and Wolf Pond. Chemical toilets are in the area. There are also trails accessible to the disabled in both parks.

Fees
Map of the Birch Creek Unit (PDF 132.1 KB)
Map of the Nails Creek Unit (PDF 111.1 KB)
Map of the Trailway (PDF 179.6 KB)

Check Availability/Make Reservations for Lake Somerville State Park - Birch Creek
Check Availability/Make Reservations for Lake Somerville State Park - Nails Creek
You can also make E-mail Reservations, Fax Reservations or Phone Reservations

Natural Features: The terrain is gently rolling. The various soil types range from fine sand to clay loam with loamy fine sand dominating the Birch Creek State Park, and fine sandy loam dominating the Nails Creek State Park. There are three main creeks that either run through or border the parks, all of which drain into the reservoir. They are Nails Creek, along the southern border of Nails Creek, Yegua Creek, which enters the lake on the north side of Nails Creek, and Birch Creek, which forms the east border of Birch Creek. Between the two parks, at the western edge of Lake Somerville, is Flag Pond and numerous other duck ponds, marshes and bogs.

The Somerville Trailway passes through dense stands of yaupon, post oak, hickory, blackjack oak, and water oak forests, past scenic overlooks and water crossings.

The trail has one of the best spring wildflower displays in the Texas State Park System. Many species of birds and wildlife may be observed and photographed including white-tailed deer, fox, coyote, raccoon, rabbit, waterfowl, and quail. A bird checklist is available at the Birch and Nails Creek headquarters. Visitors can enjoy fishing for white bass, crappie, largemouth bass, and catfish. Go to the U.S.G.S. Burleson County Butterfly Checklist and the U.S.G.S. Lee County Butterfly Checklist for information on butterflies in this area.

Elevation: Ranges from 190 to 496 feet above mean sea level.
Weather: July average high is 95 degrees; January average low is 48 degrees. September and October wettest months; first/last freeze, December 8/February 7.

National Weather Service forecast for the Somerville area

Schedule: Open 7 days a week, year round. Busy Season: First weekend in March through the Fourth of July.

Directions to Birch Creek:

From Houston take Hwy 290 West to Brenham. Take SH 36 North through Somerville to Lyons. Turn left on Hwy 60. Travel approximately 8 miles. Turn left on Park Road 57. Park is 4 miles on Park Road 57.
From Austin (North) take Hwy 290 East to Hwy 21. Left on 21 Approximately 30 miles. Right on FM 60, 11 miles to Park Rd 57. 4 miles on Park Rd 57 to Park entrance.
From Austin (South) take Hwy 71 East to Bastrop. Hwy 21 East approximately 45 miles. Right on FM 60, 11miles to Park Rd 57. 4 miles on Park Rd 57 to Park entrance.

Directions to Nails Creek:

From Houston take US 290 west to Burton (Go through Brenham) Exit at Spur 125. Stay on 125. Turn left on FM 1697. Stay on FM 1697 to FM 180. Turn right on FM 180 to the park.
From Austin take US 290 East to about 6 miles East of Giddings. Turn left on FM 180 to the park.

Current conditions including, fire bans & water levels, can vary from day to day. For more details, contact the park.

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