Parks and Trails in Kemah, TX: 12 Bay Views, Paths and Playgrounds

Kemah, Texas, has 12 free outdoor spots worth knowing: a 57-acre nature park with a playground and paved trails, two neighborhood parks with courts and a skate park, five tiny bayfront pocket parks on 4th through 8th streets, plus a sunset path, a mural park, a city hall lawn and the FM 518 shared-use trail. The City of Kemah says it has more than 60 acres of parkland in a city of about 1.9 square miles. Every pick below is a city-owned park or public path inside Kemah city limits.

Most visitors only see the Kemah Boardwalk. Walk two blocks away from the rides, though, and you'll find quiet lawns, palm trees and benches facing Galveston Bay, with nobody else around.

The quick list

• For a long walk or a kid's playground: 57-Acre Park and Nature Area.
• For skateboarding, hoops and tennis: Matthew D. Wiggins Park (formerly Cien Park).
• For the classic Kemah photo: the 6th Street Pocket Park lighthouse.
• For a bayfront wedding or a picnic in the shade: the 5th Street Lighthouse Pavilion.
• For the sunset: Bel Road Pocket Park.
• For a bike ride: the FM 518 shared-use path.
• For a family selfie: the murals at Kemah Mural Park.

How we chose and where Kemah begins and ends

We stayed strictly inside the City of Kemah's limits, as mapped in the city's adopted Parks and Open Space Master Plan: the strip of land between Clear Lake and the Clear Creek channel to the north, Galveston Bay to the east, and League City and Bacliff to the south and west. That means no Seabrook, League City or Clear Lake parks, even the ones a five-minute drive away.

The city counts 11 public park properties, and we included all of them, plus the FM 518 trail. Every pick comes from the City of Kemah's own website or its master plan (adopted April 3, 2024). We left out Kemah Oaks Park, which the city describes as private and for residents only.

Hours and amenities can change. The city lists its 57-Acre Park and 5th Street pavilion as open daily from sunrise to sunset, and the rest are small neighborhood parks without posted hours online. Check signs on site and the City of Kemah Parks and Recreation page before you plan an event.

Does Kemah have a splash pad or a dog park?

No, not yet. The City of Kemah has no public splash pad or fenced off-leash dog park. The city's parks master plan discusses a proposed dog park, but treat it as a plan, not a place you can go. In the meantime, leashed dogs are welcome at the 57-Acre Park, and the city provides waste bags there. For off-leash options across the metro, see our guide to dog parks in Houston.

The big parks

1. 57-Acre Park and Nature Area

South Kemah, 1860 Park Oaks Street · trails, playground, picnic shelter · free, sunrise to sunset

The 57-Acre Park and Nature Area is Kemah's largest public open space, and the reason to come is the walk. The city has built concrete trails and wider fitness paths, an open central lawn, a rustic steel-frame picnic shelter and a fully accessible, nature-themed playground for kids ages 5 to 12, with a spinner, a glider and a seesaw on artificial turf. Native trees and shrubs, including live oak, bald cypress, Turk's cap and beautyberry, were planted to draw butterflies, birds and pollinators.

I didn't know that: the city's master plan describes the site as a large, abandoned Army Corps site. It won the Houston-Galveston Area Council's 2023 Parks and Natural Area Award. Later phases on the city's plans include boardwalks over the wooded wetlands, an outdoor classroom and a wildlife observation tower.

Dogs: welcome on a leash. Pick up after them.

Best for: a morning walk, a run, or burning off kid energy before lunch on the water.

2. Matthew D. Wiggins Park (formerly Cien Park)

Old Kemah, 636 Cien Road · skate park, courts, playground, restrooms

Matthew D. Wiggins Park is Kemah's activity park. It has a covered basketball court, tennis courts, a skate area, a playground, a pavilion, picnic tables, restrooms and a water fountain. In the city's 2023 parks survey, more respondents rated it good or excellent than any other park in Kemah.

Insider tip: you'll still see it called Cien Park on some city pages and rental forms. It's the same park, off Cien Road a few blocks from the bay.

Best for: teens with skateboards, pickup basketball, and families who need a restroom nearby.

3. James A. Foster Park

West Kemah, 145 W 7th Street · playground, basketball, pavilion

James A. Foster Park is a 1-acre neighborhood park in West Kemah, next to Lavace Stewart Elementary. It has a playground, a basketball court, a covered pavilion with picnic tables, a brick walking path, benches and an open lawn under big shade trees. The city's master plan says it is the only public park west of Highway 146.

Best for: a low-key picnic away from the Boardwalk crowds.

The bayfront pocket parks

The best-kept secret in Kemah is a row of five tiny city parks at the bay end of 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th streets in the Lighthouse District. Each one is a sliver of public waterfront between private homes, none bigger than about an eighth of an acre. Together they make a short walk along Galveston Bay.

4. 5th Street Lighthouse Pavilion Pocket Park

Lighthouse District, 711 5th Street · bayfront pavilion · free, sunrise to sunset

The 5th Street Lighthouse Pavilion Pocket Park has a pavilion on the bay with a lighthouse-style roof, and the city calls it a landmark. It's within a block of the restaurants of the Kemah Boardwalk and the Lighthouse District. The city rents the gazebo for small outdoor wedding ceremonies and photos (rental fees are on the city's community center rentals page; no alcohol).

Best for: a quiet bay view between Boardwalk rides, or saying "I do" by the water.

5. 6th Street Pocket Park (the Kemah Lighthouse)

Lighthouse District, 706 6th Street · lighthouse monument, palms, benches

The 6th Street Pocket Park holds one of the two striped lighthouses in the Lighthouse District, with palm trees and a paved walk around its base. The city's master plan calls it a popular spot for taking pictures.

Best for: the photo you'll post.

6. 4th Street Pocket Park

Lighthouse District, 731 4th Street · shade trees, bay access

The 4th Street Pocket Park is a small lawn under established trees with public access to Galveston Bay, simple seating and old pier pilings out in the water.

Best for: sitting with a coffee and watching boats on Galveston Bay.

7. 7th Street Pocket Park

Lighthouse District, 708 7th Street · lawn and a concrete ramp to the water

The 7th Street Pocket Park is a small open lawn overlooking the bay with a concrete ramp running down to the water. The city notes there's no parking at this spot, so walk over from the Lighthouse District.

Best for: a closer look at the water.

8. 8th Street Pocket Park

Lighthouse District, 712 8th Street · lawn and palm trees

The 8th Street Pocket Park is a grassy bayfront lot with tall palm trees, framed by private homes, with limited parking.

Best for: the quietest of the five.

9. Bel Road Pocket Park

Old Kemah, 1398 Bel Road · brick path to a bay overlook

Bel Road Pocket Park is a tiny 0.1-acre parcel between two private homes, with a brick path leading to a bench and a view over Galveston Bay. The city's own master plan calls it a little-known space that provides a quiet place for bay and sunset views.

Insider tip: this is the sunset spot most visitors never find. Come in the last hour of light and be respectful of the neighbors on both sides.

The rest of Kemah's parks and paths

10. City Hall Open Space

Old Kemah, 524 Bel Road · pavilion and lawn

The City Hall Open Space is a 0.3-acre lawn beside Kemah City Hall, with a small pavilion, picnic tables and shade trees.

Best for: a quick picnic stop.

11. Kemah Mural Park

Lighthouse District, near 6th Street · outdoor murals

Kemah Mural Park is a small city pocket park built around large outdoor murals, a few blocks inland from the bayfront pocket parks. The city's master plan also calls it the Mural Welcome Park, and it pairs well with the School House General Store and Visitor's Center, which the city runs in the restored original Kemah schoolhouse at 604 Bradford Avenue.

Best for: a family photo before you hit the Boardwalk.

12. FM 518 shared-use path

West Kemah, along FM 518 · walking, running and biking

The FM 518 shared-use path is Kemah's main trail. It enters the city from the west, connects to League City and north toward Nassau Bay, and currently ends at Highway 146. The city's master plan, using Strava heat-map data, points to heavy use of this path.

Best for: a bike ride that starts in Kemah and goes farther.

Save this: a Kemah bay-walk route

This is a free, flat walk of about an hour that hits six parks. Park once in the Lighthouse District, wear comfortable shoes, and bring water.

1. Start at the 4th Street Pocket Park for shade and the first bay view.
2. Walk to the 5th Street Lighthouse Pavilion and sit in the pavilion.
3. Take your photo at the 6th Street lighthouse.
4. Look out from the 7th Street ramp, then the 8th Street palms.
5. Detour inland to the Kemah Mural Park murals.
6. Drive south to Bel Road Pocket Park for the sunset.
7. End with a burger from our best burgers in Kemah guide.

Before you go: a quick checklist

• Parks are free. The 57-Acre Park and 5th Street pavilion are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
• Restrooms are at Matthew D. Wiggins Park; most pocket parks have none.
• Parking is tight at the pocket parks; 7th Street has none at all.
• Dogs go on a leash. There's no off-leash dog park in Kemah yet.
• There's no public splash pad in Kemah, so plan water play elsewhere.
• The pocket parks sit between private homes. Keep voices low and stay on the public lot.
• Pavilion and gazebo rentals don't allow alcohol, per the city.
• Summer heat is serious. Go early or late and bring water.

More to do around Kemah

Pair your park day with rides at the Kemah Boardwalk, breakfast from our best coffee shops in Kemah, or lunch at one of the kid-friendly restaurants in Kemah. For bigger nature outings nearby, head to Armand Bayou Nature Center, browse our birding near Houston guide, or see things to do in Clear Lake.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest park in Kemah, TX?

The 57-Acre Park and Nature Area at 1860 Park Oaks Street is Kemah's largest public open space. It has paved fitness trails, a playground for ages 5 to 12, a picnic shelter and is free from sunrise to sunset.

Does Kemah have a splash pad?

No. The City of Kemah does not have a public splash pad. Its parks include playgrounds at the 57-Acre Park, Matthew D. Wiggins Park and James A. Foster Park.

Is there a dog park in Kemah?

Not yet. Kemah has no fenced off-leash dog park, though the city's parks master plan discusses one. Leashed dogs are welcome at the 57-Acre Park and Nature Area.

Where is the lighthouse in Kemah?

The striped Kemah lighthouse stands in the 6th Street Pocket Park at 706 6th Street in the Lighthouse District, a block from the Kemah Boardwalk. The 5th Street pavilion next door has a lighthouse-style roof.

Is there a skate park in Kemah?

Yes. Matthew D. Wiggins Park, formerly Cien Park, at 636 Cien Road has a skate area plus basketball and tennis courts, a playground and restrooms.

Are Kemah parks free?

Yes. Kemah's city parks are free to visit. The city charges only for reserving pavilions, the gazebo or the community center.