Best Parks and Trails in Tomball, TX: 9 Picks From Depot to Creek

The best parks and trails in Tomball, TX are Roy Campbell Burroughs Park for long walks and the area’s only dog park, Juergens Park for its inclusive playground, Depot Plaza and Jerry Matheson Park for free splash pads, and Kleb Woods Nature Preserve for wooded nature trails. All nine places in this guide are free to enter and run by the City of Tomball or Harris County.

Tomball is small enough to hit three of these parks before lunch. The surprise is the stories: a pond that started life as a road-building pit, a downtown splash pad beside a 1907 train depot, and a playground inspired by a boy who loves construction.

How we define Tomball: seven of the nine picks sit inside the City of Tomball and are run by its Parks and Recreation department. The other two, Roy Campbell Burroughs Park and Kleb Woods Nature Preserve, are Harris County parks just outside the city limits with Tomball mailing addresses. We include them because they are where Tomball goes for long trails and a dog park, and we label them clearly. We left out parks in Spring, Cypress and Magnolia.

The quick list

• Best for long walks and trail runs: Roy Campbell Burroughs Park, 320 acres with 9.78 miles of trails running up to Spring Creek.
• Best dog park: Burroughs Dog Park, inside Roy Campbell Burroughs Park, with a dog water fountain.
• Best free splash pad downtown: Depot Plaza at the Tomball Railroad Depot, with two splash pads and a fountain.
• Best summer day for kids: Jerry Matheson Public Pool and Splash Pad, free for all ages in season.
• Best playground: Louie’s Together Playground at Juergens Park, built for kids of all abilities.
• Best for nature and birding: Kleb Woods Nature Preserve, 133.5 acres with nearly 4 miles of nature trails.
• Best quiet fishing spot: Theis Attaway Nature Center, a four-acre preserve built around an old iron ore pit.
• Best all-rounder: Broussard Community Park, with a stocked pond, fishing pier and a three-quarter-mile track.
• Best for pickup basketball: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, with covered, lighted courts.

How we chose

We picked every Tomball park that offers more than a patch of grass: a trail, a splash pad, a dog park, a fishing pond or a standout playground. Each one was confirmed on its official City of Tomball or Harris County Precinct 3 or Precinct 4 page in November 2026. We skipped sports-only complexes such as the Wayne Stovall Sports Complex, which mostly serves youth league play.

The City of Tomball does not post general opening hours for its parks online. Its park rules say hours are posted on a sign at each park entrance.

Downtown and Old Town Tomball

Depot Plaza at the Tomball Railroad Depot

201 S. Elm St., downtown Tomball · splash pads, fountain, gazebo · free

Depot Plaza is Tomball’s town square, and it is the easiest splash pad in town to combine with lunch in Old Town. The City of Tomball lists a fountain display, two splash pads, picnic tables, benches and restrooms around the historic Tomball Depot.

The 1907 depot itself is now the Historic Tomball Depot Museum, with train memorabilia, antiques and two detailed model railroads. Free tours are typically offered on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; check the city’s depot page before you go, because the museum closes on some festival Saturdays. The plaza gazebo was dedicated for Tomball’s 100th birthday and is the setting for the Tomball German Heritage Festival and the city’s Christmas tree lighting.

Best for: a toddler splash before lunch. Pick a spot from our best restaurants in Tomball guide.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park

403 S. Chestnut St., near Timkin Road · covered courts, playground · free

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Tomball is a small community park built around full-size basketball courts that are fenced, covered and lighted, with six goals in total. The roof is the selling point in a Texas summer. There is also a playground, a restroom, picnic tables, barbecue pits and benches.

Best for: an evening pickup game out of the sun.

Ulrich Road: Tomball’s park row

Juergens Park and Jerry Matheson Park face each other across Ulrich Road, so treat them as one stop with two playgrounds, a walking track, courts and a summer pool.

Juergens Park and Louie’s Together Playground

1331 Ulrich Rd., between Zion and Hufsmith roads · playgrounds, track, pickleball · free

Juergens Park is Tomball’s first city-owned park, on land donated by the Juergens family. It has a half-mile asphalt walking track, four playgrounds, a lighted half-size basketball court, a sand volleyball court, two fenced pickleball courts and a large lighted pavilion you can reserve.

The standout is Louie’s Together Playground, an all-inclusive playground designed for children of all abilities. The City of Tomball says it was inspired by a local boy born with a form of dwarfism who loves construction, and by a children’s book about a llama who builds a playground with friends of every ability.

Dogs: allowed on a leash on the walking track, but not in the playground areas.

Best for: families with kids of mixed ages and abilities.

Jerry Matheson Park

1240 Ulrich Rd. · wooden playground, tennis and pickleball · free

Jerry Matheson Park is a 10-acre city park named for the late Tomball City Council member Jerry Matheson. Kids head for the large wooden interactive playground; adults come for four lighted tennis courts and four lighted pickleball courts. There is also a fenced pee-wee baseball field, a small pavilion and plenty of parking.

Best for: a tennis or pickleball session while the kids play.

Jerry Matheson Public Pool and Splash Pad

1240 Ulrich Rd., inside Jerry Matheson Park · free, summer season only

The Jerry Matheson Public Pool in Tomball is free and open to all ages during the summer. The shaded splash pad next to it has ground nozzles, motion-sensor showers, a slide and dumping buckets, with no standing water. It is only reachable through the pool entrance, so it keeps the pool’s hours.

The season typically runs from late May to early September, with weekday and weekend hours and closures on Mondays; the city posts each year’s schedule on its pool page. Children under 12 need an adult, swim diapers are required, and the city asks for swimwear rather than cotton T-shirts.

Best for: a free summer afternoon. Plan a bite afterward with our kid-friendly restaurants in Tomball guide.

East and northeast Tomball

Theis Attaway Nature Center

13509 Theis Lane, northeast of the Walmart Supercenter · pond, pier, short trail · free

Theis Attaway Nature Center is a four-acre nature preserve with a pond, a walk-out fishing pier, a grassy stone amphitheater and a quarter-mile asphalt trail. Here is the I-didn’t-know-that fact: according to the City of Tomball, iron ore was dug from this spot in the 1950s to widen the road that is now State Highway 249. The pits became a family swimming and fishing hole, and today the pond is a wildlife sanctuary with islands for migratory birds.

The preserve was donated in memory of A. W. (Allie) Theis, whose family settled in the Tomball area in 1846. Fishing is catch and release only, and cast nets are not allowed. There are only eight parking spaces.

Best for: a quiet half hour with a fishing rod, or a short walk with grandparents.

Broussard Community Park

1414 E. Hufsmith Rd. · stocked pond, fishing pier, sensory play · free

Broussard Community Park packs the most variety into one Tomball park. It has a three-quarter-mile asphalt walking track with exercise equipment, a stocked pond with a large fishing pier, an ADA-friendly play structure with a sensory cottage and a bird’s-nest swing, four soccer fields, and a concession stand with restrooms.

The Broussard family donated the land, and more than 200 community volunteers helped build the park. Fishing is catch and release only, with no cast nets. When league soccer isn’t using the fields, they are open to the public.

Best for: a morning walk while the kids fish.

Just outside the city limits

Roy Campbell Burroughs Park and Burroughs Dog Park

9738 Hufsmith Rd., Tomball (unincorporated Harris County) · 320 acres, 9.78 miles of trails, dog park · free

Roy Campbell Burroughs Park is the big one. Harris County Precinct 3 lists 320 acres and 9.78 miles of trails, including a primary loop and a web of secondary trails through the woods to Spring Creek on the park’s northern edge. Around the lake you’ll find fishing, an observation pier, a boardwalk, pavilions, a playground and picnic areas, plus baseball and soccer fields at the south end.

Burroughs Dog Park, inside the park, is the dog park Tomball dog owners use; it has a dog water fountain. The park is typically open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the dog park from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., per the Precinct 3 park map.

Best for: trail runs, long dog walks and a full Saturday outside. For more off-leash options, see our dog parks in Houston guide.

Kleb Woods Nature Preserve

20303 Draper Rd., Tomball (unincorporated Harris County) · 133.5 acres, nature center · free

Kleb Woods Nature Preserve is where Tomball goes to hear birds instead of traffic. Harris County Precinct 4 lists 133.5 acres and nearly 4 miles of nature trails. The park is typically open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the nature center and farmhouses Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The nature center runs weekly bird walks and a Hummingbird Festival every September. Leave the dog at home: the county asks visitors not to bring dogs, even on a leash, because they drive wildlife away.

Best for: birders and anyone who wants shade and quiet. For more trail ideas, see hiking trails near Houston.

Is there a dog park in Tomball?

Yes, but it is just outside the city limits. Burroughs Dog Park at 9738 Hufsmith Road is the only official dog park we found in the Tomball area. City of Tomball parks allow dogs on a leash of 6 feet or shorter, and Kleb Woods does not allow dogs at all.

Save this: a Tomball park day

• Morning: Walk or run part of the 9.78 miles at Roy Campbell Burroughs Park, with the dog if you have one.
• Mid-morning: Drive to Theis Attaway Nature Center for the pier and the iron ore pond story.
• Late morning: Play at Louie’s Together Playground at Juergens Park, then cross Ulrich Road to the Jerry Matheson Park playground.
• Lunch: Head to Old Town for food near the Depot. Our best patios in Tomball guide has outdoor options.
• Afternoon: Splash at Depot Plaza, or on a Saturday tour the 1907 depot museum and its model railroads.
• Bring: water, bug spray, a 6-foot leash, swim diapers in summer, and a fishing rod for catch and release.

Tips before you go

• Reserving a pavilion costs a fee; the City of Tomball asks for applications at least 10 business days ahead.
• No alcohol or glass in City of Tomball parks, and no unaccompanied children under 12.
• Check the sign. City park hours are posted at each entrance.

More to do in Tomball

For the full picture of the town, start with things to do in Tomball or our Tomball area guide. Thinking about moving? Read living in Tomball, TX. If you want more parks nearby, compare parks and trails in Cypress and parks in The Woodlands, or see our Houston parks guide.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best parks and trails in Tomball, TX?

Roy Campbell Burroughs Park has the most trail, with 9.78 miles across 320 acres, and Kleb Woods Nature Preserve has nearly 4 miles of nature trails. Inside the city, Juergens Park, Jerry Matheson Park, Broussard Community Park and Depot Plaza are the main family parks.

Is there a free splash pad in Tomball?

Yes. Depot Plaza at 201 S. Elm St. in downtown Tomball has two splash pads, and the shaded splash pad at the Jerry Matheson Public Pool, 1240 Ulrich Rd., is free during the summer pool season. The Matheson splash pad is entered through the pool and keeps the pool’s hours.

Is there a dog park in Tomball, TX?

Burroughs Dog Park inside Roy Campbell Burroughs Park, 9738 Hufsmith Rd., is the Tomball-area dog park and is typically open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. City of Tomball parks allow leashed dogs, but Kleb Woods Nature Preserve does not allow dogs.

Is the Tomball public pool free?

Yes. The City of Tomball says the Jerry Matheson Public Pool at 1240 Ulrich Rd. is free and open to all ages during the summer months. Children under 12 must be with an adult aged 18 or older.

Can you fish in Tomball parks?

Yes. Theis Attaway Nature Center and Broussard Community Park both have fishing piers, and both are catch and release only with no cast nets. Roy Campbell Burroughs Park also has a lake with fishing, and Texas fishing rules apply.

Where is Louie’s Together Playground?

Louie’s Together Playground is at Juergens Park, 1331 Ulrich Rd. in Tomball. It is an all-inclusive playground designed so children of all abilities can play together.