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The Best Running Trails in Bryan-College Station

When we were sitting in veterinary orientation, we were told many times that the healthy habits we form now — in the intense and busy environment of veterinary school — are the ones we will maintain in our intense and busy lives as veterinarians. Veterinary medicine is a challenging and demanding career, so it is important to find routines that allow us to keep our minds and bodies healthy.

I have always believed that exercise is a great form of stress relief; the physical exertion gives my brain a break from thinking and forces some of the pent-up energy out of my body. As I prepared for my first semester of veterinary school this past fall, I wanted to make sure that I made time in my schedule for physical activity, especially running. 

I was nervous about finding scenic, outdoor running loops close to school, but after a semester of thorough exploration, I have located multiple scenic, easily accessible trails, neighborhoods, and parks. For all my current and prospective veterinary school classmates looking to spend some time outside, I have compiled a list of five 3-4 mile loops within 20 minutes of the veterinary school that are easily adjustable for all activity levels. 

Lake Bryan – 16 minutes away 

Lake Bryan and surrounding trails are utilized for a wide variety of activities including walking, running, mountain biking, kayaking, fishing, boating, and camping. 

After pulling through the main gate, park in the gravel lot on the left side. Trail heads start on both sides of the road. The main walking / running trail is a gravel path that surrounds the entire perimeter of the lake. There are many small mountain bike trails off the main trail that are open to foot-traffic, but pedestrians need to carefully watch for cyclists. The full circle of the main trail is about 11 miles, but there are many options for shorter out-and-back routes.

Pros: waterfront views, well-maintained trails, lots of parking

Cons: $5 fee to enter property, only accessible during specific hours (usually 9am-8pm), farther from school

Lake Bryan map

Lake bryan view

Traditions – 5 minutes away

The golf course, club house, and Stella Hotel are centrally located and surrounded by many neighborhoods. 

There are two main options for parking. If you are coming from F&B Road, park at the public lots outside the Stella hotel (A below). You can route up the roads around the Traditions sky tower and lake walk, past the club house, and through some of the surrounding neighborhoods. If you are coming from Villa Maria Road, park at the small lot on the right just beyond the Traditions sign and entrance. 

Pros: lots of different potential loops, lots to see – fancy houses, ponds, bridges, well-maintained sidewalks

Cons: popular – lots of other walkers & runners
Traditions map view

Traditions map 2 view

running trail traditions

Wolf Pen Creek Park – 10 minutes away

Wolf Pen Creek is a 63 acre park and trail system in downtown College Station. The trail system is split into two sections, but the majority of the park, including the pond and amphitheater, is in the north half. 

There are three established parking areas, one at each end of the trail system and one in the middle off Colgate drive. Wide paved sidewalks follow the creek and ponds throughout the park.

Pros: well-maintained sidewalks, very scenic pond, great green space in an otherwise developed area

Cons: very close to major roads and strip malls, very busy if there are events at the park

Wolf Pen Creek Park running trail

Lick Creek State Park – 20 minutes away 

Lick Creek State Park is a 500-acre state park that boasts about 5 miles of horseback riding, biking, and walking trails, a nature center, and an outdoor amphitheater. 

I recommend parking at the main lot next to the nature center. Most of the trailheads begin behind the nature center and there is a large map for route planning. The wide gravel trails loop through meadows, forest sections, and over small creeks.

Pros: really feels like you are out in nature

Cons: definitely farther from vet school, very busy on the weekends when the weather is nice

Lick Creek State Park running trail

Research Park at Texas A&M

Research Park is a 40-acre park located in between the George Bush Presidential Library and the veterinary school. The park includes several interconnected ponds, plenty of green space, over a mile and a half of walking/running paths, and an 18-hole disc golf course. 

Research Park is within walking distance of the veterinary school, so it is an excellent option for workouts during study breaks or before or after school. It is also home to our Vet School Purina Run / Walk Club that gets together after school every Tuesday!

Pros: scenic ponds and bridges, super close to school!

Cons: few route options, have to cross University Road to get to Research Park from school

running trail Research Park

‘Final’ Motivation

It’s that time of the semester! The time where class days are dwindling and stress levels are growing.

Madelaine and an alpaca at a Pre-Vet Society event
Madelaine and an alpaca at a Pre-Vet Society event

Finals can be a little overwhelming, but the excitement of summer is a great source of motivation. My summer plans will be keeping me very busy; I’m really looking forward to all the different opportunities ahead of me.

Among those opportunities, I will be participating in a study abroad program through which I will spend four weeks in Thailand. I am beyond excited!

We will spend each week in a different region of Thailand as we gain a better understanding of how animal, human, and environmental health interact. I will have the opportunity to shadow a veterinarian at an elephant sanctuary, explore a new culture, and help with coral reef restoration.

This trip is going to be something I will never forget, and I am so excited to gain a broader view of veterinary medicine.

When I get back from my trip abroad, reality will settle in and it will be time to apply to veterinary school.

It is both exciting and terrifying to think about. I can’t believe how quickly my time at A&M has flown by.

The pre-veterinary resources here at A&M have already helped me so much in this process.

Recently I attended an application workshop that gave me a better understanding of the online application.

Fender smiles for the camera.
Fender smiles for the camera.

The TAMU Pre-Vet Society also has given me very unique animal experience that I never expected to receive. For example, I have been able to volunteer at alpaca farms, attend equine clinics, and help in the exotics room at Vet School Open House.

I’m very thankful that I am not going through this process alone. Applying to vet school is going to be nerve racking but I am excited to see where it takes me.

But before I can step into summer I have to face my final exams.

I am trying my best to be diligent and finish this semester strong. Things that keep me grounded include my friends, family and, especially, my dog, Fender.

Although the stress of finals is upon me, I know there is an end in sight, and I am hopeful that all of this hard work will be worth it.

Transitions

If you’ve been following along at home, you’ve likely noticed that as springtime hits the CVM, our ambassadors have lots to say about the upcoming summer and year ahead.

Chelsea and boots celebrate her receiving her Aggie Ring.
Chelsea and boots celebrate her receiving her Aggie Ring.

Our BIMS students are excited to attend study abroad and internship programs. Our first-year veterinary students (1VM) have their eyes set on some well-deserved rest and relaxation after enduring the most rigorous year of schooling of their lives. Many of our second-year veterinary students (2VM) will try out different clinical externships to help flesh out their career goals. And, finally, our third-year veterinary students (myself included) have a major space-occupying lesion in our mind—fourth-year clinics.

You’ve heard it before—this is our final year of veterinary school, during which we become immersed in the activity of A&M’s elite referral large and small animal hospitals.  If you’ve attended one of our tours, you’ve likely seen current fourth-year veterinary students (4VM) dashing about in white or green coats.  Our job in the fourth-year is to work alongside board-certified specialists to help guide clients through the diagnosis and treatment of their animals’ medical conditions.

I have several friends in the current 4VM class who are now solidifying job offers and planning their move from veterinary student to veterinary practitioner. This process also includes acquiring appropriate licenses and insurance policies necessary to practice.

As you can imagine, summer is a time of transitions, and we are all excited and anxious to step into our new roles.

Recently, I had the great honor to receive my Aggie Ring. Most veterinary students, if they didn’t attend A&M as an undergraduate, apply to receive their ring in the middle of our 2VM year, around the same time as our White Coat ceremony.

I waited until my third year because I decided that it would be nice to have another milestone right before I head into clinics and also because it was a great opportunity to see my parents, since it’s going to be several months before I return home.

Group making gig'em signs and showing their Aggie ring On Aggie Ring Day, we had a lovely dinner at Madden’s in Bryan (definitely recommend), and three of my close friends joined us for my ring ceremony. The evening was filled with love, support, and pride for all of the hard work that underscores the journey to receive one of these rings.

I received my first Balfour ring when I graduated Bucknell University in 2013, and it seems fitting to have a second one to commemorate my time as an Aggie veterinary student.  I’m not one for a ton of jewelry in the first place (it all has to come off for surgery!), but I do love what these rings represent and cherish the education I’ve received from both institutions.

Another important milestone to consider is that I have to say goodbye to my time as a CVM Ambassador.  I have worked in this program since 2015 and have held the position of lead ambassador for the past two years, managing the logistics of providing tours of the VBEC and our teaching hospitals.

It’s been a great honor to hold this leadership position—I’ve worked with some wonderful students with so much passion for the A&M community. Furthermore, with the incredible support of a dedicated supervisor, I have gained many skills in communication and team management.

Chelsea, as a child, with her mother and her horse Sparkle.
Chelsea, as a child, with her mother and her horse Sparkle. Horses have always been a big part of Chelsea’s life and are part of the reason she pursued veterinary medicine.

The next generation of this program is going to have so many exciting features for our future guests, and I can’t wait to see our new lead ambassador walking through the hospitals training new guides!

As I wrap up my swan song, I’m inclined to think about when I was about 8 years old, visiting Texas A&M for the first time—it was the first veterinary school I had ever seen.

While my pony was being treated for a soft tissue injury, my mom and I were given a tour of the newly built Large Animal Hospital, and, in only the way that a child can, I declared something of a premonition—this is where I would become a veterinarian.

Shortly after that time, my family moved to England, and I wasn’t sure when or if I would be returning to the States. I haven’t the space to thank everyone who has played a role in my journey back to this school, but as I transition into my final year as a veterinary student, I think of them daily and am so grateful to be here, watching my childhood ambitions mature into a promising career as a DVM.