The Houston Parks and Recreation Department maintains an excellent system of long-range hike and bike trails. The linear parks run next to the banks of local bayous and beside city streets, and the Rails to Trails program builds trails along the beds of former railways. Hikers, bikers, runners, and skaters can cover a lot of ground and see some of the city's most scenic areas in the process. Surfaces include asphalt, concrete, red dog, and granite.
