Veterans at the Bend 2026

Join us in bringing awareness to the plight of those who have served our country!

Our veterans carry a lot in their packs during their service, some of which they carry with them long after their time in the military is done. We at Brazos Bend believe that there's more we can do to help our veterans carry that baggage and try to lessen the impact it has on those who put themselves on the line to serve our country.

That is why Brazos Bend State Park is hosting our Veterans at the Bend event: a veterans mental health awareness event with the goal of shining a light on this mental health crisis among our veterans and make more obvious the options available to them so that they may get any help they may need. Veteran-owned businesses, vendors, and organizations will be in attendance, helping us to inform and educate while attendees partake in fun, food, contests, and programs.

This event begins at 8AM with a resource booth hour followed by an Honor Hike around Elm Lake Loop (1.7 mi.) and Horseshoe Lake Loop (1.3 mi.) for a total distance of about 3 miles. There will be waystations along the trail where hikers will have the opportunity to relax and cool off, to learn about the variety of ecosystems within the park, get hands-on education about the park's native animals, and more.

Participants may attend Veterans at the Bend at any time between 8AM to 12 noon and it's free to attend! Anyone visiting the park during the event will not be charged an entry fee and attendees can register for the event upon arrival. So come out and join us as we learn together and walk to support our veterans.

What you should bring:

• water bottle
• weather appropriate clothing 
• hat
• close-toed shoes
• insect repellent
• sunscreen