Nathaniel Lynch ran a ferry here during the Runaway Scrape. Harris County still runs one — HCTRA, not TxDOT. We had the operator and the hours wrong. The ferry is free, about a quarter-mile, five to ten minutes depending on ships, and the most Baytown thing you can do in a short wait: industrial sublime, a little history, kids on the rail of the William P. Hobby or the Ross S. Sterling.
Weekdays: 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Weekends: 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Closed New Year’s, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. It has not run midnight-to-midnight since 2004. If you are building a Sunday morning around it, do not leave the hotel at 8.
North landing is 1001 S Independence Parkway N, next to David G. Burnet Park. South landing drops you toward San Jacinto. Walk-ons and bikes are fine. No EZ TAG. Check the Lynchburg Ferry Facebook if fog or a ship has them holding.
- free ferry
- ship channel
- 1836 route
- HCTRA
Local tip. Free. Weekends start at 11 a.m. If the wait looks long, that’s the point — watch the ships. Superintendent: (713) 983-1899.
