I love Brazos bend state park. It can be a drive depending on where you live in "Houston" but I think it can be eye worth it for the entire day or even a weekend trip. I come here for a short half day trip to walk some trails with my kids 5&7. Nothing is too strenuous here for the kiddos. The facilities are typically pretty clean too and there are picnic tables to be able to have a nice lunch or snacks. The park has plenty of trails, picnic areas, fishing spots, and gators! The observatory is always a hit too! read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

$7 per person. Well worth it! Great park with walking trails - lots of wildlife and nature to see. We saw lots of alligators, turtles, birds, deer, and other wildlife. Plenty of tables for BBQ or picnics. Highly recommend! read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Lots of gators, big & small!! - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

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I was surprised on my visit to Brazos Bend State Park. After hearing and reading about people's experiences, and seeing pictures online, I thought I knew what to expect...but I was wrong. This park is far away enough from Houston but still close enough for a day trip, which is what I did. It took me about 30 minutes to drive here from Sugar Land. As I approached the entrance gate, I saw that they had two lines of cars with gate booths, just like the national parks. A ranger came out to my car and I registered myself as a day visitor. A park map was given to me and off I went to explore! Brazos Bend SP is larger than I thought it would be. There was a large parking lot and a few trailheads not too far away from the entrance, but I decided to drive past it to the next lot. 2 miles on the road later, the next parking lot was equally large but with much less cars and visitors. There's an interpretive center that was closed when I went, but a water fountain was nearby where I refilled my water bottle. I ended up walking along a combination of trails to get a feel for the place. The trails are mostly flat with asphalt, dirt, and light gravel. The peacefulness of this park is what really convinced me of the gem that this place is. Along the way, I witnessed many birds, including several vulture roosts in the trees. I also saw the American alligator in a pond, which I viewed from a safe distance. It would be quite difficult to reach the river and the ponds because of the natural vegetation in the area, so there weren't any wild alligators on the trails. I didn't get the chance to fully explore this park, but I wouldn't mind returning here another day. The gift shop offers a variety of items to purchase and the rangers seemed knowledgeable about the history of the park. Overall, I enjoyed my time here! read more

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Extremely peaceful and wonderful hike. The weather was superb and the park Rangers were nice. read more

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Beautiful park and a great place to spend time outdoors. Brazos Bend State Park is peaceful, well maintained, and full of natural beauty. The trails are easy to enjoy, the scenery is amazing, and there is plenty of wildlife to see. It's a perfect spot for walking, relaxing, and connecting with nature. Definitely worth visiting and a place we look forward to coming back to. read more

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Went for a hike at @brazosbendstatepark. such a great spot for Hiking, Biking, Fishing and picnicking. Multiple trails that you can take, great atmosphere, many animals can be seen including alligators, just overall a great spot for nature lovers. read more

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We enjoyed visiting this park on November 2 for the Free Pass day and saved $14 dollars. The weather is finally cooling down so it was a nice walk. The visitors center has baby alligators you can see and a small gift shop with snacks and drinks. Plenty of parking this day I don't know if it's always like that. The park employees were friendly and answered questions and offered paper maps of the trails. We will visit again. read more

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Free entry with the reservation of a TX Park pass. I wanted to come out with my pup, Sneakers in hopes to see some gators. We went on the Creekfield Lake Woodland trail, Creekfield Lake, Observatory Trail, and finished off with the Wildflower trail. All trails were easy to moderate level. All trails had beautiful flora, fauna, and wildlife creatures. I didn't get a chance to see any gators on this trip due to the weather and my pup feeling too hot. All were riddled with mosquitoes that were relentless. Despite dousing myself in skin so soft and deet repellent. Them blood suckers attacked my face head on biting some trying to get some juice to fuel them. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my visit. The trails weren't packed with people. Next time I come, I might do some camping. read more

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Very great customer service! They offer an annual active duty military pass for all Texas state parks. You still have to pay admission for anyone else attending/riding with you. Beautiful & clean park. Make sure to bring water! Lots of great maps & trail markers to keep you on the right path. Lots of shaded areas & little pavilions for breaks. There was also a cool tower to see the land from higher up. We counted 3 alligators & lots of birds during our 3 hours here. read more

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Alligators everywhere! I've wanted to see alligators in the wild for years, but never saw any despite family vacations to Florida and other places in the south. I finally got to see not one, but many alligators, and up close! They seemed mostly docile, but we did see one small alligator move quickly after a young man who was fishing at the edge of the water. So just a reminder, they're fully wild animals, and this is their space. Other than that, they mostly hung out and let us take pictures of them. What a cool place! read more

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We had a great time here. Fun place to visit. Nice long, meandering trails to hike. Lots of wildlife to see. You can fish there without a license. They have a small museum/nature center. You can see the animals up close and personal. You can read up on the history of the area. They also have an observatory. I plan on going back here on a clear night and check out the stars. What I really love about this park is that you can get pretty darn close to man-eating alligators and venomous snakes. Great for pictures! read more

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Just one cool awesome park! Down in the southwest area in Needsville, this park has tons of trails, lakes, and woods. It contains multiple camping sites and picnic areas. You'll see several unique animals including armadillos and alligators as you explore the trails. My favorite was the elm trail which covers the northeast area and goes by the bayou. I'd also recommend having hiking boots/shoes and some long pants since you may encounter some bugs or other crazy creatures that I won't mention. Make sure you order your ticket/pass online. You can also pay when you arrive but sometimes they may not let you in if it's at full capacity (whatever that means). They also have a yearly pass which I may pick up since I could see myself here more often. It's worth the drive from Houston when you want to escape the activity of the city and get some peace of mind. As long as you don't mind the animals! read more

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Brazos Bend State Park is a large (~5000 acre) state park located only 45 minutes from central Houston. It's definitely worth the drive! This one is another one of our favorites! We didn't get a chance to explore as much of the park as we had hoped to the last time we were here due to the scorching Houston summer heat. We spent about three hours walking around the trails here before we headed home. We will definitely be back! The ecology here is swamp-like complete with alligators, lots of wildlife, shallow waters, and miles of flat trails. It reminded me a lot of the Everglades National Park. Tickets are $7 per person . Make sure to reserve online due to COVID pandemic so you don't risk being turned away. ELM LAKE LOOP Our day started out by walking the Elm Lake Loop, a short 1.7 mile trail, that offers the best opportunities to view wildlife within the state park. This one took us to Point of interest #1 on the trail map, the Elm Lake Wildlife Viewing Platform. The Platform offers a beautiful birds-eye view of the ecosystem. We saw plenty of birds on this trail! But unfortunately there were no gators, which if we're being honest, is the wildlife that we really came out to see. CREEKFIELD LAKE ADA INTERPRETIVE TRAIL/OBSERVATORY TRAIL Next, we took our car to the Nature Center parking lot. The Nature Center was closed due to COVID. However, this is the location of the trailheads to the Creekfield Lake ADA Interpretive trail and the Observatory Trail (which leads to the George Observatory). Here is where our trip brought us face to face with nature at its finest. Look up at sky while walking this side of the park and you will see large spiders hanging from webs above you! In total, we saw about ten large spiders just a few feet above us towards on the Creekfield Lake Trail. I'll close by mentioning that this State Park is special enough to host the George Observatory, which is actually a part of the Houston Museum Natural Science. The Observatory holds telescope viewing sessions at night. It is a short walk to the Observatory from the Nature Center parking lot, but beware those spiders at night. read more

Yes, I recommend this to anybody great place to go nice place to visit. It's just all-around great place and it's not expensive either great things in there to see. read more

It was an awesome walk. Got to see so much nature. The bugs where a bit intense so might want to bring bug spray but the tails are shaded for most part some spot are out in sun but mostly shaded by trees. The trails we went on was the Horseshoe Lake Loop, Trail 1.2 miles, and Elm Lake Loop, Trail 1.7 miles. On the way to 40 Acre Lake, Trail 1.2 miles an alligator was blocking the path and we couldn't make it all the way. read more

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So gorgeous! Highly recommend checking it out. A 45 min drive from Houston to feel like you're in a completely different place. The reservations were pretty easy--we bought tickets online ($7 per person). There were many different trails, some along rivers and others with more grassy fields. There ARE alligators! We saw 2 within the first 15 minute. They are very difficult to see so be careful where you walk. Would not recommend bringing small dogs here but we brought our large dog and he was fine. There are also many picnic areas to sit and eat. Overall social distancing is pretty good here--people stay far apart and it's easy to wear a mask if you get too close to others. read more

Went camping here over the weekend. Really enjoyed the park! It's a fairly large park. We did a few trails, mainly exploring looking for the alligators. We were successful with Elm Lake, but make sure you go mid day when the sun is out. We saw about 5 spread out on the back side of the trail. Trails are well kept and lots of markers to stay away from the water. We bought tickets for the observatory and I didn't have high expectations, but I'm glad I went. Several telescopes set up. We saw Orion's Belt, Orion's Nebula, and Jupiter. We even saw the red spot on Jupiter! Volunteers were very knowledgeable and patient with the kids. Lots for kids! Playground near our campsite (we were 201), observatory, and different activities at the Nature Center. They enjoyed seeing the snakes and petting the baby aligator. Campsites are well maintained and fire wood was only $5.00 a bundle, but cash only. Only downside is make sure you have most of your supplies with you. The campsite doesn't have too much to offer (camping wise). Overall, we enjoyed our time and will probably be back. read more

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I love coming here to see the alligators. The birdwatching is also phenomenal. Brazos Bend is the closest major state park in Houston, and it's a great place to spend half the day walking around and observing wildlife. For overnight, the campsites are lovely. The restrooms are clean, and there is a fire pit and grill for cooking. They sell firewood as well. There isn't that much to do when camping here, but it's good for just camping with the family or friends for a night to get away from your comfortable bed and air conditioned house. read more

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Came in May when timed entry tickets had just started and it felt like we had the entire park to ourselves for only $7/pp. We saw several alligators laying in the shallow waters for those with sharp eyes. They were harmless and kept to themselves. Lots of flat trails around the area, perfect for biking to get around. read more

Brazos Bend State Park - View from the tower - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

Really great place. You can see gators and there is a lot of trails for walking and biking!

Awesome place staffed by knowledgeable volunteers. Hikes are mostly loops of varying lengths around cool ponds and lakes. Big gators everywhere! We also saw snakes and turtles. The visitor's center has a small gift shop and some hands-on activities for the kids. read more

This is a beautiful park. We had a really great time biking and looking for alligators. We really enjoyed the little nature center where we were able to pet an alligator. read more

If you need an escape from the busy Houston daily life, Brazos Bend State Park is the place for you! I came to Brazos Bend a few years ago and did not remember much except for alligators and trails. I decided to go again on a random Sunday morning. We chose that because the weather would be cooler sunday morning. Before we went, we printed out this map: https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/park_maps/pwd_mp_p4504_0110z.pdf with all the trails and points. The drive to Brazos Bend is far inside a random area however once we were there, we were pleasantly surprised. We bought tickets the night before so when we got there, we would for sure have a spot. I would recommend others do the same. We did not want to get turned away because we drove so far. We arrived around 10am and it was pretty empty. Empty enough where on specific trails i would only see 3-4 families or couples. We wanted to reach as many trails as possible however after 2 hours, we ended up leaving. The two main areas we spent our time as was Elm Lake Trail and I believe Creekfield Lake Trail ADA interpretive Trail. Elm Lake Trail was great! We parked and walked around the lake for a bit. Elm Lake Trail is connected to Old and New Horseshoe Lake Trail. It was around 1.3 miles and Elm Lake Loop was 1.7 miles fully. I would recommend this trail. It was nice to see multiple lakes and trail, very peaceful. We saw a couple of squirrels as well. After that trail, we drove to Creekfield Lake Trail which was a smaller trail and close to the natural museum. That trail had a few observation decks/stops which information about the animals. Another place we wanted to go to was the Hale Lake Trail as i was good reviews for that trail however it was difficult to find. After driving around a few times, we ended up at the Campgrounds however was not able to locate Hale Lake. We spent 2 hours in total there but you can definitely spend 4+ hours at this park. It's a nice area to have a picnic as well, there were multiple tables and restrooms. I will be back maybe for a whole day trip. Highly recommend! read more

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must see. confirmed alligators were there. good assortment in trails overall. $7 for day but worth it. read more

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For $7/pp you can't go wrong spending a day walking through Brazos Bend State Park. All of the other reviews have covered the ins and outs of the park accurately. I would just add that on a week day there are no crowds and the nature center volunteers will spend a lot of extra time showing you snakes and baby gators. Bring plenty of cold water and things to snack on, especially during the summer months. For anyone visiting from up north I would also recommend wearing a hat with a visor to keep the sun off your head. Enjoy! read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Gator close up - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

Alligator park! This place is a scream! It's so much fun! If you like hanging with gators in the woods, this is the place. There are a few lakes around here, that are swimming with gators. When I went, it was pretty hot out, and I suspect that they were all hanging out in the lillies, so I didn't see them. However, I could hear them, which is a bit freaky. The park offers a few viewing platforms from which you can check out the lakes. There's a nature trail that takes you around to each of the lakes. When I camped here, there were nice restrooms, dumpsters, and a park ranger staff who made things easy and fun! I saw all kinds of wildlife. My cooler got raided- probably by gators! Yikes. Be sure to lock your food up! There's a small, reasonable charge to camp or just hang out for the day. Be sure to check out their website to make reservations. read more

This is a really neat place to get away from the confines of the city. Whether daytripping or going for the overnight experience, be prepared for a relaxing nature experience. Gators are king here, and they are the biggest attraction of the park. They were in an abundance on the day I visited, and I spotted six going around one of the smaller popular trails, the 40 acre lake. Plenty of warning signs are posted addressing appropriate behavior when coming face to face with them. There were several trails, most of them easy to complete. The equestrian area of the park has been closed since... well as long as I can remember. Saw plenty of birds, gators, spiders, and even a few deer! My friend saw a snake. Be sure to check out the observatory by purchasing a ticket in the afternoon. There's also a nature center that offers cool activities for kids. Camping was a good experience, and most of the sites had shade and were spacious enough as to have a bit of privacy. All the spaces had a fire ring. Some had grills. Out of the four sites we reserved, one had a lot of standing water. Bring ear plugs as some of the guests aren't keen on observing quiet time, which starts at ten at all Texas State Parks. We could hear all sorts of critters at night in the distance and close by. Waking up on a cool fall day in a tent was refreshing! The sweet, moist air smelled simply divine! They do sell fire wood on site, but it is not very dry. Better to bring your own. All in all, a great park! Definitely worth a visit! read more

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Are you looking for a state park to hike in, but want to try something different? Well, you have found the place my friend. This park has: 40 miles of trails *LOTS of waterfowl - really awesome A really nice tree shaded day use area with picnic tables and grills Full RV hookups Cabins Fishing Equestrian camping Oh yeah... there's that whole 'gator thing you should probably check out. If you're here to spot alligators, you need to go early in the morning before it gets too hot. When it gets hot, the 'gators stay submerged and just briefly come to the surface for air. Make sure you read the map that explains the do's and don'ts of alligator safety and what to do if you run into one sunning itself on the trail. https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/park_maps/pwd_mp_p4504_110l.pdf To make most efficient use of your time, I suggest parking near Hale Lake, hike the loop, then hike on over to Elm Lake to hike that loop and the Big Creek Loop. I will warn you, the trail markers on the west side of Creekfield Lake are REALLY confusing (when you are going from one lake to the next) - and the trail map isn't much better in this little section. I had trouble both coming and going in that area. Some of the hiking is shaded but the majority is in the sun. Hiking shoes aren't a necessity, the trails aren't rugged and have minimal incline. A decent pair of tennis shoes does the job. I spotted three 'gators on my trip but I have heard others say they've seen a lot more on a day trip out there. Make sure you check this one out folks. read more

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Prod: Close to Houston Love the alligator watching Nice Play ground Cons: Nothing special Campsite view is not spectacular read more

Super fun hiking experience and awesomely wicked experience of seeing gators in their natural habitat! If you have a couple of hours, I def recommend heading out here! Make sure you get your day pass online early so you won't GeT turned away! read more

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This is the best park right outside of Houston! I love all the alligators, avian species, and deer roaming around. This is a great place to cycle, walk, or hike. It's also phenomenal for photographers! read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

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I spent a very relaxing weekend camping in Brazos Bend State Park. The campsites are unique, interesting and spacious. I stayed in the Red Buckey camping loop and took a couple of pictures. My campsite was open to a field which was blooming with spring wild flowers. At night I watched the sun set, the bats fly and deer graze. The site next to us had a massive tree which birds and squirrels liked to play on. Another site had a tree that was cut down and left as a backdrop for the campers. I really enjoyed the wide walking trails around the numerous ponds and felt peaceful in the quite mornings listening to the numerous birds. read more

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Brazos Bend State Park was an awesome state park to visit southwest of Houston. Great trails with my favorite being Elm Lake Trail around the lake as this is where I saw a large alligator basking in the afternoon sun, right by the trail!! Apparently he was on the trail prior! Tons of wildlife seen here from the variety of birds, alligators (spotted 4 of em), opossum, bunnies, and a Great Horned Owl whose 2 chicks just hatched at the front of the park. I'd highly recommend visiting. I camped here and the showers and bathrooms are well kept. It's a great state park! read more

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My husband and I went to Brazos Bend State Park for Valentines Day. This was our first visit and it did not disappoint. The staff is sweet and eager to help with any questions or tips about the park and wildlife. It was a sunny day so the alligators were out sunbathing everywhere. I'll be honest, it took me awhile to completely calm my nerves knowing I was surrounded by these prehistoric looking creatures but once I realized they didn't mind our presence I was able to live in the moment and enjoy myself. We spotted over 20 big boys and tons of little baby gators along with lots of other wildlife. We hiked the 40 acre lake and Elm lake. Our day trip to Brazos Bend was truly an unforgettable experience. I can't wait to return to explore all the other trails in the park. This place is Awesome!!! If your hiking don't forget comfy shoes and lots of water and snacks. :) read more

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Plentiful lovely trails teeming with wildlife! There were quite a lot of people enjoying a gorgeous day. I saw almost zero trash! There are numerous places to sit and enjoy the scenery on the Horseshoe Lake Loop, and the Elm Lake Loop Trail - much more populated than the Horseshoe Lake Loop - had restrooms, outhouses, viewing platforms, fishing spots, and a plethora of birds and alligators! We drove around to see the camping spots, and while I'm not a fan of having both tent camping and camper trailers in the same spot, the area looked nice, and I didn't hear a lot of engines/generators running, which is my main concern when tent camping next to trailers. My partner and I are already planning on making a trip out here in a couple of months. We have a lot going on in the next few weeks, but I really can't wait to return! read more

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Perfect day. Enjoyed lots of birds and alligators. Walked Hoods Hallow Trail. Huge water oaks! No mosquitoes today. Get here before it rains! Had a great time. Nd will be back. Camping, play areas for kids, biking, picnicking, fishing, hiking. It's all good! read more

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I absolutely adore this park! Want to get in some miles and enjoy nature along the bayou? Want to see some GATORS?! I am talkin' real life gators, y'all. This is the stomping ground for the American alligator. If it is chilly out you may not see them. But when it's warm they come out and get their suntan on. Not to worry, around here they literally don't move unless you bug 'em. Mind your business and they will mind theirs. But yes, there's plenty of trail and if you like to run the trail system is easy to follow and the dirt trails are great for running. Great opportunities out here for photos as well! Cannot wait to make my way back out here for some fun to be immersed in nature. There are lots of spots avail to camp as well. read more

Brazos Bend State Park - Trail run adventures - Parks Near Me - Needville, Texas

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This is absolutely one of my favorite parks in the area and possibly in my top 5 of Texas. When you want to retreat from the hustle & bustle of the city noise (that seems to be creeping into the countryside) this park is the spot! Nature lovers will rejoice and city folk can also find solace in the peaceful surroundings! You can enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities here such as: birdwatching, hiking, camping, picnicking, photography and entomology. This park allows overnight lodging. It has various spots for you to park your camper or RV and offers electricity. Additionally you have mini cabins you can rent for about 25 a night! All equipped with bonfire pit, bbq pit and table! The cabins are sparse but have electricity, screens to keep out bugs and food prep station. Kinda like glamping! There are restrooms all over the park so no worries there. Also there is a banquet hall you can rent or covered outdoor picnic pavilions with huge drum pits for cooking up for rent too! Perfect for family reunions, holidays or birthday. This park is an awesome place to walk and relax in tranquility!! There are gators, snakes and spiders everywhere but it's nature. I love it here! Awesome spot for bike riding and dog walking. Kids will have fun too! Just all around activities for everyone! read more

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Very nice natural park with lots of wildlife. Great picture opportunities everywhere you look. And yeah, gators! The area around the observation tower was very beautiful. read more

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Is it strange that my sister got married here? I thought so, but to each their own. The park offers a lot! You drive in and start to get an idea about how huge it is. Depending on the time of year you'll see everything from armadillos, rabbits, deer, raccoons, alligators, snakes, spiders, etc... all of which I have personally seen at this park. When we came for my sister's wedding, she had set up some tables and a ceremony area on the shore of Elm Lake. As she got married you could hear alligators making clucking noises in the background. We've also been there to visit George Observatory. On Saturday nights (3pm - 10pm), amateur star gazers set up their expensive telescopes and let you look for free. You can also view the sky through the larger telescopes for a small fee. It's really a fun night! There a bunch of other things to do there such as the Challenger Learning Center where local schools will have field trips to. There are tons of trails for walking, biking, running, etc.... just watch out for the snakes! There is also a Nature Center where there is a gift shop. They also have some caged birds outside that were rescued and use for educational show-and-tell. overall, I really like this park. It's not so far out of town where you need to stay the night (even though they do have camping areas), but it is far enough out that you can see the stars! read more

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