Cow Bayou

Cow Bayou rises in two forks in southern McLennan County. North Cow Bayou rises about six miles southeast of McGregor (at 31°22' N, 97°21' W) and runs southeast for eighteen miles to join South Cow Bayou, which begins four miles north of Moody (at 31°21' N, 97°22' W) and runs southeast for eighteen miles. Cow Bayou proper begins at the confluence of these two branches, two miles northwest of Mooreville in northwestern Falls County (at 31°19' N, 97°08' W) and runs east for ten miles to its mouth on the Brazos River, four miles northeast of Chilton in Falls County (at 31°19' N, 97°00' W). Cow Bayou traverses flat to rolling prairie with locally steep slopes, surfaced by dark, expansive clays and clay loams. Local vegetation consists primarily of oak, juniper, mesquite, cacti, and grasses. The creek was supposedly named for wild cattle that used to graze on its banks.