Since being established as a national forest by the Texas Legislature in 1933, Sam Houston National Forest has been home to bird watchers, glampers and Bigfoot aficionados.
The national forest, about 50 miles north of Houston, spans nearly 200,000 acres between Conroe, Cleveland, Huntsville and Richards, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. With land in Montgomery, Walker, and San Jacinto counties, the Sam Houston National Forest is intermingled with privately owned timber lands and small farms, the agency’s website states.
And as the forest nears its most popular seasons, which tends to be winter and spring, there are several things visitors should know before planning a trip.
Here are three things to know before traveling to Sam Houston National Forest:
Lone Star Star Hiking Trail spans 128 miles
The Lone Star Star Hiking Trail, which spans 128 miles, winds through the national forest and has gained National Recreation Trail status, the agency’s website states. The trail consists of three sections — the Lake Conroe, Central Area and the Winters Bayou/Tarkington Creek Area sections.
While the Lone Star Hiking Trail can be hiked all year round, winter and spring are the most popular seasons due to the mild southeast Texas climate. During deer hunting season in November and December, hikers are encouraged to wear highly visible clothing. The trail, typically, isn’t crowded and is home to several native trees, plants and wildlife.
There is also 86 miles of of single-track multi-use trails. These trails are accessible to hikers, cyclists, equestrians and motorized users. It’s the only national forest in Texas that offers a motorized accessible trail system, according to information from the Sam Houston Trails Coalition.
Hikers can also get views of several rivers, creeks, lakes and streams throughout the nation forest.
Popular place for Sasquatch sightings
Visitors may be unaware of the rumors of a giant that may lurk in the forest, which allegedly attacked some explorers in 2015.
Bigfoot hunters have made their way to the national forest, which is an apparent hotspot for sightings of cryptids (animals whose existence is debated) that attracts hunters from across the Gulf Coast region and beyond.
With 254 square miles of wilderness, a suitable climate and close proximity to reliable water supplies, the woods north of Houston offer a perfect spot for roaming mystery creatures — which might explain the more than two dozen reports the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization has logged in the area. Bigfoot aficionados told the Houston Chronicle in 2017 that Montgomery and Liberty counties may boast more Bigfoot sightings than anyplace else in Texas.
One quick Facebook search will show that some members of the Texas Cryptozoology Network and BFD Bigfoot Discovery Ops of Texas are still inquiring about Sasquatch sightings while also trying to find like-minded individuals.
Home to North American birds
The national forest is also home to several North American bird species, including a couple of endangered birds such as the bald eagle. Lake Conroe and the surrounding National Forest lands provide wintering habitat for the endangered bald eagle.
During the winter months, the eagle is not an uncommon sight soaring over the lake, perched on a flooded snag or in a tall pine along the shoreline.
Another endangered species, the red-cockaded woodpecker, is found throughout the Sam Houston National Forest and frequently spotted by observant visitors. The small black and white woodpecker with distinctive large white cheek patches is slightly larger than a bluebird. The male has a single streak of red feathers on each side of his head. Its unique high-pitched, squeaky call can be recognized at considerable distances.
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