Backpacker Magazine – February 1998

Lone Star Hiking Trail, Texas

Smooth and easy hiking deep in the heart of Texas.

by: Chip Lambert

They say everything's bigger in Texas, so a 140-mile trail should come as no surprise. The Lone Star Trail jaunts through the Sam Houston National Forest, deep in the heart of southeast Texas. Here densely packed pines and hardwoods tower overhead, and a rusty-red carpet of pine needles crunches underfoot. The going is smooth and easy, leaving you free to scan the forest for endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers or bald eagles.

One of the trail's highlights is the Big Creek Scenic Area off FM 2666 in the eastern portion of the forest, where the path is laced with gently flowing streams and sprinkled with springtime flowers. Three developed recreation areas along the way (Double Lake on FM 2025, Huntsville State Park just west of I-45, and Stubblefield on FS 215 near New Waverly) offer convenient access.

TRAIL PLANNER

LENGTH: 140 miles, with several loops ranging from 5 to 13 miles

RATING: Easy to moderate. A thru-hike would take about a week.

WHERE: Access points, all 1 to 11/2 hours north of Houston and about 4 hours south of Dallas, are scattered along the trail, the eastern-most trailhead located on FM 1725 from US 59 north near Cleveland and the western-most trailhead FM 149 near Richards.

MAPS: A map of the entire LSHT is available from the district ranger for free at the address below.

CONTACT: District Ranger, Sam Houston National Forest, P.O. Box 1000, New Waverly, TX; (409) 344-6205.

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