I grew up in Central Texas all of my life. The difference between the trees in Central Texas and the trees in the Sam Houston National Forest are the sheer volume of trees that The Sam Houston National Forest contains. Not only are they plentiful, they are insanely tall, in comparison. It may seem like no big deal if this is the place that you grew up, but for me it is a sight to be seen. My husband missed being in the forest during the years that we lived in Central Texas. It is just different.
When my husband and I met, he would tell me stories of riding dirt bikes with his Dad, siblings and friends through the trails near Kelly's Pond. We have continued that tradition with our kids and our first camping
trip together brought back all of the wonderful memories that my husband experienced with his family. It is a beautiful place to take the kids to ride around on dirt bikes, or to hike the trails on The Lone Star Hiking Trail. It has a little bit of fun for everyone there.
Wikipedia actually describes it best, Located just 50 miles north of Houston, The Sam Houston National Forest stretches a total of 163,037 acres and is inclusive of 3 different Texas counties, Montgomery, San Jacinto and Walker. Protected today by Federal and State regulations, evidence of human occupations from as early as 7,000 years ago within the forest have been documented by a number of archaeological sites. The Sam Houston National Forest is currently managed under the multiple-use concept, meaning the uses of the forest, such as recreation, fish and wildlife, timber, grazing, soil and water, and minerals are planned to maintain a balance among the benefits and still provide for public needs.
Today the forest is used for multiple recreational activities such as hiking, an excellent way to discover all of its beauty. The 128-mile Lone Star Hiking Trail winds throughout the entire forest. The trail is currently marked with 2x4 inch aluminum markers to guide hikers and has 3 different points of recreation areas along it. The Lone Star Hiking Trail is open to hike year-round, however winter and spring are the most popular seasons thanks to the wonderful, Texas heat.
Camping is also one of the more popular activities to do in the forest. With 3 developed campgrounds (Cagle, Double Lake and Stubblefield), campers will find plenty of things to enjoy the beauty and nature surrounding them. Kelly Pond Recreation Area and Multi-use Trailhead are also within the forest and offer multi-use (dirt bike, equestrian and mountain bike) trails.
Fishing of both Lake Livingston and Lake Conroe can be accessed from the forest and are both noted for black bass and year-round fishing. The Sam Houston National Forest is also designated as a wildlife management area through a cooperative agreement between Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the U.S. Forest Service. This special designation allows permitted hunters to hunt deer and small game during the months of hunting season in November and December. All hunters and fisherman are required to have a Texas license and follow State regulations.
Deer and squirrels are the most popular animals found within The National Forest. It also provides a wintering habitat for the endangered bald eagle and a home for the endangered species, the red-cockaded woodpecker. Feral hogs have also been seen in great populations throughout the forest. Timber in the Sam Houston National Forest is managed on a sustained yield principle, meaning the forest will continuously produce timber products in the future for local and national needs. When the timber is removed, the money from sales is sent to the U.S. Treasury, and a portion of these funds is returned to the counties for schools and roads. Exploration and drilling for minerals in the Sam Houston National Forest is part of the multiple-use program. Mineral extraction and drilling, allowed under certain conditions, help meet energy needs. Many of the forest minerals belong to private entities who reserved the mineral rights when the lands were purchased during the 1930s, and under the terms of the deed, these outstanding and reserved minerals can be legally explored and removed by the owner.
The fall season makes a wonderful time to visit the National Forest as a family or even solo for that getting back to nature experience. Make time to come out and visit Gods beautiful creation. You won't be disappointed.
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More information and regulations about The Sam Houston National Forest can be found online at National Forests and Grasslands in Texas - Districts (usda.gov)
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