Who, What, & Where Age levels: Six and up Activities: Hiking, canoeing, birding Hours from Dallas: 3

This wilderness portion of the Davy Crockett National Forest contains some of the biggest old growth timber in Texas. It's a real sauna in the summertime, however, and smaller children may not appreciate the woodland's grandeur and abundant wildflowers.

Woodland hiking in Big Slough, Davy Crockett National Forest

Birders best bring binoculars, especially in spring, at the height of the April warbler migration. Look for wood ducks along the Neches and crow-size pileated woodpeckers in the aged oaks and hickories above the trails. The near constant cadence of red-eyed vireos serves as background music for any spring walk, and the silence-shattering gobble of wild turkeys often provides percussion for unfurling dogwood flowers.

Older kids may enjoy any or all of a 19-mile hiking trail or the eight-mile, full-circuit canoe trail on the Neches River.

Nearby, the Lake Ratcliff Recreation Area offers camping, a swimming beach, concessions, and showers.

Go Guide: Big Slough Wilderness Getting there: Take Interstate 45 south to the Hwy 7 exit east to Crockett. Then continue east some 20 miles to Ratcliff. From Ratcliff, take Farm Road 227 north for 1 mile, then Forest Road 547 north for about 3 miles, then Forest Road 533 northeast for 0.7 mile, then Houston County Road 10 northward for 1.2 miles to the intersection with former Forest Service Road 519. The parking area is on the west side. Reference: Realms of Beauty: A Guide to the Wilderness Areas of East Texas by Edward C. Fritz. University of Texas Press, P.O. Box 7819, Austin, Texas 78713-7819. Added value: The swimming beach at Lake Ratcliff Recreation Area for a warm weather cool-off. Contact: Davy Crockett National Forest, (404) 347-2479, or visit www.fs.fed.us/recreation/states/tx.shtml.

Move on to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

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