The "Big Thicket"—now there's a resonant name, one that conjures images of Grimm Brothers' fairytales and Blair Witches. But in this 83,000-acre swath of East Texas's Piney Woods, truth may just be stranger than fiction: Dank, dark, and overgrown, the Big Thicket is a maze of swamps, rivers, and impenetrably dense forests, a place both weird and wonderful. There aren't many undiscovered gems left in the National Parks and Preserves system, but Big Thicket is one of them. Read More »
Big Thicket National Preserve Highlights
- The Big Thicket National Preserve has nine trails in five land units ranging from 0.5 miles to 18 miles. They run through ecosystems that include eastern hardwood forests, Gulf coastal plains, and Midwestern prairies.
- A premier area for wildflowers from late spring through summer, the Sundew Trail is ideal for families with small children. A booklet guides you through a one-mile loop, mostly boardwalk, through open longleaf pine and wetland savannah.
- Located in the southeast corner of the Big Sandy Creek Unit, this short 1.5-mile loop is ideal for families with young children. It meanders around several ponds formed by old beaver dams and is a great access point for the Big Sandy Creek Unit.
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Big Thicket National Preserve Travel Q&A
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What's your favorite hike? Where's the best campsite? Join the conversation! Ask Your Question
What You Can Do in Big Thicket National Preserve
Articles & Advice on Big Thicket National Preserve
- Big Thicket National Preserve
- Activities
- Articles by John Grassy
- Natural Communities
- Top Ten Kid-Tested Rivers
- Neches River, Texas
- The Texas Gulf Coast
- Early Spring Seaside Splendor
- The World of the Coast
- Wildlife and More along the Seashore
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Parks Near Big Thicket National Preserve
- Old Military Road Trail,AR (13 mi.)
- Sabine National Wildlife Refuge,LA (50 mi.)
- Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge,TX (52 mi.)
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