Hike Location: Sam Houston National Forest, Big Creek Scenic
Area
Geographic Location: north of Cleveland, TX (30.50592, -95.08864)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: December 2019
Overview: A rolling loop hike featuring nice mixed forest
and sandy-bottomed streams.
Area Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/texas/recarea/?recid=30292
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=777445
Photo Highlight:
Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of
I-69 and Farm-to-Market Road 2025 in Cleveland, drive FM 2025 north 10 miles to
FM 2666 and turn right on FM 2666. Drive
FM 2666 east 2.5 miles to Big Creek Scenic Road and turn left on Big Creek
Scenic Rd. Drive dirt/gravel Big Creek
Scenic Rd. north 0.5 miles to unsigned Forest Road 217 and turn right on FR
217. The signed dirt/gravel parking area
for Big Creek Scenic area is 0.8 miles ahead on the left just before the road
crosses Big Creek.
The hike: The
largest of Texas’ four national forests, Sam Houston National Forest protects
163,264 acres just north of metro Houston.
All four of Texas’ national forests were established in 1934, when the
State of Texas invited the federal government to buy up land that had been
overlogged or damaged by fire. Today the
forest has recovered nicely, and the four national forests are major recreation
destinations in east Texas.
Perhaps the most popular way to see
Sam Houston National Forest is by scheduling a multi-day backpack hike on the
Lone Star Hiking Trail. Winding for 128
miles, many of which are in Sam Houston National Forest, the Lone Star Trail is
frequently regarded as the best backpacking trail in Texas. The trail is maintained by the private
not-for-profit Lone Star Hiking Trail Club, which also provides an excellent map and
guide to the trail.
For dayhikers, one of Sam Houston
National Forest’s best options is the Big Creek Scenic Area featured here. Established in 1962 due to its scenic
properties, the somewhat remote 1420 acre area features three short loops of
increasing distance, each of which uses the Lone Star Hiking Trail for part of its
route. This hike describes the longest
of the three loops, thus keeping you in the scenic area for as long as possible
while minimizing the retracing of steps.
 |
| Trailhead at Big Creek Scenic Area |
The entrance trail leaves the back
of the parking area and heads north by crossing a wooden bridge over a small
stream. A trailhead marker for the Lone
Star Trail stands here, as does an information kiosk. In only a couple hundred feet, you intersect
the Lone Star Trail proper at the intersection that forms the loop part of this
hike. A large wooden board with a trail
map stands here. To get to Big Creek
quickly, I chose to turn right and hike the loop counterclockwise.
|
| Bluff overlook of Big Creek |
Just shy of 0.2 miles, you reach a
bench located atop a small bluff overlooking Big Creek. The low bluff gives a nice view of the
clear-flowing sandy-bottomed creek and the nice forest that occupies this
ravine. A short distance later, the Pine
Trail, the first of the three loops, exits left. The main Lone Star Trail is marked by plain
aluminum rectangles, while the three loops are marked by aluminum rectangles
with a horizontal paint stripe (yellow paint, in the case of the Pine
Trail). Continue straight to remain on
the Lone Star Trail.
For the next 0.6 miles the trail
stays close to Big Creek, which is crossed and recrossed once via wooden
footbridges. Some of the trail bridges
were quite springy when I hiked here, but they got me across the creeks without
incident. Just after you recross Big
Creek, the White Oak Trail, the second of the three loops, exits left. Stay right to remain on the Lone Star Trail.
 |
| Hiking along Big Creek |
At 0.8 miles, you reach the start of
the Big Creek Trail, the last of the three loops. The Lone Star Trail angles right to exit the
Big Creek Scenic Area and head for Double Lake, which is 5 miles away. Thus, you should turn left here to begin the
Big Creek Trail, which is marked by aluminum rectangles with an orange
horizontal paint stripe.
Lesser used than the Lone Star
Trail, the Big Creek Trail follows a rolling course that goes up and over a
couple of low ridges. The difference
between maximum and minimum elevations on this hike is only about 100 vertical
feet, but this area has more relief than you might expect for metro
Houston. The forest is a nice mixture of
pine and deciduous trees, and some benches make nice places to sit and rest
near the midpoint of this hike.
 |
| Hiking over a ridge |
The White Oak Trail enters from the
left just before the Big Creek Trail ends at another junction with the Lone
Star Trail. As directed by a sign, turn
left on the Lone Star Trail to head back for the parking lot. The trail heads gradually downhill and passes
mile marker 80 on the Lone Star Trail before closing the loop. Turn right and hike out the entrance trail to
return to the parking lot and complete the hike.
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