Hiking Lake Houston Wilderness Park – Forest Trail

Lake Houston Wilderness Park is one of my favorite spots to go hiking near Houston. Located in the East Texas Piney Woods, it is about 30 minutes north of downtown and offers 20 miles of shaded hiking and biking trails. The park, originally a State Park, is operated by Houston Parks and Rec.

---

Forest Trail

One of my favorite hikes here is actually a combination of two trails: Forest Trail and North River Trail. The hike is just over 6 miles in and out. The trail ends at the East Fork San Jacinto River, which is also the eastern park boundary.

Both trails are an easy hike, with tree cover for the entire length and little elevation change. The trails can be very muddy at times, especially if there was recent rain. When Winter and I hiked the trail in October, we hit a few muddy patches. This made me grateful for my seat hammock from amazon (linked here), and my water proof Merrell hiking boots. The dogs were both extremely muddy after the hike and got baths when we returned home. They also both got a thorough tick check following the hike.

On the trail we came across two copperheads! These little guys blended in so well with the leaves on the trail a few of us walked right past them without even noticing! Its a good thing they were peaceful because these guys are venomous and pack a big punch! Walking past them in the middle of the trail with two dogs was nerve racking. At the end of the day, give all wildlife their space and they should leave you alone.

• 

• 

• 

• 

---

Before You Go

The entrance fee for day use is $3. We usually park near the Nature Center/Park Headquarters and hike from there. You can head east on the Forest Trail, and South on Peach Creek Loop Trail or Ameri-Trail. There is also a trail head for Logging Loop Trail nearby.

Houston Parks and Recreation Department has a little bit of information about Lake Houston Wilderness Park on their website, here. They do not have a lot of information about the trails.

---

Leave No Trace

The environmental activist in me comes out at the end of every post. If we want to keep being able to enjoy the great outdoors, we have to take care of it! I have a bag to put all my trash in that I carry in my day pack. Using a refillable and reusable water bottle or camelbak instead of using a plastic bottle from the convenience store is a must.

When I hike with dogs, who are lucky enough to have nature as their restroom, I always carry plenty of baggies to clean up after them. Most parks don’t have trash bins along trails, so be prepared to carry it out.

---

Look for more posts about hiking in Houston and around Texas here. For more dog friendly hiking and camping, check out my blogs on the All Things Winter page.

---