The piney woods of East Texas is a gateway to outdoor recreation from hiking to boating to camping and more. Camping in Texas is a three-season getaway. With milder temperatures from fall through spring, Huntsville is perfect for a weekend getaway in the forest, close to Houston. Here are the top things to do in Huntsville, Texas with kids.
Top Things to Do in Huntsville Texas
Explore Sam Houston National Forest
Hike the Lone Star Hiking Trail
Visit Lake Conroe
See Lake Livingston
Camp in Sam Houston National Forest
Visit Huntsville State Park
Gaze up at the Sam Houston Statue
Visit the Sam Houston Memorial Museum
Tour Sam Houston State University
What are the East Texas Piney Woods
The East Texas Piney Woods are the western edge of a four-state area that covers more than 54,000 square miles of diverse forest. With lots of rainfall, visitors will find pine trees like longleaf, shortleaf and loblollies, along with post oaks and blue jacks. The understory trees add pops of color with yaupon holly, flowering dogwood and sweetbay magnolia.
To see the best of the forest, travelers should take a hike in Sam Houston National Forest or Huntsville State Park. Additionally, the Lone Star Hiking Trail, the longest hiking trail in Texas, is in the East Texas Piney Woods.
Explore Sam Houston National Forest
Texas offers four national forests, all located northeast of Houston. Sam Houston National Forest, 50 miles north of Houston, is a managed wilderness than a developed park. So visitors will find limited services except in the official recreation areas.
Established in October 1936, it protects 254 square miles, or 136,000 acres, between the towns of Huntsville, Conroe, Cleveland and Richards. It offers many hiking trails to explore the dense forest of conifers and deciduous trees.
The first fall cold front signals the leaves to change colors. Winter is mostly mild, and the evergreen pines keep the forest shaded. Spring brings the flowering trees and wildflowers.
For birders, Sam Houston National Forest offers glimpses of the protected Bald Eagles during the wintertime. Or see an endangered red-cockaded woodpecker working on a nest in a pine tree.
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Hike the Lone Star Hiking Trail
If you’re a long-distance trail hiker or training for a long-distance trail hike, the Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT) is contained entirely in the Sam Houston National Forest. Though not as widely known as the AT or the PCT, it’s the longest hiking trail in Texas.
The 128-mile marked trail is divided into three separate sections and includes several loops. Part of the LSHT maintains National Recreational Trail status.
The 40-mile Lake Conroe section starts east of Richards along State Highway 149 to the Stubblefield Recreation Area. Find trailheads 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, along with off-highway parking.
The 60-mile Central section of the LSHT starts at the Stubblefield Recreation Area and passes just north of Huntsville State Park. It continues to LSHT Trailhead 9 off FM 945, south of Evergreen.
The 27-mile Winter Bayou/Tarkington Creek section boasts the National Recreation Trail status. Pick up the LSHT Trailhead 9 and continue until Trailhead 15 off FM 1725, northwest of Cleveland.
The Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club approached the United States Forest Service (USFS) in 1966 to construct the trail. Construction began in 1968 with help from the Boy Scouts of America. The trail was completed in 1972, and the USFS maintains and manages it to this day.
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Visit Lake Conroe
Lake Conroe is a 21,000-acre lake with fishing and boating in its recreational areas west of Huntsville. Its boat ramps are located at Stubblefield Recreation Area and Scotts Ridge Day-Use Area.
At Cagle Recreation Area, five miles west of Interstate 45 on FM 1375, you can find multi-use trails for OHV, equestrian, and mountain biking, along with a Lake Conroe boat ramp.
Double Lake Recreation Area, located one mile south of Coldspring on FM 2025, has a swimming beach and rental boats.
See Lake Livingston
One of the largest lakes in Texas, Lake Livingston, is east of Huntsville and offers Lake Livingston State Park. Hiking, boating, swimming and fishing are some of the top things to do in Huntsville.
Lake Livingston’s largest fish population is the white bass, which offers catfish, crappie and perch. Hiking in Lake Livingston’s State Park ranges from the .3-mile Oak Flat Trail to the 2.1-mile Trinity Trace Trail.
Located at 300 Park Road 65, Livingston, TX, one mile south of Livingston on U.S. Highway 59. Reservations recommended and adult admission is $6 a day and kids 12 and younger are free.
Camp in Sam Houston National Forest
Visitors will find camping at several campgrounds in the Sam Houston National Forest.
Stubblefield Recreation Area
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built it in 1937 during the Depression as part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Plan. Young men developed parks across the U.S. in the 1930s.
This area offers developed campsites and restrooms with showers along with access to the LSHT.
Located at Forest Service Road (FSR) 215 where it crosses the north fork of the San Jacinto River. Each campsite requires a nightly fee.
Double Lake Recreation Area
The CCC originally built it in 1937. This area includes developed campsites, restrooms with showers, and access to the LSHT. You can also find a lodge and 21 miles of mountain biking trails that circle Double Lake.
From Hwy. 59 in Cleveland, take FM 2025 north for 17 miles and turn right at Double Lake. Each campsite requires a nightly fee.
Cagle Recreation Area
It offers a developed campground, though inaccessible from the Lone Star Hiking Trail. Find full-service hook-ups along with restrooms including showers.
Located at FM 1375 West, New Waverly, TX. Each campsite requires a nightly fee.
Primitive camping is allowed in the Sam Houston National Forest as long as campsites are 200 feet from the trail and water sources. Camping is limited to the developed recreation areas during the fall deer season when hunting is permitted in the forest.
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Visit Huntsville State Park
With 2,000 acres of forest, the Huntsville State Park features 27 miles of hiking trails. Along with hiking, visitors can rent a canoe, kayak or paddle boat for Lake Raven.
Keep an eye on the sky for a bald eagle, a pileated woodpecker or any of more than 250 birds seen in the park. Scan the underbrush along the water’s edge and spot a beaver, an otter or even an American alligator—all park residents.
The CCC in Huntsville State Park
Another project of FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps, Company 1823, consisted of 200 African American WWI veterans. Work began in 1937, and they constructed an earthen dam and the CCC Lodge. The CCC also constructed culverts for drainage and the stone curbing that makes CCC parks distinctive.
The dam failed during a flood in 1940, and it had to be replaced. This, along with WWII, prevented Huntsville State Park from opening until 1956.
Hiking in Huntsville State Park
The trails in Huntsville State Park are wide and well-maintained. Most are bike-friendly as well. Find challenging trails, like the 8.5-mile round trip Triple C Trail. Or stroll the Loblolly Trail, which is easy enough for a toddler at .2 miles.
You can access the LSHT from Huntsville State Park, a popular camping spot for multi-day long-distance hikers.
Camping in Huntsville State Park
Find screened shelters along with 160 campsites in the park. The CCC built a Lodge along the lake’s edge along with the boat house.
Located at 565 Park Road 40W, west of Interstate 45 and south of Huntsville. Adult admission (13+) is $7 with kids 12 and under entering for free. Camping is extra.
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Gaze up at the Sam Houston Statue
If you’re driving along Interstate 45, it’s hard to miss Big Sam, a 67-foot-tall concrete statue of Sam Houston designed by David Adickes. To appreciate its scale, travelers should stand at the statue’s base.
Located at 7600 Highway 75, the Visitor Center offers area information. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free to visit.
Visit the Sam Houston Memorial Museum
Located on the campus of Sam Houston State University, walk through a 15-acre area to learn about the first president of the Republic of Texas. At his homestead, visitors will see the original buildings along with historical artifacts.
Located at 1836 Sam Houston Ave. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4:30 p.m. (closed Monday). It is free to enter.
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Tour Sam Houston State University
If you’re traveling with a teen, a trip to Sam Houston State University might be on the itinerary. Founded in 1879, it’s the third oldest university in Texas.
It offers guided tours on weekdays, and they are free. A self-guided tours are also available.
The SHSU Visitor Center is located at 1905 University Ave., Huntsville.
Visit the Texas Prison Museum
This museum is dedicated to the history of the Texas Prison Museum, including the imprisoned. It also features a look at the inside workings of Texas prisons.
The Texas Prison Musem might be a skip for some travelers, However, some will be really intrigued in some of the exhibits, like Old Sparky.
Located at 491 Hwy 75 N., Huntsville, TX. Open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $7 and kids (6 to 17) are $4.
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RV Parks and Deluxe Cabins near Huntsville
For those who love a roof, real beds, a gas grill and air conditioning, consider reserving a camping cabin at Thousand Trails Lake Conroe RV and Camping Resort. Roast a hotdog, toast a s’more, then take a hot shower in your private cabin.
The resort also offers a spot for every type of RV out there. And find lots of activities for the kids.
Located at 11720 Thousand Trails Road in Willis.
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Hiking Tips for the Lone Star Trail
While the LSHT trail is marked extensively on trees along the route, directional signs are few and far between. Hiking by GPS or compass is necessary.
Water and restrooms aren’t available on the trail, so pack accordingly. The best way to find the numbered trailheads is through the maps feature of smartphones. Remember to drop a pin when you park as a point of reference and to locate your vehicle.
The trail is narrow, with tall underbrush in some places. Dogs are allowed on leashes. This is not an ideal hike for first-time hikers or young children, though teens and adults enjoy the challenge.
Remember to look for ticks after hiking.
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1 Comment
What great info! Hiking is a great way to be active with the family.