Lone Star Hiking Trail #19: Winters Bayou 11.2 miles

Winters Bayou segment is the final segment of the Lone Star Hiking Trail and the location of one of the two bridges that need replacing. You will see how the stream has undermined the footings of the bridge though it seems safe for now.

Bring three liters of water, a change of shoes, and plenty of bug spray. Oh, and plenty of bug spray.

This hike takes us through Big Thicket-like wetlands and creek bottoms This is a relatively strenuous course through miles of bottom land, best approached in cool weather. So be ready for a great hike

About HATs and our hikes
https://www.hatsandmore.org/

HATs organizers are not guides nor do we have any special training. We are here to come up with hiking ideas and get the hike started. Take the same precautions you would if hiking alone, including the fitness needed to make long hikes. Then enjoy the hike among friends.

Gathering Place:
Lone Star Trailhead #15
15151 FM1725, Cleveland, TX 77328
https://goo.gl/maps/bPJAEixVcVpYNnc5A
Google Plus Code" 9RVR+5M Cleveland, Texas

Call or text Alan at 713 863 8038 if you need help.

The Hike:
We will cross Winter's Bayou and the East Fork of the San Jacinto River then follow the ground as it slowly rises to the Mercy Firetower Trailhead. Much of the trail is rough with many trip hazards. This area has several deceptive trail turns so I recommend Avenza App users to be sure to get Tom's PDF maps for the trek. Depending on recent rains, the area could be muddy and mosquito-y. The hike is over the sandy soils of the region and will be mostly shaded.

Weather Forecast:
Winter's Bayou National Weather forecast

Hike map is in the photos.

More maps and tracks:
Seg 19 maps and more

The Best Map: Any hikers with the Avenza Maps App are encouraged to download the file:
Winter's Bayou Hike PDF

Email the PDF file to your iPhone or Android. Open the pdf in your phone and "share" it with Avenza Maps. That way you can see exactly where you are on the geolocated map during the entire hike.

To find your place on your personal path to hike the LSHT, see our progress sheet. Starting with Quest 5, we will simplify scorekeeping by trimming the list to include active hikers only. All you have to do is show up to be counted.
HATs Lone Star Trail Scorecard

To see the groups progress on this quest to complete the trail, see our map.
Click Here

COMMUNITY CARPOOL:
Everyone gets a ride or a rider. Alan Foster carpool leaves Judson Robinson Community Center, 2020 Hermann Drive at 6:45 am.

From the Official Guidebook for the Lone Star Trail

"One of the hidden jewels of Texas, the Lone Star Hiking Trail is the only long-distance National Recreation Trail in the state. At 128 miles (including loop trails), it is also the state’s longest continuously marked and maintained footpath. The trail meanders through flat and gently rolling forests of pine, oak, and mixed hardwood, and cypress swamps and bayous in the famed Big Thicket area in east Texas, in the Sam Houston National Forest. The seemingly endless variation of forests, much of it designated wilderness, provides a paradise for tree-lovers and bird watchers year-round. The trail is well-suited for both short and long hikes (of up to 10 days), appealing to dayhikers, overnight backpackers, long-distance hikers, and others seeking a peaceful outing."

https://www.wildernesspress.com/product.php?productid=16836

After Hike Event:
The Back Pew
https://www.backpewbrewing.com/contact/

26452 Sorters McClellan Rd.
Porter, TX 77365

Indoor and outdoor seating.