Big Thicket

Big Thicket Big Thicket National Preserve Texas National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior A Vast and Varied Biological Preserve Big Thicket once sprawled over 3.5 million acres of southeast Texas. Today Big Thicket National Preserve protects 15 remnant areas— 108,208 acres—with nine habitats. Multiple habitats, and the fact that species from other regions converge to co-exist here, account for this biological preserve's remarkable diversity of animals and plants. In Big Thicket you won't find a high peak, deep gorge, or other dramatic feature. You will find instead a surprising lushness and density of life. Big Thicket is not a place to hurry through, but a place to discover and to explore. From Land . . . SLOPE W E T L A N D PINE FOREST Beech, magnolia, and loblolly pine f a v o r this well-drained habitat. Dense canopies of leaves and needles t h a t shade t h e forest floor, discourage shrub g r o w t h and give t h e forest its open park-like appearance. 0 It's n o t t h e scenery y o u w o u l d expect t o I f i n d in a " b i g t h i c k e t . " ARID SANDYLANDS LONGLEAF PINE SAVANNAH A layer of hardpan clay does double d u t y in this habitat. It can hold surface w a t e r f o r months or block g r o u n d w a t e r f r o m rising during dry spells. Pine trees poke long taproots t h r o u g h t h e clay layer. Carnivorous plants (below) live here, g e t t i n g vital nitrogen—which this soil lacks—by eating insects. Pitcher plant Ancient seas and stream currents deposited sand here, f o r m i n g dunes and sandhills. Sandy soil, hot sun, and rapid drainage create g o o d habitat f o r prickly pear cacti (above) and the roadrunner (below left), w h o is more often associated w i t h arid lands. Yucca also g r o w s here, another plant more generally associated w i t h arid lands. •RC IC tY l PEAR CACTUS © PHOTOD S IC UPLANDS Native longleaf pines prefer this well-drained soil, b u t l o g g i n g and decades of suppressing fire nearly destroyed t h e species. Preserve staff promotes longleaf pine recovery »JBft by planting seedlings and conducting jyj controlled burns t o maintain this fire<|B adapted habitat. Plants t h a t Eat Insects Of the five species of carnivorous plants in the United States, four grow here: (left to right) bladderwort, butterwort, sundew, and (photo, far right) pitcher plant. They favor nitrogen-poor soils of the wetland pine savannah. Both pitcher plants and sundews have sticky globules that insects mistake for drops of dew. Touching the liquid, an insect will find itself stuck fast. ILLUSTRATIONS NPS / JOHN DAWSON Katydid on black-eyed susan ©JOHN M.SMITH . . . to W a t e r Painted bunting (top), cardinal. CYPRESS SLOUGH BAYGALL ESTUARINE WETLANDS Bald cypress trees love water. Their f l u t e d t r u n k and knees—woody protrusions g r o w ing up f r o m t h e roots—help anchor t h e m in w e t soil. Water moccasins thrive in s w a m p y areas near streams. In season, tree frogs raise their loud chorus t o attract a mate. A n underlying clay layer traps w a t e r in poorly drained depressions called baygalls or acid bogs. Tannin f r o m rotting plants colors t h e w a t e r like coffee or root beer. Tangled vines, t h e calls of unseen birds, and aquatic animals add t o Big Thicket's mystique. Below t h e saltwater barrier (see map) lie marshes, streams w i t h tidal influence, and estuaries w h e r e salt and fresh waters mix as brackish water. Estuaries, crucial nursery areas, protect t h e y o u n g of shrimp and other species before they move into deep water. PALMETTO HARDWOOD FLATS The d w a r f palmetto palm's fan-shaped fronds (below), give a tropical feel t o this h a r d w o o d forest's dense understory. Watch f o r armadillos, w h o put on surprising bursts of speed despite their short legs. ©LAURENCE PARENT BOTTOMLAND FLOODPLAIN Plants t h a t can tolerate b o t h dry spells and episodes of f l o o d i n g g r o w here: sweet g u m , hickory, oak, and river cane, a native bamboo. W h e n streams f l o o d , w a t e r may stand o n t h e land surface f o r a t i m e rather t h a n draining. ©LAURENCE PARENT ©LAURENCE PARENT Snowy egret © ARTHUR MORRIS / BIRDS AS ART Bobcat © ANTHONY MERGE PHOTOS NOT CREDITED ARE NPS Explore Your Preserve The Preserve offers y o u a diverse mix of f i n d one of t h e Preserve's 20 species of w i l d recreation. Rivers and creeks host canoeing, orchids or come across evidence of its rich b o a t i n g , k a y a k i n g , a n d f i s h i n g . Birders • history and cultural heritage. d e l i g h t in this h o t s p o t f o r adding species t o t h e i r life lists. Hunters pursue w h i t e - t a i l e d You can w a l k w h e r e great forests once s t o o d deer, squirrels, rabbits, feral hogs, and w a t e r until commercial l o g g i n g began in t h e 1800s f o w l . Hikers enjoy 40 miles of trails. There and drilling f o r oil began in 1901. In 1877 a are backpacking, bicycling, horseback r i d i n g , news reporter c o m p l a i n e d : . . . we have to and ranger-led programs, t o o . You may even get down on our hands and knees to crawl through the thick, close-knitted growth of baygall bushes and canebrakes. Yellow pines Green tree frog Armadillo f i v e and six f e e t in diameter g r e w here t h e n , and t h e Big Thicket harbored many black bears, panthers, wolves, and now-extinct ivory-billed woodpeckers. Precious f e w panthers remain. Black bears might one day return, f r o m those reintroduced in LouisianaFollow t h e f o o t s t e p s of t h e Atakapans and Caddos w h o lived o n t h e edges of t h e thicket before European contact. Earlier cultures left l i t t l e trace. Atakapans, hunter-gatherers. Bearded grass pink orchid t o o k mussels, fish, birds, and deer. Caddos h u n t e d and g r e w squash, corn, and beans. In t h e i r large villages t h e y built big earthen mounds f o r ceremonies and burials. Later, Coushatta Indians pushed w e s t by Americ expansion settled in Texas but suffered as Europeans and Americans vied f o r c o n t r o l . Alabama Indians later j o i n e d t h e Coushattas o n t h e reservation w h o s e name t h e y n o w share. See t h e land w h e r e English and French settlers f r o m east of Texas a t t e m p t e d c o t t o n p l a n t a t i o n s — b u t all f a i l e d before t h e m i d - 1800s. B o o m t o w n s later cropped up a r o u n d mber mills, b u t as l o g g i n g played o u t t h e y •aded into t h e Thicket. Oil e x p l o r a t i o n replayed t h e b o o m - a n d - b u s t cycle b u t is still active and y o u can see m o d e r n innovations as y o u explore t h e Big Thicket. Your invitation to explore the Big Thicket PLACES TO SEE, THINGS TO DO TURKEY CREEK UNIT With trails from 0.25 to 15 miles long, TurSome popular areas are key Creek is the best unit for exlisted here, but these are periencing biodiversity. From its just the beginning. There are nine land and six water sandhills to floodplains, uplands to lowlands, you can explore the units to explore. You can mosaic of habitats that is the walk in dark, quiet forest, Big Thicket. float a cool creek, watch a plant catch a bug, hear the HICKORY CREEK SAVANNAH echoing tap-tap-tap of a Grassy f latlands with depressions woodpecker, or smell the that hold water create the longwildflowers. Take your leaf pine uplands and wetland time and reconnect with savannahs here. Short trails take you among insect-eating pitcher nature as you experience plants and circle through the the Big Thicket. forest. Listen for birds along the trail. VILLAGE CREEK CORRIDOR Village Creek is a popular paddling trail: See coffee-colored waters in forests and sloughs. BEAUMONT UNIT You will find great paddling and fishing here. Water surrounds the area: fresh above the saltwater barrier and brackish (salty) below (see map). BIG SANDY CREEK UNIT Horses and bicycles are allowed on Big Sandy Trail. On Woodlands Trail you see beech, magnolia, and loblolly pine forests and floodplain hardwoods. Beaver Slide Trail winds around ponds that are formed by beaver dams. BEECH CREEK UNIT On Beech Woods Trail you go through slope forest, seeing evidence of the power of hurricanes and the resilience of the vegetation. Take the old logging road past the trailhead to see forest recovering after years of clear-cutting and impacts from pine bark beetles—succession in action. Watch for flying squirrels and for orchids. NECHES RIVER CORRIDOR The upper Neches meanders through pine and hardwood forests. A remote 54-mile section downstream meanders through cypress swamps. Sand- bars are popular campsites for overnight canoe or kayak trips. MENARD CREEK CORRIDOR Menard Creek flows through upland forest, cypress sloughs, and acid bogs. Birdwatchers Trail leads to a bluff above the Trinity River. Watch for shore birds on sandbars and raptors, like hawks and eagles. LANCE ROSIER UNIT This area honors naturalist Lance Rosier, who devoted his life to saving the Big Thicket. Since pioneer days many had considered the palmetto hardwood flats here the heart of the Big Thicket. ENJOYING YOUR VISIT Big Thicket Visitor Center Start here for information, films, exhibits, permits, and a bookstore. The visitor center, open daily, is wheelchairaccessible. Service animals are welcome. Activities and Programs Go to www.nps.gov/bith or call 409-951-6700 for schedules. Accessibility We strive to make our facilities, services, and programs accessible to all. For information go to the visitor center, ask a ranger, call, or check our website. Lodging, Camping, Services Find lodging, private and public campgrounds, food, stores, and services in nearby towns. For Your Safety The preserve is natural and wild. Dangers exist. Your safety is your responsibility. • Stay on trails; it is easy to get lost. • Carry plenty of water; do not drink from the creeks or the ponds. • Avoid snakes; some are venomous. • Protect yourself with insect repellent, a hat, and sunscreen. • Stay away from wasp, bee, and fire ant nests. • Glass containers prohibited on waterways and sandbars. Water Safety There are no lifeguards or designated swimming areas. Swimming is not recommended and never dive or jump into the water. • Wear a personal flotation device (PFD). • Strong currents and underwater debris, common hazards, change with floods. • Rope swings are unauthorized and are very dangerous. Protect the Preserve Federal law protects all plants, animals, and cultural artifacts. No collecting. • Pack out what you pack in. • Pets must be leashed and attended. • For firearms regulations check our website. More Information Big Thicket National Preserve 6044 FM 420 Kountze, TX 77625 409-951-6700 www.nps.gov/bith. Big Thicket National Preserve is one of over 390 parks in the National Park System. To learn more about national parks and National Park Service programs in America's communities visit www.nps.gov. Emergencies: Call 911 OGPO:2012—372-849/81017 Printed on recycled paper.