Village Creek

Village Creek SP https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/village-creek https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Village_Creek_State_Park_(Texas) Village Creek State Park is located in the Piney Woods of eastern Texas in the Hardin County city of Lumberton. It is named for Village Creek, a sand-bottomed, free-flowing tributary of the Neches River. The park offers 25 water and electric campsites for recreational vehicles (RV) or tents, 15 walk-in primitive tent campsites, a group primitive campsite, restrooms with showers and a dump station. Recreational activities include swimming, canoeing and fishing in Village Creek, hiking and cycling on eight miles of trails, and picnicking in the day use area which also has a group picnic pavilion. There is also a nature center on site with interpretive displays.

For assistance using this map, contact the park. Village Creek Trails on this map are not to scale. Please use Trail Map (available at Park Headquarters) for detailed paths and information. TexasStateParks.org/App TexasStateParks.org/SocialMedia #TexasStateParks #BetterOutside ail State Park LEGEND Vi lla gVeil lag C reeeC kr Canoe Launch and Fishing Area 9 11 13 15 17 19 24 5 2 108 12 14 16 18 20 22 ry nda Sl o Bou V e Par k Park Entrance MPH oop 20 leaf L SPEED LIMIT Village Slough Inner Loop Trail Long g illa lou ge S gh Out er illa Sponsored Youth Group Camping Area V Park B ound ary Old Road: Dead-end N k Oa Water and Electric Sites • No pets or glass containers allowed at the Canoe Launch and Fishing Area. Youth Group Camp • Children must be accompanied by an adult at the Canoe Launch and Fishing Area at all times. Cabin Dump Station Wheelchair Accessible • Gathering of firewood is prohibited. • Campfires are permitted only in fire rings provided at each site. No ground fires are permitted. Please, use extreme caution with any burning materials during the high fire danger summer brings. Hiking Trail Biking Trail Canoe/Kayak Launch Fishing Group Picnic Pavilion Parking PLEASE NOTE Recycling Bin • CHECK OUT time is 12 p.m. or renew permit by 9 a.m. (pending site availability). Group Pavilion check out by 9 p.m. Cabin check out is 11 a.m. • Public consumption or display of any alcoholic beverage is prohibited. • A maximum of eight people permitted per campsite. Guests must leave the park by 10 p.m. Quiet time is from 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. Park gate locked 10 p.m. – 8 a.m. • Campsite must be kept clean; all trash picked up before you leave. Dumpsters are conveniently located near camping loops. • GRAY WATER AND BLACK WATER MUST BE DISCHARGED ONLY AT DUMP STATION. • Only one unit per site is permitted to hook up to utilities. • Pets must be kept on leash. Please pick up after them. • Valid permit required on windshield of each vehicle in park. All vehicles are to remain on pavement. • Numbered sites for overnight camping only. NO PICNICKING. • Unnumbered sites are for picnicking only. NO CAMPING. Nature Center TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. © 2023 TPWD PWD MP P4504-123D (2/23) WATER ACTIVITIES FIRES il Tra L o o p Trail r Wate ugh T r ail 2 Creekside Hike-in Campsite Area Beechwood Day Use Area 4 6 36 32 Primitive Sites (Walk-in) il Tra 21 23 37 irch 3 Hilltop Water & Electric 1 Camping Area 30 27 26 28 Showers 38 34 35 31 Restrooms 40 er B Riv ary 29 Headquarters 39 33 ound 5 7 Pri k Bike/FitnessTrail Park B rty ope Pr vate ee San dy Slo ugh e Sloug llag h Vi PARK EMERGENCY NUMBERS 911 (409) 678-3228 (Park after hours) This publication can be found at tpwd.texas.gov/spdest/parkinfo/maps/park_maps/ PARK RESERVATIONS TexasStateParks.org ParquesDeTexas.org (512) 389-8900 Residence Maintenance Off US 96/69 to FM 3513 to Alma Drive 8854 Park Road 74 Lumberton, TX 77657 (409) 755-7322 Proud Sponsor of Texas State Parks 

For assistance using this map, contact the park. For a web version of the map text, visit our Trails Information page. For information on #TexasStateParks, visit texasstateparks.org Sign up today for free email updates: texasstateparks.org/email /TexasStateParks @TPWDparks @TexasStateParks Sponsor: Whole Earth Provision Co. 

INTERPRETIVE GUIDE VILLAGE CREEK VILLAGE CREEK STATE PARK OFFERS 1,090 ACRES OF HIKING, FISHING, WILDLIFE VIEWING, AND PADDLING IN AN EAST TEXAS ECOSYSTEM OF INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY AND NATURAL BEAUTY. BOTTOMLAND FOREST ALONG THE NECHES RIVER GIVES WAY TO THE ONLY LONGLEAF PINE SAVANNA IN THE TEXAS STATE PARK SYSTEM. HIKING TRAILS MEANDER THROUGH A DENSE LATTICE OF PINE AND MIXED HARDWOOD FORESTS. PLANTS ADAPTED TO DRY WESTERN LANDS GROW ON HIGH SANDY GROUND ABOVE CYPRESS-FILLED WATERS. THE STATE PARK Wild blueberry blossoms THANK YOU FOR VISITING! Village Creek State Park is a nature preserve and recreation area. Help us protect the park’s resources and ensure your safety by observing park rules. Stay on designated trails. Keep pets on a leash at all times. Village Creek State Park 8854 Park Road 74 Lumberton, TX 77657 (409) 755-7322 www.tpwd.texas.gov/villagecreek www.facebook.com/villagecreekstatepark/ Follow us on Facebook! PARK’S CONTRASTING LANDSCAPES SUPPORT A STUNNING VARIETY OF LIFE. © 2019 TPWD. PWD BR P4504-0123H (7/19) In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. V I L L A G E C R E E K S T A T E P A R K THE PEOPLE THE BIG THICKET JUDY GALLAGHER The Big Thicket defines Village Creek State Park. It is a world of bottomland forest and recurring wetlands. Long ago the Neches River was much larger than it is now. Most of the park lies within its broad floodplain marked by river inlets called sloughs. Frequent floods support a rare variety of trees and fill the sloughs with pygmy crayfish. The floods also shaped the landscape into hills, valleys, and flatlands with belts of deep sand and solid clay soils. These features support some of the most diverse communities of wildlife in North America. The thicket refers to a mature community of understory trees–wax myrtle, yaupon, and tall longleaf pines–and open grasslands that lie above the Neches floodplain. But this land also includes dry sandy high ground that sustains yucca and prickly pear. It reminds you that this is indeed a world of the unexpected. Big Thicket Crab Spider with its prey. N Slough at Village Creek State Park. VILLAGE CREEK Born in the woods of East Texas, in northwest Hardin County, Village Creek meanders southeast 41 miles to its confluence with the Neches River. One of the few free-flowing flat-water creeks in Texas, Village Creek courses along white sandy beaches and wide sandbars. Most days it wanders softly into the Neches River. Rotting plants steep in the water, turning it into a dark tea that feeds life beyond its banks. Bass, crappie, and flathead catfish prowl these dark waters in search of food. Sloughs appear and may change direction with the rise and fall of the creek. Time slows down for paddlers who drift through this lingering Eden. But with heavy rain Village Creek becomes a brute that hurls itself over its banks and surges across the land. Either way, it takes a natural path. ative people called this area the Big Woods. It gave them a rich storehouse of food and medicines. Here Caddo people from northeast Texas met to trade with Atakapan people. They glided through tangled plant growth in canoes, using a network of waterways as roads. Spanish explorers and missionaries first arrived in the Big Thicket in the 1700s, followed by French colonists. The Alabama and Coushatta tribes settled in the area in the early 1800s, to hunt, raise crops and trade with neighbors. After Texas joined the United States in 1845, a new wave of American settlers entered the Big Thicket. Their cabins, crops, and communities soon dotted the forest. After the Civil War, a logging boom left only small slivers of virgin timber. Logging gave way to the petroleum industry for which the area is still known. Today, less than three percent remains of the Big Thicket found by Spanish explorers. In the wake of such profound human impact and change, the natural landscape of the Big Thicket lives on at Village Creek State Park. The area became an early focus of the petroleum industry in the early 20th century. 

VILLAGE CREEK SP BIRD CHECKLIST This checklist is a list of common and specialty birds seen in the park. Staff and volunteers have used previous checklists as well as eBird data to compile these lists. This list should not be used as a comprehensive list of birds seen in this park. Please help us protect the natural avian communities by refraining from using playback tapes of bird songs. Thank you for your cooperation. Waterfowl Owls ___ Snow Goose ___ Eastern Screech-Owl ___ Wood Duck ___ Great Horned Owl Grebes ___ Pied-billed Grebe Pigeons and Doves ___ Mourning Dove Cuckoos ___ Barred Owl Kingfishers ___ Belted Kingfisher Woodpeckers ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo ___ Red-headed Woodpecker ___ Chuck-will’s-widow ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker Swifts ___ Chimney Swift Hummingbirds ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird Shorebirds ___ Downy Woodpecker ___ Pileated Woodpecker ___ Northern Flicker Tyrant Flycatchers: Pewees, Kingbirds, and Allies ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee ___ American Woodcock ___ Acadian Flycatcher ___ Spotted Sandpiper ___ Eastern Phoebe Herons, Ibis, and Allies ___ Great Blue Heron ___ Great Crested Flycatcher Vireos ___ Great Egret ___ White-eyed Vireo ___ Snowy Egret ___ Yellow-throated Vireo ___ White Ibis ___ Blue-headed Vireo Vultures, Hawks, and Allies ___ Black Vulture ___ Red-eyed Vireo Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens ___ Turkey Vulture ___ Blue Jay ___ Bald Eagle ___ American Crow ___ Red-shouldered Hawk ___ Fish Crow ___ Broad-winged Hawk ___ Red-tailed Hawk Martins and Swallows ___ Purple Martin Waxwings ___ Cedar Waxwing ___ Tree Swallow Finches and Allies ___ Barn Swallow ___ Purple Finch Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice ___ Carolina Chickadee ___ Tufted Titmouse Nuthatches ___ American Goldfinch New World Sparrows ___ Chipping Sparrow ___ Dark-eyed Junco ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch ___ White-throated Sparrow ___ Brown-headed Nuthatch ___ Eastern Towhee Treecreepers ___ Brown Creeper Wrens Yellow-breasted Chat ___ Yellow-breasted Chat Blackbirds ___ House Wren ___ Red-winged Blackbird ___ Winter Wren ___ Brown-headed Cowbird ___ Carolina Wren ___ Common Grackle Gnatcatchers ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ___ Great-tailed Grackle Wood-Warblers ___ Black-and-white Warbler Kinglets ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet ___ Prothonotary Warbler ___ Orange-crowned Warbler Thrushes ___ Eastern Bluebird ___ Hermit Thrush ___ Wood Thrush ___ American Robin Catbirds, Mockingbirds, and Thrashers ___ Kentucky Warbler ___ Hooded Warbler ___ American Redstart ___ Northern Parula ___ Pine Warbler ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler ___ Gray Catbird ___ Yellow-throated Warbler ___ Brown Thrasher Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Allies ___ Northern Mockingbird Starlings and Mynas ___ European Starling ___ Summer Tanager ___ Northern Cardinal ___ Indigo Bunting © 2019 TPWD PWD CD P4504-0123G (5/19) Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. 

-Official- FACILITIES Get the Mobile App: MAPS ACTIVITIES TexasStateParks.org/app T O Y O T A T U N D R A The Toyota Tundra is built to explore the great outdoors. No matter what the weekend throws at you, your Tundra takes it on with ease. | toyota.com/tundra Official Vehicle of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation CONTENTS 4 100 Years of Texas Parks 6 Parks Near You 8 90 Checklist DIRECTORY TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT 52 68 20 38 60 30 84 68 David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. Executive Director Rodney Franklin State Parks Director Mischelle Diaz Communications Director TPW COMMISSION Arch “Beaver” Aplin, III, Chairman Lake Jackson Dick Scott, Vice-Chairman Wimberley James E. Abell Kilgore Oliver J. Bell Cleveland Paul L. Foster El Paso Anna B. Galo Laredo Jeffery D. Hildebrand Houston Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr. Fort Worth Travis B. “Blake” Rowling Dallas T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman-Emeritus Houston Lee Marshall Bass, Chairman-Emeritus Fort Worth 52 Panhandle Plains 48 State Parks Map Special thanks to Toyota and advertisers, whose generous support made this guide possible. Texas State Parks is a division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Cover illustration: Brad Woodard, bravethewoods.com Texas State Parks Official Guide, Nineteenth Edition © TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (3/23) TPWD receives funds from DHS and USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, visit tpwd.texas. gov/nondiscrimination or call (512) 389-4800 for information on filing a complaint. To obtain information in an alternative format, contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915, by Relay Texas at 7-1-1, (800) 735-2989, or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you speak a language other than English and need assistance, email lep@tpwd.texas.gov. You can also contact Department of the Interior Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, and/or U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), Mail Stop #0190 2707, Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20528. In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. WELCOME from Rodney Franklin, State Parks Director This year is very special for Texas State Parks: We are celebrating our 100-year anniversary in 2023. More and more Texans are discovering the beauty of State Parks and exploring the outdoors in new and adventurous ways. Our teams across the state are incredibly excited to welcome outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who have yet to discover what our parks have to offer. The variety of Texas’ lands is unmatched; from the mountains of west Texas to the Gulf shores, the Texas State Park system celebrates and preserves the natural and cultural treasures that make Texas such a special place. The 640,000-plus acres that make up the state park system are nearly as diverse as the people of Texas. Since 1923, our mission has been to help connect our visitors with the outdoors. As we honor those who have come before us, I invite a new generation to be a part of the story of the lands that connect us all. There is more to enjoy in our parks than you know, so please join us in our celebrations and activities. Every day we look for new and better ways to ensure your state parks are welcoming to every Texan, regardless of their background or experience being outside. I hope you’ll visit soon and often, while bringing your friends and family along. YOU are a natural and we’re looking forward to celebrating the 100-year anniversary of state parks with you! WHAT’S NEW IN STATE PARKS Galveston Island State Park reopened the beachside of the park with a new headquarters, campsites, restrooms, and more. Bastrop State Park unveiled an extensive new group of trails, the “Tree Army Trails,” many of which are ADA-accessible. Improvements and major repairs are planned for Indian Lodge, Tyler, Inks Lake, Cedar Hill, South Llano River, Eisenhower and several other state parks All-terrain “GRIT” wheelchairs are now available at 10 parks with more adaptive equipment on the way to help people of all abilities experience Texas State Parks. Learn more about our accessibility efforts, page 14. More information: TexasStateParks.org/whatsnew 100 Years of Texas Parks The crown jewels of Texas road trips started as an unfunded wish list before the Depression. Back in 1923, Governor Pat Neff realized rising numbers of new car travelers needed places to camp overnight on multi-day trips. Neff convinced the state legislature to create a six-member State Parks Board, half men, half women. Isabella, the Governor’s mother, and her family donated acreage on the Leon

Guía de Parques INSTALACIONES Descarga la Aplicacíon Móvil MAPAS ACTIVIDADES texasstateparks.org/app ¡Los niños entran gratis! La entrada es gratis para los niños de 12 años y menores. Encuentra un parque: parquesdetexas.org Contenido Estero Llano Grande SP 2 Actividades y Programas 4 Parques Cercanos 6 Lugares para Quedarse 8 Tarifas y Pases 9 Directorio 10 Mapa de Parques 18 Instalaciones y Actividades BIENVENIDO Rodney Franklin, Director de Parques Texas tiene algunas de las tierras públicas más diversas del país, con una gran riqueza natural y cultural. La vida silvestre está por todas partes, los paisajes florecen con belleza, y la historia es abundante. Sus parques estatales son parte del legado que nos enorgullece. La gente de Texas ayuda a asegurar ese legado para las generaciones futuras al visitar y ser voluntarios. ¡Gracias! Estos más de 630,000 acres exhiben algunos de los grandes tesoros del estado. Los parques nos ayudan a crear recuerdos con la familia y a encontrar consuelo en la naturaleza. Los parques fortalecen las economías locales y unen a las comunidades. Sobre todo, los parques nos permiten pasar tiempo al aire libre para recargar energías, estar saludables y relajarnos a nuestra manera. Les invito a disfrutar de sus parques estatales, explorando lo mejor de Texas con amigos y familia. Los parques están aquí para todos. Nos pertenecen a todos. ¡Visítelos, diviértase y ayude a protegerlos para siempre! Foto de portada: Estero Llano State Park, Chase Fountain © 2021 TPWD PWD BK P4000-000A (5/21) TPWD recibe fondos del Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU. (USFWS por sus siglas en ingles). TPWD prohíbe la discriminación por raza, color, religión, nacionalidad de origen, discapacidad, edad y género, conforme la ley estatal y federal. Para solicitar un acomodo especial u obtener información en un formato alternativo, por favor contacte a TPWD en un Teléfono de Texto (TTY) al (512) 3898915 ó por medio de “Relay Texas” al 7-1-1 ó (800) 735-2989 ó por email a accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. Si usted cree que TPWD ha discriminado en su contra, favor de comunicarse con TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, o con el Servicio de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de EE.UU., Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. De acuerdo con la Ley de Depósito del Estado de Texas, esta publicación está disponible en el centro de Distribución de Publicaciones del Estado de Texas y/o las Bibliotecas de Depósito de Texas. ACTIVIDADES Y PROGRAMAS ¿Qué puedo hacer en los parques estatales? ¡Disfruta de un día de campo, visita un sitio histórico o elige entre muchas otras opciones! Bicicletas Pedalea a lo largo de los parques a cualquier velocidad, en cualquier estilo, con cualquier grupo. Elige las rutas, el tipo de terreno y las distancias que cumplan con tu zona de confort. Caminatas Empieza con un circuito más corto, avanza a terrenos más difíciles o únete a una caminata guiada. Pescar Puedes pescar sin licencia en tantos como 70 parques estatales. Muchos parques ofrecen equipo para pescar a manera de préstamo y eventos especiales para aprender a pescar. Barcos Renta canoas y kayacs y explora uno de los senderos acuáticos en Texas. Nadar Animales Silvestres Acampar Descubre aves, mamíferos y plantas que tienen su hogar en Texas. Muchos parques tienen señalamientos y listados que te ayudan a aprender más. Encuentra un lugar que cumpla con lo que quieres. Prueba nuevas recetas, comparte historias favoritas y disfruta de las estrellas. 2 Más información y reservaciones: parquesdetexas.org Escape del calor en arroyos, ríos, lagos, manantiales, piletas y playas del mar. Tu seguridad en el agua es muy importante. Lleva el chaleco salvavidas. Aprende a nadar. Guarda a los niños. (512) 389-8900 ¡Pregunta en tu parque cuáles están disponibles! Los niños de 12 años y menores entran GRATIS Cielos Estrellados Escapa de las luces de la ciudad y goza de maravillosas vistas del cielo que no encontrarás en ninguna otra parte. Ven a una fiesta de estrellas o toma una excursión de constelaciones auto-guiada. Familias en la Naturaleza Elige un taller o diseña tu propia aventura. ¡Monta una tienda de campaña, cocina al exterior, prende una fogata y juega al exterior! Nosotros te Toma una publicación gratuita de actividades o pregunta por los paquetes gratuitos con los parques proporcionamos todo el equipo. No es necesario tener experiencia. participantes. Usa los binoculares, lupas, libros de bosquejos y libros de guías para explorar el parque. Mochilas para Exploradores Soldados Búfalo de Texas Descubre la historia con cuentos, vestuarios y herramientas. Sigue la pista de un animal, pesca con caña, cocina sobre una fogata, visita los fuertes y más. Adéntrate en las historias de vida de aquellos que sirvieron valientemente en los primeros regimientos Áfrico-Americanos de las Fuerzas Armadas. ! Seguridad en el Parque Ten cuidado con el agua Pre