We stayed in Beaumont, Texas while we ventured into the Big Thicket National Preserve. We really wanted to get into the bayou, so we rented a canoe from Eastex Canoe Company for the day. They shuttled the canoe, which was really convenient. We paddled about 9 miles on Village Creek and had an amazing time!
There were a ton of downed trees that required a lot of dodging – glad we had practiced our canoe skills in New England, which made the trip really exciting! We only got stuck once, in the middle of the creek on a log like a see-saw. We were afraid we’d have the port the canoe frequently, but we only had to get out one time.
We expected the creek to be more like the swampy bayou we’ve seen on TV (I think that’s where our expectations come from?). But this was pretty similar to many small creeks we’ve been on. It was very welcoming. We loved seeing green, hearing singing birds and buzzing insects again! We wished the trip was a few extra miles longer.
We made sure to get out on many of the short hikes that Big Thicket has scattered around. Big Thicket preserve is actually composed of many different sections, spread out across 7 counties. We hiked the Sundew Loop, which had many clusters of pitcher plants. We also enjoyed the Kirby Nature Trail, Turkey Creek, Pitcher Plant Loop, and the woodlands trail. We did see some flood damage from the hurricanes that came through earlier this year, several bridges where impassible or being repaired which shortened several of the hiking trails.
On our way to New Orleans, we stopped at a beach on the Gulf and walked around. It was cold and blustery, so we didn’t linger too long.
Highlights of Big Thicket National Preserve
- Seeing wild pitcher plants. Big Thicket has every type of carnivorous plant except Venus Fly Traps
- Canoeing in the preserve! Next time, I’d want to do one of their multi-day camping/canoeing trips
Did you pick up any big thicket items?