LSHT Section History and Highlights, Part 2: Trailheads 8-15
By Cathy Murphy (aka TrailGuide); Founding Board Member, 1995 to Present
Trail Head # 8 FOUR NOTCH: The Four Notch Lookout Fire Tower rose above what is now the 4-Notch Hunters’ Camp located directly across from the Trail Head # 8. Footings and housing slabs are visible in and around the Hunters’ Camp.
View from 4-Notch Lookout Fire Tower circa 1950 (source unknown)
View toward FSR 213 from 4-Notch Lookout Fire Tower circa 1950 (source unknown)
USFS Housing Slab at 4-Notch Hunters Camp
In 1972 Four-Notch was under consideration to be a designated Wilderness Area along with Winters Bayou, Little Lake Creek and the Big Creek Scenic Area--known at that time as the Big Thicket Scenic Area. (Brandt Mannchen: History of the Sierra Club and East Texas Wilderness Designation). However, Little Lake Creek was the only section in the Sam Houston National Forest to be officially designated a Wilderness Area by Congress in the Texas Wilderness Act of 1984.
Trail Head # 9 BIG WOODS: Towering pines and long views make Big Woods special. In the fall fruiting beauty berry bushes line the trail. In the spring Dogwoods bloom overhead.
Dogwoods Bloom in March
Trail Head # 10: MAGNOLIA: Prior to 2004, a 70 foot bridge crossed the East Fork of the San Jacinto River on this section. In December 2004, the bridge washed away. In 2015 the Sam Houston Trails Coalition obtained a $200,000 Recreational Trails Program grant to replace this bridge. The San Jacinto Bridge Project is scheduled to be the next Coalition Project. Heritage/Archeological Survey clearances are in progress and grant activation is pending.
Scouts on the Former Bridge over the East Fork of the San Jacinto River
(Photo Credit: Jane Prentiss, Founding Member and Past President, LSHT Club)
Hikers Discover Downed Bridge: December 2004
Trail Head # 11 IRON ORE: Look down when you are in the parking lot. You will see red iron ore, a natural concretion formed by groundwater.
The trail runs 1.2 mile east to Double Lake Recreation Area. In 1938, an African American Unit of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked to construct Double Lake Recreation Area.
Splitting Shingles for the Double Lake Bath House, 1938 (ScholarWorks)
Trail Head #12 BIG CREEK SCENIC AREA: The Big Thicket Scenic Area was dedicated in 1963. The name was changed to Big Creek Scenic Area when the Big Thicket National Preserve was established in 1974.
Senator Ralph Yarborough trims yaupon to open trail through Big Thicket Scenic Area 1963 (ScholarWorks)
Big Thicket Scenic Area Parking Lot, 1964 prior to name change. (ScholarWorks)
Trail Head # 13 TARKINGTON: There are two primitive Hiker Camps on the Tarkington section of the LSHT. The Tarkington Trail Camp is at mile 83.4 and the Mercy Trail Camp is just past mile 89. Because the Sam Houston National Forest is an urban forest, camping is limited during hunting season for safety. Until 2014, there were no designated hiker camps on the LSHT. The only approved campsites during hunting season were in the hunter camps which were often far removed from the trail. With the cooperation of the USFS Sam Houston National Forest and Ranger Warren Oja, twelve designated hiker camps were approved along the Lone Star Hiking Trail and developed with volunteer labor.
Sign to Mercy Primitive Campsite -- One of 12 Designated Hiker Camps on the LSHT
Mercy Primitive Camp with Fire Ring and Bench
Trail Head #14 MERCY FIRE TOWER: There was once a fire tower on this spot. You can see several fire tower footing at the trailhead: one is immediately behind the Hiker Trail sign and two more are behind the parking lot bollards. The Mercy Fire Tower was one of 25 fire towers in the Sam Houston National Forest. In 1969 the SHNF converted to the use of airplanes for wildfire detection and the fire towers were no longer used.
Mercy Fire Tower Footing Dated 1938
Trail Head #15 WINTERS BAYOU: Eastern terminus of the LSHT. The area that was to become the Sam Houston National Forest was heavily logged from the late 1800’s through the 1930’s. Steam engines carried the logs out of the forest on narrow gauge rails built on tramways. Remains of these rail tramways are still visible on the LSHT. Anytime you are on a long straight stretch of trail that is a raised a bit higher than the surrounding woods you are probably on a tramway.
Winters Bayou Lilly Pad Ponds Tramway
After this section was logged out, oil was discovered in the 1950’s in the nearby Mercy Oil Field. Several footings for the derricks and pumpjack bases can be seen in this section.
Oil Well Derrick Footing and Pumpjack Base
I hope you enjoyed reading some history and highlights of the Lone Star Hiking Trail. I enjoyed writing it. Cathy Murphy, June. 2025.