I'm tossing this out there for folks who might be interested in a weekend mini-hang at the Upland Island Wilderness in the Angelina National Forest of Texas.
The reason it will have to be a mini-hang will be because of relatively short notice on dates. I'm looking at finding a weekend in August or September to do this (it will be hot, too, so that will also pare down group size), but I don't know when yet.
I signed up for a "summer" soccer league and I still don't know when the season starts/ends. I probably won't know more on that until the end of this month, so there may only be a couple weeks' notice.
I also want folks to be aware that I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA about the presence of trails here. The trip may be partially or entirely off-trail.
Here's the map the USFS published for the area. As you can see, there are no trails labeled. But being that there are several parking areas, I imagine that there are probably at least some social trails heading into the forest for some distance at each one.
Here's some basic information about the place...not a lot. There's a little bit more detail posted here.
I want to visit the area described here, this much I know.
If you come on this trip, you'd better bring some long tree straps!The area's most distinctive geological feature is a 2,000-acre ridge of Catahoula formation in the south central portion of the wilderness, nearly surrounded by creeks and 250 feet above the bottomlands at its highest point. Associated with the ridge is the largest undisturbed longleaf pine-bluejack oak parkland in the world; along its slopes, groundwater seeps from the impermeable Catahoula layer sustain rare species of orchids, club mosses, liverworts and ferns, as well as all four Texas genera of carnivorous plants.
The wilderness area is also home to some of the largest trees in the United States, including a longleaf pine that is twenty-seven feet in circumference, the nation's largest snow-bell and barberry hawthorn trees, and the largest Florida basswood tree ever reported. A 165-foot tall cherrybark oak and a shagbark hickory within the preserve are among the largest trees in Texas. The main northern approach to Upland Island is via Forest Road 303 from State Highway 63. Southern access is from Forest Road 314, one-half mile east of U.S. Highway 69. Several trails traverse the area, and limited primitive camping is allowed at selected sites.
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