TX>LSHT>10/20-10/22 A to B to C O'nite Hike.

[sargevining]

Those WMA's all list primtive campsites available, but they are short on info and maps.

[CooOkieCOOon]

So who knows of a State Park or Natural Area roughly half way between DFW and Houston that has a good trail system and allows primitive camping on the trail?

Or

One that has a good trail system with primitive sites that don't suck.[/QUOTE]



Umm... My suggestion would be 4C Hiking Trail. Smack between DFW & HOU. in Ratcliff.
It was my first "hike and hang" last Oct. I ran across two hunters about 4miles in but they were setting up for rifle season not bow hunting. I saw no other persons for miles before the first primitive camping site, besides 3 Chinese men with a wheel barrel and machetes... Probably the oddest thing I've ever seen...
I checked for closure during hunting season and found nothing for the trail or the primitive sites. There are many hunter camps closed though, and all of Ratcliff Rec. area, just nothing about the primitive sites. Giving them all call would prolly be a good idea though.

Location..
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347336549.720642.jpg

Trail..
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347336632.589082.jpg

Link to hunter camp closure..
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/...TELPRDB5388773

[spaceweaseal]

That does not look too bad.
I would be up for that one. It's roughly 120 miles from Houston so it's not out of my range.

http://ouachitamaps.com/Four%20C.html

So who knows of a State Park or Natural Area roughly half way between DFW and Houston that has a good trail system and allows primitive camping on the trail?

Or

One that has a good trail system with primitive sites that don't suck.

Umm... My suggestion would be 4C Hiking Trail. Smack between DFW & HOU. in Ratcliff.
It was my first "hike and hang" last Oct. I ran across two hunters about 4miles in but they were setting up for rifle season not bow hunting. I saw no other persons for miles before the first primitive camping site, besides 3 Chinese men with a wheel barrel and machetes... Probably the oddest thing I've ever seen...
I checked for closure during hunting season and found nothing for the trail or the primitive sites. There are many hunter camps closed though, and all of Ratcliff Rec. area, just nothing about the primitive sites. Giving them all call would prolly be a good idea though.

Location..
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347336549.720642.jpg

Trail..
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347336632.589082.jpg

Link to hunter camp closure..
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/...TELPRDB5388773[/QUOTE]

[sargevining]

So who knows of a State Park or Natural Area roughly half way between DFW and Houston that has a good trail system and allows primitive camping on the trail?

Or

One that has a good trail system with primitive sites that don't suck.

Umm... My suggestion would be 4C Hiking Trail. Smack between DFW & HOU. in Ratcliff.
It was my first "hike and hang" last Oct. I ran across two hunters about 4miles in but they were setting up for rifle season not bow hunting. I saw no other persons for miles before the first primitive camping site, besides 3 Chinese men with a wheel barrel and machetes... Probably the oddest thing I've ever seen...
I checked for closure during hunting season and found nothing for the trail or the primitive sites. There are many hunter camps closed though, and all of Ratcliff Rec. area, just nothing about the primitive sites. Giving them all call would prolly be a good idea though.

Location..
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347336549.720642.jpg

Trail..
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1347336632.589082.jpg

Link to hunter camp closure..
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/...TELPRDB5388773

[/QUOTE]

Your link says setons of the 4C Trail are closed---just not which ones. This wholetrail closure thing has gona all FUBAR wth the FS folks

[sargevining]

OK;

Here's a map of the parts of 4C that are closed:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5302606.pdf

[CooOkieCOOon]

Your link says setons of the 4C Trail are closed---just not which ones. This wholetrail closure thing has gona all FUBAR wth the FS folks[/QUOTE]

Yes, the ones around Ratcliff Lake Rec area are closed, the same were closed last oct. when I was there.
See here..
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5302606.pdf

[UncleMJM]

The birch creek primitive sites sound good but I have never been out there so I have no idea. I will give them a call tomorrow and try to plan a day to scout out the site.

The ones that I have stayed in were called primitive, but were walk in and very limited on trees. On the trail between the two units I found some great trees, but not in the designated camping areas.

Those WMA's all list primtive campsites available, but they are short on info and maps.

I'm very interested in learning about WMA's.

Your link says setons of the 4C Trail are closed---just not which ones. This wholetrail closure thing has gona all FUBAR wth the FS folks

I love Ratcliff area, the problem is the aforementioned FS FUBAR that has trails and some camp areas closed. Add to that the limitation on camping areas during hunting season and it makes the National Forests unappealing until January IMHO.

[palameto]

I can't believe they're doing it so early! A good option for the LSHT is the 4 Notch Loop. There is a hunter's camp at one end, very close to parking. The loop is about 10-11 miles long, but you could go a little further down the trail at the other end and double back to get more miles. You would likely have to camp in the same spot the second night, as I don't think there are other designated hunter's camps around. It is a nice hike though - I did it last year right at the end of hunting season. Since it wont be rifle season yet, I would think you shouldn't have to worry about sharing the hunter's camp with any hunters.

Here is the map:
http://lonestartrail.org/maps/simple/06fournotch.pdf

[sargevining]

I can't believe they're doing it so early! A good option for the LSHT is the 4 Notch Loop. There is a hunter's camp at one end, very close to parking. The loop is about 10-11 miles long, but you could go a little further down the trail at the other end and double back to get more miles. You would likely have to camp in the same spot the second night, as I don't think there are other designated hunter's camps around. It is a nice hike though - I did it last year right at the end of hunting season. Since it wont be rifle season yet, I would think you shouldn't have to worry about sharing the hunter's camp with any hunters.

Here is the map:
http://lonestartrail.org/maps/simple/06fournotch.pdf

\

I have a rant all stoked and ready about the needlessly early closure and other things associated with the trail closures and the way the FS is acting in general as regards use of trails, but it trends towards the political, so its better left for the campfire-----

4 Notch looks good, and the hunters camp probably won't be as crowded in October as they will be in November, but I'm with Uncle Mike that NFS areas should be avoided until February (They've not only restricted camping early---they've extended it to February). Its a good "If there's nothing else" alternative.

I'm going to research those WMA's today. There's a couple near Jasper, which means we retain the Piney Woods aspect of the LSHT, but everything in them is an unknown quantity.

State Parks are viable if we all swear not to car camp. When one considers that if we camp in NFS Hunter's camps, it will be in the same atmosphere as a TPWD primitive campsite, its six of one, half a dozen of another. One way of doing that would be to park in one location and hike to the campsite via trails. That's doable at Brazos Bend, but as I said, that park has its problems.

[Caveman]

Hey...if it matters, a shorter drive would be great for me!