LONE STAR HIKING TRAIL REOPENINGS

The U.S. Forest (FS) has announced the opening of additional parts of the Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT) after it closed all trails in Sam Houston National Forest at the end of March due to safety concerns about trees that died due to the 2011 drought.

Areas open include those near Huntsville State Park, the entire western section of the LSHT west of FM 149, some areas in the Four-Notch area, and areas near FM 2025 between Coldspring and Cleveland. About 50 miles of the LSHT are now reopened. For specific information about what parts of the LSHT are now open visit the FS website at www.fs.usda.gov/texas.

Monthly Sierra Club hikes will begin soon. Trail maintenance is needed on the LSHT since three months of late spring and early summer growth have not been cut. Volunteers are needed for trail maintenance. Please contact Jane Prentiss for additional information about trail hikes and maintenance at 713-201-5755.

Additional miles of LSHT may not be opened for some time. The FS has used the entire budget available to it to pay for contractors to cut down drought killed trees. Money will become available via additional sales of live trees that will be logged but the bidding process has not begun yet on these areas.

by Brandt Mannchen