By Brandt Mannchen

One of the joys of Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF) is that you never know what you will find when you visit.  Recently, I hiked part of Compartment 113 in SHNF.  This is an area that I had never explored.

A compartment is a 500-2,000-acre area managed by the U.S. Forest Service (FS) for wildlife, wood, watershed, recreation, and other multiple-uses.  Each compartment is divided into stands, which are managed as groups of trees which share similar characteristics.

Compartment 113 is at the southern boundary of SHNF.  The part I hiked is near the corner of FM 2025 and Stephens Road, just north of Cleveland, Texas, in San Jacinto County.

Two things drew me to Compartment 113.  First, in Stand 12, there appeared to be a well-developed Laurel Oak – Willow Oak forest, which is often called a “Flatwoods”.  This forest is defined by poor internal drainage and overland flow of rain run-off.  I found a fine example of this forest in Stand 12.

The second thing that drew me to Compartment 113 is Stand 13, which appeared to have an unknown streamside forest.  Although the FS labels Stand 13 on one map as a 81 acres of immature sawtimber Loblolly Pine and does not show the presence of streams, a different FS map showed the possible presence of a stream.

As I pulled up to the entrance to Forest Road 294A, it became obvious to me that there was a stream in Stand 13.  That was exciting because streams are often places that team with life due to the presence of water.

The stream I found and hiked along, appeared to be an intermittent stream that flows part of the year.  During the summer flow stops and the stream exists as intermittent pools.  This stream begins northeast, east, and north of Stephens Road and is composed of several tributaries that are ephemeral (flow only during a rain).

The stream turned out to be tannin colored (due to vegetative decomposition), had some gravel, had a sluggish flow, and had many hydrological features within and next to the floodplain like abandoned channels, depressions, dissected/sloped terrain, and elevated bluffs or vistas.  There was a moderate amount of downed wood along with stumps, mostly pine, on the bluffs and in the floodplain.

The FS classifies this stream as a Hardwood River Floodplain/Swamp.  I observed a well-developed hardwood slope and minor stream community with many Sweetbay Magnolia, Loblolly Pine, White Oak, Southern Magnolia, Red Maple (some blooming), Sweetgum, American Hornbeam, and American Holly.  Some other plants seen along the stream were Dwarf Palmetto, Crossvine, Springcress, violets, American Elderberry, Partridge Berry, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Sebastion-bush, Sweetleaf, Sphagnum Moss, Arkansas Blueberry, Resurrection Fern, Christmas Fern, and Southern Wax Myrtle.

Unfortunately, some people have not taken care of Compartment 113.  All-terrain vehicles have been illegally driven around the locked gate on FR 294A and I found trash dumped by the side of this road.  Several deer feeders and a hog trap were found near the stream.  It is sad that people participate in ugly uses on our public lands and do not take care of them.

Despite this, Compartment 113 is a great place to visit.  I had a beautiful hike with unexpected surprises that made me feel joyful.  You cannot ask for more.