On May 26, 2026, the Sierra Club visited Winters Bayou Scenic Area (WBSA) in Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF). The Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT) ends at the Winters Bayou parking area after traveling 96 miles from the Richards parking area.
The Sierra Club walked from the WBSA parking area, near Montague Church, where the landscape is upland with sandy, mesic soils. There are large Loblolly Pine, Black Cherry, White Oak, Shortleaf Pine, and Southern Magnolia trees that you pass as you walk gradually downslope on the LSHT.
The LSHT has eroded heavily in WBSA over the years. Tree roots are exposed and the LSHT is often in a trough due to erosion. As the LSHT slopes down the vegetation changes from groups of Loblolly Pine trees to hardwood canopy trees. This is one of few places in SHNF where you can look up from the LSHT and have a good view of many canopy-sized hardwood trees.
There was a lot of bird song which included calls from Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Pileated Woodpecker, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. In some areas, where the canopy was reduced or missing, the Sierra Club saw many Devil’s Walking Stick plants.
As the slope changes so does the vegetation, from Water Oak, American Hornbeam, Laurel Oak, and Dwarf Palmetto (many palmetto patches) to American Holly, Cherrybark Oak, Swamp Chestnut Oak, Sweetgum, and occasionally Loblolly Pine. The landscape changes from a more flatwoods landscape to one with many swales, tributary channels, and soil surface indentations.
There is a great deal of feral hog rooting throughout WBSA which has destroyed or degraded wetland areas with Lizard’s-tail and other wetland plants. Switchcane, Two-wing Silverbell, Water Hickory, and Green Ash begin to make their appearance along the LSHT. The understory is open, probably due to shade that hardwood and pine canopies create.
As the slope flattens out there are Dwarf Palmettos, Willow Oak, Cherry Laurel, and American Elderberry. Near the Winters Bayou Bridge, there’s a very large Loblolly Pine that is 43 inches diameter breast height. This tree isn’t tall but has a large crown. In this area, due to disturbances, like windstorms, there are many large snags and down trees.
It’s at this point that most of the non-native invasive plant species (NNIPS) are seen. These plants include Japanese Climbing Fern, Chinese/European Privet, Japanese/Glossy Privet, Nandina, and Trifoliate Orange. The NNIPS growth is thick which shades out and provides competition with native Yaupon Holly, American Beautyberry, Cherry Laurel, native privet, and other understory plants.
After you cross the Winters Bayou Bridge, you find additional large bottomland hardwood trees like American Sycamore, Sweetgum, American Elm, Water Hickory, and Overcup Oak in or near swales, abandoned channels, and sloughs.
Unfortunately, the Sierra Club found purple and orange graffiti on some trees. There also was litter in the parking area.
WBSA is a great place to visit and hike on the LSHT. You get to see a beautiful floodplain forest. The Sierra Club recommends that its members and the public visit and take care of WBSA.