Cypress Trail

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

@_

563

To Anahuac

To Interstate 10

Lake Anahuac

0 500 ft

0 125 m

North

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@

Photo Blind

Observation Deck

Parking

Restrooms

Visitor Center

State Road

Refuge Road

Trail

Water

Map of Texas Chenier Plain Visitor Center

Welcome

The Cypress Trail is a paved 0.25-mile 

(0.4 km) accessible trail located behind 

the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge 

Visitor Center (a.k.a. Texas Chenier 

Plain Refuge Visitor Center). The visitor 

center and trail are located 2 miles (3.2 

km) south of Interstate 10 (exit 810) 

and 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the City of 

Anahuac. 

The trail meanders through bottomland 

hardwood forest teeming with oaks, 

hackberry, sweetgum, and pine, 

ultimately inviting visitors to a long 

boardwalk towards the peaceful Lake 

Anahuac. Here, surrounded by majestic 

bald cypress trees, one feels small 

among the giants which characterize the 

Cypress-Tupelo swamp ecosystem. 

The Cypress Trail also offers a separate 

0.1-mile (0.16 km) paved path to a wildlife 

photography blind. Take a peek at birds, 

mammals, and reptiles from the secrecy 

of panelled windows. At the blind, a quiet 

drip offers a steady source of water for 

migrating birds and local species.

Enjoy Your Visit

Poison ivy is common on the refuge and 

contagious during all seasons. To reduce 

disturbance to wildlife and for your 

safety, we ask all visitors to walk only on 

the paved trail and boardwalk. 

Refer to the general brochure for a 

complete list of refuge regulations. 

We hope you enjoy your walk through 

this shared treasure of Southeast Texas.

Natural History Guide

Lake Anahuac was once “Turtle Bay” 

until the mid-1900s when the mouth 

of Turtle Bay was gradually closed to 

provide a reservoir of freshwater to the 

residents of this region. Lake Anahuac 

now serves as a source of freshwater to 

support the nearby town of Anahuac and 

surrounding communities.

Its diverse ecosystem remains one of the 

richest in the region, offering a variety of 

iconic trees, plants, birds, and animals for 

you to discover.

Use this guide to help you explore the 

unique ecosystem of this trail. 

Look out over the 

boardwalk at bald 

cypress trees and their 

mysterious “knees”.
A Forest Full of Life

Loblolly Pine

The Loblolly Pine is 

an evergreen Texas 

native known by its 

towering trunk. Dark 

blue-green foliage forms 

a beautiful crown at the 

top 1/4 of the tree. The 

namesake “loblolly” 

comes from the southern 

use of the word to 

mean “a depression”; 

it is thought that large 

stands of this abundant 

pine were often found 

growing near river 

bottoms. 

Ground Skink

Moving rapidly through the forest leaves 

is the quick and shy Ground Skink. As 

small lizards with long tails and notably 

short legs, the Ground Skink resembles 

nothing more than a flash of grey/brown 

whipping through the leaf litter. 

Yellow Garden Spider & 

Golden Silk Orb-Weaver 

(Both are non-venomous)

Possibly the inspiration 

for Charlotte’s Web, the 

Yellow Garden Spider 

skillfully writes zig-zags 

in her silky net. 

With large blackand-yellow bodies,

both it and the 

Golden OrbWeaver look scary

but are actually 

harmless. From 

Spring through 

Fall these leggy 

giants transform the Cypress Trail into 

a promenade of bright yellow webs 

spanning more than 6-feet (2 m) across. 

Rangia Clams

The chalky-white shells along the path 

belong to rangia clams. Rangia clams 

survive where freshwater and saltwater 

mix, were once an important food source 

for pre-colonial peoples, and today are 

often used in construction as road fill.

Pileated Woodpecker

A long and loud 

series of sharp piping 

calls rings through 

the forest. Wuk wuk 

wuk wuk wuk wuk 

wuk! It belongs 

to the largest 

woodpecker in 

North America, the 

Pileated Woodpecker. 

Southern Swamps

Bald Cypress 

With wide trunks and thick, strong 

wood, the Bald Cypress is adapted for 

swampy conditions. The pyramid-shaped 

base (a.k.a. “buttress”) forms a strong 

foundation and woody portrusions called 

“knees” grow upwards from their roots. 

The purpose of the knees is mystery. 

Most theories suggest that the knees 

help exchange oxygen during flooding, or 

anchor the trees to soft muddy soil. 

Spanish Moss 

Spanish Moss is actually a plant, not 

a moss. It is also not from Spain, but 

rather is native to the Americas. French 

explorers called the plant “Spanish 

Beard” or “Barbe 

Espagnol” as a joke 

because it reminded 

them of the long beards 

of Spanish conquistadors. 

The Spaniards tried to 

counter by calling the 

plant “French Hair” or 

“Cabello Francés”, but 

alas, the name obviously 

didn’t stick as well.

Great Blue Heron 

The largest heron 

in North America, 

the Great Blue 

Heron has a 6-foot 

(1.8-m) wingspan and 

almost 5-foot (1.5-m) 

height. Upon taking 

flight, its call sounds 

like a loud raspy 

barking dog. 

Red-eared Slider

If basking in the sun were a sport, our 

turtles would be Texas champions. Here 

you might easily count two dozen turtles 

shell-to-shell on logs. Look for the 

signature red stripe on their heads to tell 

Red-Eared Sliders from other turtles.

Sawgrass

Growing tall from the water near the 

first bench on the boardwalk, sawgrass is 

named for the sharp saw-like teeth on its 

large leaves. Ouch! Do not touch!

Other Favorites

Other favorites nclude the YellowCrowned Night Heron (which nest in 

the spring), Wood Ducks (which are here 

year-round but generally are too shy to 

come out), and resident Otters (which 

sometimes swim quickly through the 

lake). Every once in a while a bald eagle 

or osprey will take flight, sometimes 

carrying a nice fish for a meal. 

Helping Habitat

A variety of nesting bird boxes have been 

placed along these habitats. The boxes 

mounted to trees are for the Eastern 

Screech Owl, the boxes standing on poles 

in the water are for the Prothonotary 

Warblers (small boxes) and the Wood 

Ducks (large boxes). Near the pond in 

front of the visitor center are a few boxes 

for Eastern Blue Birds.

The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge 

helps native plants and animals thrive by 

providing a protected place for them to 

grow, and for you to enjoy. 

For More Information Contact

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

P.O. Box 278, 4017 FM 563

Anahuac, TX 77514

409/267-3337

409/267-4314 Fax

www.fws.gov/refuge/Anahuac

June 2020