On ridges above the drainages, where more sunlight strikes, loblolly and shortleaf pines are the dominant trees. Many of the pines are dead, killed by the Southern pine beetle epidemic of the mid-1980s. Colonies of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker live here with deer and owl and the remarkable armadillo. Snakes crawl through the poison ivy, and ticks wait patiently while mosquitoes buzz hungrily. You are advised to camp here in a tent with intact mosquito netting.
Deer hunters come in their season.
The Lone Star Hiking Trail crosses the pipeline twice as it loops through the northern and central portions of the area for a distance of about two miles in the north and 1.5 miles in the center. An additional five to six miles of trail exist in the southern portion, and three parking lots are easily accessible. A topographical Wilderness map is available from the district ranger for three dollars. Sam Houston National Forest FM Rd. Click here to find out how.