Four percent of the area is covered with a mixture of hardwoods and pines, and the remaining four percent is the water of Big Slough itself. Warmth and moisture are common here on the Gulf Coastal Plain, a climate that encourages poison ivy, poisonous snakes, chiggers and ticks, mosquitoes and many ground-nesting, easily irritated yellowjackets. Deer and smaller mammals live here, too. The Neches River forms the entire eastern boundary and joins the idle water of Big Slough to create the paddling loop of Big Slough Canoe Trail, a loop of seven miles, with a trailhead in the northern portion. The canoe trail has not been maintained and you should plan doing some wading.
Hickory Creek drains hills along the western boundary and eases eastward to meet the river.
From Crockett, TX, take State Highway 103 east approximately 20 miles to Ratcliff. Near Ratcliff lies Ratcliff Lake, and from Ratcliff Lake the Four C National Recreation Trail and forest roads lead north about five miles to the Wilderness. A topographical Wilderness map is available from the district ranger for three dollars. Click here to find out how. Copyright Rodale, Inc. 2001.