NPS - National Park Service

09/21/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/21/2024 09:07

Big Thicket National Preserve Announces Fall 2024 Programming

News Release Date:
September 21, 2024

Contact:Megan Urban, 409-951-6700

KOUNTZE, Texas - Big Thicket is excited to announce the park's fall schedule of ranger-led programs and volunteer events. In addition to our regular programming, we will celebrate Big Thicket turning 50 years old in October!

Big Thicket 50th Anniversary Celebration

Celebrate Big Thicket's 50th anniversary on Saturday, October 12, at the Big Thicket Visitor Center. This free, family-friendly event will take place from 10 am-4 pm and will include presentations about Big Thicket, cultural demonstrations by local tribes, and a chance to walk on our new Longleaf Pine Trail. Lunch is free and provided by the Big Thicket Association.

National Public Lands Day

National Public Lands Day will take place on Saturday, September 28. This year rangers and volunteers will clean up multiple launch areas on Village Creek and Neches River. These are popular day-use areas that get high visitation during the summer and need some extra attention after Labor Day. To sign up, go to volunteer.gov, search for "Big Thicket", and choose a location to help clean up.

Ranger-led Programs

Explore Big Thicket with a park ranger! Join us for free ranger-led activities on the weekends, including "off-the-beaten-path" hikes in the Canyonlands Unit, fall color walks in late fall, and canoe trips in October, November, and December. These programs are designed to introduce new visitors to the wonders of Big Thicket and give return visitors something new to explore. Check out our calendar of events for more information.

-NPS-

Big Thicket National Preserve is located in Southeast Texas, near the city of Beaumont and 75 miles northeast of Houston. The preserve consists of nine land units and six water corridors encompassing more than 113,000 acres. The Big Thicket, often referred to as a "biological crossroads," is a transition zone between four distinct vegetation types - the moist eastern hardwood forest, the southwestern desert, the southeastern swamp, and the central prairies. Species from all of these different vegetation types come together in the thicket, exhibiting a variety of vegetation and wildlife that has received global interest.