Our last stop was the Big Creek Scenic Area, a rare preserve of over 1400 acres. Driving south on FM 2025 from Double Lake, we went left (east) on FS 221, left on 217 and parked on left. This is a parking lot for the Lone Star Hiking Trail, as well.

Big Creek Scenic area offers four trail loops of various lengths for hikers to enjoy.  Of course, the Lone Star Hiking Trail is also in this area.

Big Creek Scenic Area fills a diverse ecological niche. Anywhere a tree had fallen, a small Magnolia was reaching for the sunlight.

Where water was close to the surface, dwarf palmettos, the only palm native to Texas, pierced the gloom with pointed leaves.

After our walk, we drove back on FS 217 until it ended at FM 2666. We went right on FM 2666 to FM 2025 and went right.  The first thing we saw was the Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT).  Part of the Lone Star Hiking Trail has been designated a National Recreational Trail.

We hope to return in the Spring to hike parts of the Lone Star Hiking Trail. However, from what we saw, you have to be a dedicated hiker to manage the last miles of the LSHT.

Here is the description for the last 5.4 miles of the LSHT:

0.0 Trail head at FM 2025
1.3 Very muddy area (see picture above)
1.7 Iron Bridge
2.3 Trail Crosses FM 945
2.5 Base of old Fire tower
3.4 Base of old Fire tower
3.7 Gravel road
4.1 Gravel road and foot bridge
4.6 Bridge on side
4.8 Iron Bridge
4.9 Foot bridge in bad condition
5.0 Power Line
5.1 Two foot bridges within 200 feet
5.4 End of Trail

Well, that ended our trip for the day, but not our back road adventures. We traveled north on FM 2025, and turned left (west) on FM 150. We traveled until we turned left (south) on FM 925. We turned right at the second church onto what I believe was FM 2282, but it was unmarked. The road turned into FM 3081 and we journeyed south until we hit County Line Road, which took us into Willis. From Willis we took the old Highway 75 south to FM 830 and back to our campground.