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Contact: Jason A. Ginder, 409-951-6700 The staff of Big Thicket National Preserve invites everyone to explore the thicket by taking advantage the many ranger-led programs being offered in the months of February, March, April and May. From canoe trips on the Neches River to a black bear presentation and night hikes through the thicket, park ranger will offer a variety of free programs. Some programs require participants to pre-register, and still others have alternative meeting locations. Be sure to consult the Winter/Spring 2016 – Ranger-led Program Schedule. For detailed information on these programs visit our webite at www.nps.gov/bith/planyouvisit/calendar or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BigThicketNPS.
Throughout 2016 we are inviting visitors to “Explore Your Thicket.” This 100 miles challenge is part of the preserve’s National Park Service Centennial Celebration. During the 12 months leading up to the 100th anniversary of the creation of the National Park Service (August 25, 2016), the staff at Big Thicket National Preserve invites you to rediscover your national park. This program challenges visitors to travel 100/50/25 miles, depending on age, through the preserve during our Centennial year (August, 2015 through August, 2016). Participants can paddle, hike, run, jog, travel on horseback, and even trek off-trail through the thicket. As you explore, you track your mileage and once you reach the targeted miles, contact preserve staff so we can welcome you to the Centennial Club. We can also help you track your miles! Simply call the visitor center and tell us what you’ve accomplished.
Looking for other ways to participate in the Big Thicket’s Centennial year? We encourage everyone to participate in our “Share Your Thicket Centennial Photo Contest while exploring the preserve. Park visitors are invited to submit photos via Instagram for entry into a year-long contest using the hashtag #BigThicketPhotoContest. Monthly winners will be chosen in three categories and displayed in our park visitor center, with an overall winner chosen in the fall of 2016.
More information about all of Big Thicket National Preserve’s 2016 Centennial activities is available at https://www.nps.gov/bith/getinvolved/centennial-activities.htm.
Big Thicket National Preserve is located in southeast Texas, near the city Beaumont and 75 miles northeast of Houston. The preserve consists of nine land units and six water corridors encompassing more than 112,000 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 national interest.
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Last updated: February 13, 2016