hiking Archives - Compassionate Women

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge

August 12, 2017 by Jillian

There is so much to see and do at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Texas! If you’re in the Rio Grande Valley or traveling through, come check out the 2,088 acre refuge in the town of Alamo. There’s 14 miles of trails, tons of species of birds, a rope bridge, tree tower, observation decks, visitor’s center, nature tram, and historic cemetery. See my favorite photos below from my past two adventures at the refuge, including how I conquered my fear of heights and also thought I got locked inside the refuge at night!

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Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary

June 5, 2017 by Jillian Leave a Comment

If your favorite color is bright green then you are going to enjoy this post. Disclaimer: You may have to shield your eyes from all the bright green colors of nature 💚🌳✅🐸

While I was still living in the pine filled region of southeast Texas I discovered a hidden gem that not many people know about. The Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary is right on a Texas highway in the small town of Kountze, but it’s easy to miss the entrance. I remember driving along the highway, thinking I had the wrong address because I was totally not seeing an entrance to any kind of park or sanctuary. Finally, I noticed a small wooden sign that blended in perfectly with the tree trunks surrounding it. Found it!

With over 5500 acres and multiple trails to explore, the Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary is a quiet retreat for nature lovers who want to hike, bike, photograph, or simply enjoy the great outdoors. Here’s some of my fav photos from one of my visits there 📷

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Angelina National Forest & Historic Aldridge Sawmill

August 11, 2016 by Jillian 2 Comments

Angelina National Forest reminds me of the kinds of forests you read about in fairy tales. There’s just something magical about it 🔮 On my way to Nacogdoches, Texas I decided I was going to finally stop by this natural beauty and spend at least a couple of hours wandering around and hiking the nature trails. I ended up at Boykin Springs, located off the main highway, but only after getting lost and having to stop at a tiny local restaurant to ask for directions.

Just my luck, the main road leading to the trail was still closed off due to a ton of recent rain which resulted in flooding. Darn you Texas and your crazy weather! Despite that, this was my only chance to see Angelina National Forest and I wasn’t about to let a closed road stop me. I parked my car, got out, and walked about twenty minutes until I saw the entrance of Boykin Springs. Here are my favorite pictures from the day, including the historic Aldridge Sawmill at the end of the trail.

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Hiking Through Big Thicket National Preserve

May 21, 2016 by Jillian Leave a Comment

The cool thing about southeast Texas is that there are a lot of national forests, thanks to all those piney trees 🌲 There’s lots to explore outdoors and back in March I decided to visit Big Thicket National Preserve, which is about a 45 minute drive from the city of Beaumont. Not only does this piney forest smell amazing (!) but it’s home to all sorts of wildlife and vegetation.

The preserve is broken up and spread out all over the area, with several different hiking trails for visitors to enjoy. On this particular day, I explored Kirby Trail near the visitor’s center, and the Sundew Trail just seven miles up the highway. Here are my favorite photos from the day 📷

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