Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Drive to Picnic Loop and turn right. Take an immediate right into the ball field parking
lot. DeLorme: Texas Atlas & Gazetteer: Page 129 I11. GPS: N29 45.883' / W95
26.488'
The Hike
Start at the Purple Trail trailhead adjacent to the parking area on Picnic Loop Drive. Ball fields are on
the right. This collection of trails is sometimes referred to as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. These are among
the best trails inside the I-610 loop in Houston. During spring and early fall, mosquitoes can be annoy-
ing, so be prepared.
The trail quickly veers left, away from the ball fields, and passes a path on the right, identified on a
marker post as red trail. Stay on the Purple Trail, going through heavy woods that include live oak,
black cherry, and loblolly pine. The path is flat, with tangled tree roots crossing it. (The Purple Trail
forms a large loop back to the trailhead.)
Reach a Y junction with the Blue Trail. Follow the Blue Trail as it undulates up and down and is
sometimes singletrack. There are numerous gullies, some with drop-offs of 30 feet, at the trail edge.
Mountain bikers use all of these trails, so stay right and be alert. Opossums, squirrels, armadillos, rac-
coons, rabbits, coyotes, turtles, and snakes call this area home. Most likely only squirrels will appear,
but watching for tracks can be interesting.
Stay on the Blue Trail to an intersection where a short connector dead-ends into the Purple Trail.
Head south on the Purple Trail. Watch for ruby-throated hummingbirds, especially in the fall. Numer-
ous species of birds can be seen throughout the year. In a short distance there is an intersection on the
right with the Orange Trail.
Head southwest on the Orange Trail. The right edge of the trail has drop-offs into ravines; the left
edge is flat. Pass some very large loblolly pines—3 feet in diameter and 80 feet tall. Reach the T where
the Orange Trail dead-ends into the Purple Trail. Turn right onto the Purple Trail. Swallowtail, painted
lady, and other butterflies may be seen in season.
Watch for the connector path to the Yellow Trail and follow it north. Go down a steep slope to a
wooden bridge that crosses a seasonal creekbed. This section is also called the West Ridge Trail. There
are some steep drop-offs going down 25 feet at the trail's edge. Some sections of the trail are single-
track. Follow a short section of the Red Trail to a T intersection where it dead-ends into the Blue Trail.
Take the left branch and follow 0.2 mile to the intersection with the Purple Trail. Turn left onto the
Purple Trail and backtrack to the trailhead.
