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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature; Sites by State >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> Texas >> Big Thicket National Preserve – Texas tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Big Thicket National Preserve – Texas

Images of Big Thicket National Preserve – Eastern Texas, taken in May 2024.

Established in 1974, Big Thicket National Preserve (along with Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida) is one of the first preserves created in the US park system. Today, Big Thicket protects over 112,000 acres -with nine habitats- and an incredible diversity of plant and animal life. I was able to explore several of the habitats along the Pitcher Plant Trail in the Turkey Creek Unit and the Beaver Slide Trail in the Big Sandy Creek Unit.

The Pitcher Plant Trail starts out passing through a wetland savannah of longleaf pines but quickly enters the pitcher plant bog where the carnivorous pitcher plant can be found. These unique plants, Big Thicket actually hosts four of the five carnivorous plants found in the US, actually lure in and digest small insects.

Along the Beaver Slide Trail, I found myself in an eerie landscape of bald cypress trees in sloughs, baygalls (acid bogs) and along the Big Cypress Creek. Most interesting are the cypress knees, a protrusion of the roots that not only help stabilize the trees in the week soil but also collect nutrients. I also found the reflections of the surrounding area in the waters fascinating.

Having lived in southeastern Texas for several years, two things I was not surprised by were the humidity and the mosquitos. I battled the mosquitos to a draw using Deep Woods Off but lost the battle with the humidity, as it soaked me as soon as I got out of my car. However, not one to give up the fight, I swam through the thick atmosphere to complete my hikes and scored some excellent images along the Big Thicket Trails.
A carnivorous pitcher plant in a large bog along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
A carnivorous pitcher plant in a large bog along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Dried-up pale pitcher plant flower along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Dried-up pale pitcher plant flower along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Carnivorous pitcher plant along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Carnivorous pitcher plant along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Pitcher plant with dried up flower along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Pitcher plant with dried up flower along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Carnivorous pitcher plant along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Carnivorous pitcher plant along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Longleaf pine sapling in the wetland pine savannah along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Longleaf pine sapling in the wetland pine savannah along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Wetland pine savannah along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Wetland pine savannah along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Sedge flower, a grass-like plant, along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Sedge flower, a grass-like plant, along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Small flowers on a tree along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Small flowers on a tree along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 ‘Chimney’ created by a crawfish in the wetlands along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
‘Chimney’ created by a crawfish in the wetlands along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Log in a small pond along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Log in a small pond along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Fungus on a downed tree along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Fungus on a downed tree along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Frog, less than an inch long, along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Frog, less than an inch long, along the Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 White shelf fungus along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
White shelf fungus along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Pipeline swallowtail butterfly along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Pipeline swallowtail butterfly along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees in a baygall or acid bog along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees in a baygall or acid bog along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Baygall with cypress trees and knees along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Baygall with cypress trees and knees along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Reflections in a cypress acid bog along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Reflections in a cypress acid bog along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Close-up of cypress trees in a baygall along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Close-up of cypress trees in a baygall along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Moss hanging from a cypress tree along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Moss hanging from a cypress tree along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Base of a cypress tree in a baygall along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Base of a cypress tree in a baygall along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Cypress trees reflected in the Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees reflected in the Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Reflection in the water of Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Reflection in the water of Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Scene along Big Sandy Creek on the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Scene along Big Sandy Creek on the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Cypress knees along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress knees along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Reflections in cypress slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Reflections in cypress slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 View of cypress trees and knees in a slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
View of cypress trees and knees in a slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Cypress trees and knees in a cypress slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees and knees in a cypress slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 White shelf fungus on a log along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
White shelf fungus on a log along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Cypress trees reflected in a slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees reflected in a slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Reflections in a slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Reflections in a slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 View of cypress trees on the edge of Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
View of cypress trees on the edge of Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Cypress trees reflected in Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees reflected in Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Cypress trees reflected in Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees reflected in Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Large group of cypress knees on a slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Large group of cypress knees on a slough along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Cypress trees reflected in the Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees reflected in the Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Expansive root system along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Expansive root system along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve		 Cypress trees along the Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve
Cypress trees along the Big Sandy Creek along the Beaver Slide Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve

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Greg Temple 27-May-2024 22:12
Fantastic images Jerry - I can see you there in a Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom commercial!
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