Description Notes Maps Web References
| Difficulty: | Intermediate |
| Length: | 18.5 Miles |
| Water: | Treatable pond halfway |
This is a noteworthy section of the Lone Star Trail, primarily because Winter’s Bayou is the end of the 98 mile trail. Start at Winter’s Bayou FM 1725 trailhead, hike north. The trail crosses Winter’s Bayou and San Jacinto River. The trail is well maintained with bridges over these major waterways. Tarkington Bayou is located at around the ten-mile point. This is an unreliable bayou and can never be relied upon for water. However, less than a mile from the trail meeting the bayou, there is an isolated pond that has reliable water for treating/pumping. The remainder of the trail to Big Creek Scenic Area can be completed by lunchtime the following day… Trek distance can be easily increased by a day or more by placing the end car at Double Lake or the 945 trailhead near Magnolia. (See trail description for Double Lake / Big Creek Area)
Trip Date: May 2001
A wonderful section of the Lone Star Trail. We set out from The Woodlands at 6:30 Saturday morning, shuttled cars and hit the trail by around 8:40. (It takes about 40 minutes to shuttle a car to Big Creek). Our plan called for a ten-mile day ending at Tarkington Bayou for a cool relaxing break from the Memorial Day weekend heat. Not to be! After crossing numerous flowing streams and creeks (including a beautiful metal bridge over the San Jacinto) we passed a full seven miles from last water before we hit Tarkington. That baby was DRY! 1:00PM – heat of the day - we had a choice… seven miles back for water, eight ahead to the car, or ration. We had about 2 liters per person and probably needed to drink a liter just to catch up on the day’s loss (90+ degree heat). Everyone was feeling great so we pushed on. Much to our delight we found a secluded pond (not on the map) within a mile – a great camp site if frogs don’t keep you awake! The water was clear, (though tannin stained) and readily pumped and boiled for dinner and breakfast. An early rise had us on the trail again by 7:30 and we finished up at Big Creek around 11:00.
| Latitude | Longitude | |
| START | N 30.39530° | W 095.16014° |
| WIN-B | N 30.39884° | W 095.15054° |
| RD-1 | N 30.41332° | W 095.14021° |
| 945 | N 30.42277° | W 095.13874° |
| SAN-J | N 30.42920° | W 095.13484° |
| 2025 | N 30.43800° | W 095.12102° |
| TARK-B | N 30.45882° | W 095.08476° |
| CAMP | N 30.46498° | W 095.08229° |
| 2666 | N 30.49223° | W 095.11827° |
| TARK-2 | N 30.50404° | W 095.11415° |
| 221 | N 30.50513° | W 095.10509° |
| END | N 30.50592° | W 095.08883° |