Day Trips
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., Dec. 27, 1996
The fertile and densely forested area east of Crockett has been occupied by humans for centuries. Indians established permanent villages in the area. El Camino Real (The King's Highway) followed Indian trails from Mexico, bringing the Spanish and French to northeast Texas. When Texas became a state in 1846, the land was opened to settlers and scalawags.
Until 1899, the vast pine stands of East Texas remained virtually untouched by man, but then came the Central Coal and Coke Company of Kansas City, Missouri. Nicknamed "Four C," the company bought 120,000 acres of pine forest and began clear-cutting. By 1902, the mill at Ratcliff was producing 350,000 feet of lumber per day.
At its peak, 10,000 people resided at the mill and nearby Ratcliff. By 1920, the mill had processed all the commercial timber and closed down. All that remains of the operation is the mill pond and the brick foundation.
In 1934, the federal forest service established four national forests in Texas. The forest service's management of the second-growth forest preserved it for use as a local crop, recreational uses, experiments with land management, and watershed conservation.
When the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) arrived in 1936 to build the facilities at Ratcliff Recreation Area, the loblolly pines were less than six feet tall. Besides planting thousands of seedlings, the CCC cleared a camping area with 75 spots (27 with electricity) on the shore of the 45-acre lake that was once the log pond for the sawmill. They also built a picnic shelter, bathhouse, and hiking trails.
The Four C National Recreation Trail winds 20 miles through the forest from Ratcliff Lake to the Neches Overlook. Much of the trail follows abandoned tramway and logging roads built by Four C.
The Walnut Creek Campsite on a bluff is about midway on the trail and offers tent pads, a shelter, and toilets. The Pond Campsite at Mile 13 has two tent pads. At the end of the trail, Neches Bluff offers a panoramic view 100 feet above the Neches River bottom lands.
Camping sites and picnic tables in the park are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is also a swimming beach, outdoor amphitheatre, concession stand, boat rentals, and the brick remains of the sawmill. The lake is stocked with bass, bream, and catfish, but only non-motorized boats are allowed.
The Big Slough Canoe Trail follows a network of slow-moving waterways through the Big Slough Wilderness northeast of the park. For more information on the park or the forest, contact the Neches Ranger District, East Loop 304, Crockett, TX 75835, 409/544-2046 or the Forest Headquarters, 701 N. First St., Lufkin, TX 75901, 409/639-8501.
Coming up...
Crystal River Inn in San Marcos offers a New Year's Eve party with gourmet meals and accommodations, Dec. 30-31. 512/396-3739.
Mountain Biking in State Parks guide brochures are available from state parks and REI, Inc. The free booklet lists the 42 parks that have trails open to bikers. 389-8950 or http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us
Artifacts from La Salle's ship will be on display at the Texas Maritime Museum in Rockport through Jan. 2. Items from the excavation site in Matagorda Bay are being collected at the museum before they go on a tour of Texas towns. 512/729-1271 or http://www.thc.state.tx.us
