The Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary outside of Silsbee in the southeast corner of Texas harbors some of the most beautiful and rare remnants of the Big Thicket.
Hike even a portion of the preserve’s 6 miles of trails and you will cross multiple ecosystems. Within the park’s 5,673 acres, visitors can go from thick stands of pine trees to wetlands along 8 miles of Village Creek to the sand prairies that give the sanctuary its name. When early migrants crossed into Southeast Texas they ran into an almost impenetrable wall of vegetation they called the “Big Thicket.” The original forest is considered to have been between 2 million and 3 million acres covering all or part of at least nine counties.
The Big Thicket was once the most diverse landscape in the U.S. Within the area, more than 200 animal species have been recorded as well as over 1,320 plant species, including four of the five carnivorous plants found in the U.S. and 660 species of mushrooms. By 1940, most of the Thicket had been clearcut by logging companies.
Established in October 1974, the Big Thicket National Preserve protects 113,114 acres in 15 scattered units north of Beaumont.
The Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary was donated to Texas Nature Conservancy in 1977. The original 2,400 acres were considered one of the most biodiverse areas in the Big Thicket for its size. It has more than 550 plant species, including some of the best stands of longleaf pine, at least two species of carnivorous plants, four endangered plants, and 12 plants uncommon to East Texas.
The sanctuary is 2.5 miles west of Silsbee and 30 miles north of Beaumont. The entry gate is on FM 327 at Village Creek. There is no charge to use the hiking trails during daylight hours, but leave your dogs at home.
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This article appears in August 2 • 2024.
