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After finishing up at Lake Livingston State Park we decided to check out an interesting nearby trail. This trail was the Pitcher Plant Trail in the Big Thicket Nation Preserve. Our plan was to hike this trail and possibly another trail. But after missing a trail direction sign, and walking an extra mile we decided to call it quits.
Pitcher Plant Trail in the Big Thicket National Preserve
The Pitcher Plant Trail is a short boardwalk-style trail that leads hikers across a large bog garden of carnivorous pitcher plants and sundews. To see the pitcher plants, follow the paved path from the trailhead to the wooden boardwalk over the bog. As you walk through the trees it eventually opens up to a vast field of pitcher plants. Once past the boardwalk, you will find a dirt patch that joins with the Turkey Creek Trail that will loop back to the trailhead. To make this short one-mile trail longer you can hike the Turkey Creek Trail north or south. Please Note: This trail is a there-and-back trail.
Make sure to follow the green metal blazes on the trails or posts to keep you on the Pitcher Plant Trail. If you start to see red blazes without any green blazes you are now on the Turkey Creek Trail.
Our Hike at the Pitcher Plant Trail in the Big Thicket National Preserve
The trail is short and easy. For a short while the biting bugs weren’t bothering us. But eventually, they did find us and made up for the lost time. We loved seeing the pitcher plants in the wild. The plants are the only thing we found worth it for this hike.
After leaving the boardwalk the natural surface trail is easy to follow with an occasional exposed root or mud puddle to avoid. The green metal blaze is limited and easily missed. We ended up hiking an extra mile on Turkey Creek Trail. That trail isn’t all that fun and the biting bugs are even worse.
Tips for the Pitcher Plant Trail
- The trail should only take about 20 minutes unless you photograph the plants.
- Keep an eye out for the green metal blazes. It’s easy to miss.
- Apply Off or similar Deep Woods Bug Spray before hitting the trail. The mosquitos may still attack even with the spray applied.
- Bring water or leave some in your car. The humidity makes it easy to get dehydrated.
Final Thoughts
The trail is a short fun trail to bring the kids or if you are interested in flowers or have never seen pitcher plants it’s a great experience. Other than that, I wouldn’t do the trail again. If I’m in the area and the conditions are right I might come back and shoot the flowers with my camera.
About the Images
For the Pitcher Plant Trail, I didn’t carry my camera with me. Too many bugs to stop and take photos. So everything was shot on the move with my Samsung Note 8. I then edited them with Adobe Lightroom CC, Topaz Labs Denoise AI, Topaz Labs Sharpen AI, and Aurora HDR.
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