The Texas Forest Trail Ride
The Ride: Covered four days and over 1200 miles of backroads through the scenic East Texas countryside stretching from Conroe to as far north as Pittsburg. The ride traveled through the Sam Houston, Angelina and Davy Crockett National Forests, the Alabama Coushatta Indian Reservation and the Lakes of Sam Rayburn, Livingston and Caddo. The ride included stops in a number of historic communities including Coldspring, San Augustine, Center, Nacogdoches, New London, Kilgore, Jefferson, Crockett and Huntsville, and visits to some unusual historic sites, including the famous Ezekiel Airship Exhibit in Pittsburg, the eerie Peckerwood Hill Cemetery in Huntsville (the cemetery of unclaimed prisoners of the Walls Prison Unit), the London Museum in New London, the site of the most tragic school disaster in U.S. history; and, historic McMahan's Chapel in San Augustine, where the founding preacher is buried under the Church with his Tombstone Marker behind the pulpit. A stop even included a visit to Country Singer Miranda Lambert's Store in Lindale. For more pictures and information of the London Museum and that historic disaster, the historic Shelby County Courthouse in Center, and McMahan's Chapel in San Augustine, check out the East Texas History and Cane River Ride. For more pictures and information on the historic sites of Huntsville (including the Texas Prison Museum), refer to the Republic of Texas Ride.
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Day 1: Austin to Jasper; 337 mi., 8 – 8 ½ hrs
From Austin: Pick up Trail in Conroe
Austin to 290 east to Burton
Breakfast at Burton Café
Continue on Scenic 390 to 105 to Conroe
POI: Mount Zion Cemetery
Texas Ranger Captain Leander McNelly
Gravesite (390 @1948)
Conroe
POI: Montgomery Co Courthouse; Crighton Theatre
Backtrack north on 75 to 1097 east to Willis to 150
East on 150 to Coldspring
Coldspring
POI: San Jacinto Co Courthouse, County Jail, Oldest Methodist Church
Backtrack north on 156
Right on 190 across Lake Livingston
Livingston
POI: Polk Co Courthouse
Lunch Option: Courthouse Whistle Stop Café
Backtrack on 190 east; right on 350 north to Moscow
Moscow
Go 59 south; left on FM 62 east
East on 62; right on FM 942 thru Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation
Left on 2500; left on 190 east to Woodville
Woodville
POI: Tyler Co Courthouse
North on 69; right on 256 east
Left on 190 East across Ben Steinhagen Lake
Jasper
POI: Jasper Co Courthouse
POI: Sam Rayburn Lake
Lodging: Best Western Inn
Day 2: Jasper to Jefferson; 363 mi.; 8 ½ - 9 hrs
Take 63 northwest to re-join TF Trail
Right on 255W to 1007 to US 96 to Pineland
Left on 83 west across Sam Rayburn Lake to Broaddus
Broaddus
South on 147 to 63 to 69 north to 1818 west to Diboll
Diboll
North on 59 to Lufkin
Lufkin
POI: Angelina Co Courthouse
East on 103 to 147 NW
San Augustine
POI: San Augustine Co Courthouse
POI: Historic McMahan Chapel (Oldest Protestant Church in Texas)
Chapel Directions: East on 21 for 21 mi., right on Spur 35 for 2 mi.
Hwy 21 to Nacogdoches
Right on North St; left on Powers to FM 343 West
To 225 North; Left on 84; Right on 839 north
Left on 42 to New London
POI: New London Museum (a must see)
42 to 135 to Kilgore
Kilgore
POI: Oil Well Museum
POI: Historic Downtown
Take 42 north
Detour right on 31/349 to Danville Cemetery
POI: Karen Silkwood Gravesite
Go north on 2087 to 31 to Longview
Marshall Ave thru Longview
Longview
POI: Gregg Co Courthouse
POI: Main St. District
Right on Hwy 80 East (Marshall Ave)
TFT continues on 43 to Karnack; but instead;
Take sidetrip: Left on 1998 to Scottsville
Scottsville
POI: Historic Scottsville Cemetery (right on 2199 south)
Backtrack to 1998 and continue east
Right on 134 to Jonesville
POI: T.C. Lindsey’s General Store
Backtrack on 134 to 2198 east to Uncertain
POI: Caddo Lake
Uncertain
Lunch Options: Uncertain General Store & Grill; Big Pines lodge;
Shady Glade; Crips Camp
Backtrack on 2198 to 43; turn right
North on 43
Left on Hwy 49 to Jefferson
Jefferson
POI: Jefferson Hotel
Lodging: Hale House Bed & Breakfast
Day 3: Jefferson to Crockett; 300 mi.; 8 - 9 hrs
49 West to 729 NW to 259 North
To Dangerfield
Dangerfield
Hwy 11 west to Pittsburg
Pittsburg
POI: Camp Co Courthouse
POI: Depot Museum and Ezekiel Airship
Temporarily Leave TFT for Mt. Pleasant
Take 271 north to Mt Pleasant
Mt. Pleasant
POI: Titus Co Courthouse
Take 127 SW loop over Lake Monticello/Bob Sandlin
To 21 to 11
Reconnect with TFT at 11
To 1647 to 2088 to 37 to Quitman
Quitman
POI: Wood Co Courthouse
37 to Lindale
Lindale
POI: Miranda Lambert Store
Left on 16 east
Right on 14 south to Tyler
Tyler
POI: Smith County Courthouse
South on 155 toward Lake Palestine
Right on 175 West
Left on 315 south toward Palestine
Palestine
POI: Davy Dogwood Park
323 SE to 294 to 228 to 3016 to 227 to 21 east
Weches
Backtrack on 21 to 7
Right on 7; go 2 miles to Kennard
POI: Ratliff Lake side trip
Crockett
POI: Moosehead Café
Dinner: Thompson’s Barbecue
Lodging: Crockett Inn
Day 4: Crockett to Huntsville; Austin; 222 mi., 5 – 6 hrs
Take 19 south to Huntsville
Huntsville
POIs:
- Sam Houston Memorial Museum, 19th & San Houston Ave. (Sam Houston’s Home)
- Sam Houston Visitor’s Center; Statute
- Walker County Courthouse
- Walls Prison Unit
- Texas Prison Museum, 491 Hwy 75 North (Old Sparky)
- Peckerwood Hill Cemetery (unclaimed inmates); Bowers Blvd off Sam Houston Ave.
- Looney’s Customs (Motorcycles and Guitars) on the Square
- Ahysen Mural, largest free standing painting in U.S.; Downtown
- Lunch Options: Café Texan (square); New Zion Baptist Church Barbecue
(2601 Montgomery St)
Hwy 30 to FM 1791 south
Right on FM 149 west toward Richards
Richards
Anderson
Lunch: Kott’s Cafe
Take 105 Southwest toward Brenham
Go 290 West to Austin |
