so... this means I can camp anywhere?

"Hiking - Hiking is a popular way to enjoy the forest and its beauty. The 128-mile Lone Star Hiking Trail, a portion of which has gained National Recreation Trail status, winds through the Sam Houston National Forest. The trail, marked with two-inch by four-inch aluminum markers to guide hikers, has recreation areas available at three different points. Except during deer hunting season when camping is restricted to designated camps, primitive camping is allowed off the trail. "

http://www.stateparks.com/sam_houston.html

as in, I can go backpacking?

The National Forest Service has distance restrictions, so as long as you follow those, then you can camp in a non-campground.

cool, thanks!

You might want to google this "trail" and do some research. It is close to Houston and its suburbs so you have to contend with people growing "stuff" in this area and not being too hiker friendly.

Hiking within SHNF should be relatively safe.

Well, I took my own advice and did some research on this trail since it is so close to home.

I must have had this one confused with another trail I read about down around Houston.

Here are some links I found:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=3965

http://wildtexas.com/talk/backpacking-hiking/lone-star-trail-thru-hiker-s-journal-909.html

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=9216
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=9218
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=9220
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=9217

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcpVKpqjnAs

http://www.lshtclub.com/
http://www.lshtclub.com/Hiker%27s%20Guide.htm

Looks like I may have to try this trail this winter.

Edit -
But then again, it was the LST that I was reading about
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=224058

Seems you have to pay attention to those markers!

Tango

nice find
i usually car-camp at huntsville, but I want to get into to backpacking, so i figured this would be a good middle-ground to try out for the first time


ok man,


how could anyone NOT advocate packing heat while camping? what if that Blair Witch was actually a Blair Rapist?
holy cow, I am never going camping again!

I don't "pack heat" when backpacking, although I can in Texas. Learning to stealth camp and developing keen situational awareness can lessen the likelihood of incidents such as this.

Tango

yah, she did admit to getting lost, and possibly trespassing on someone's private property

never the less, creepy

jehan

Avoid camping in bad places.

The national forest puts out a pamphlet about dispersed camping. It says:
1) find a spot you'd like to camp.
2) look for no camping signs and if there are none
3) camp there.
however you still need some common sense in picking a tent site.

a gun will not help you in your tent - if they wanted to kill you, you would be dead, however if you came out shooting say at the person who owned the land, you could end up in jail for a very long time. Camping is peaceful, or stay at home.
Jim
p.s. NEVER DISCHARGE A HANDGUN INSIDE A TENT

Jehan,
Yes, very creepy indeed. In the end, do what you need to make you feel comfortable in the outdoors. As I say, "You can do whatever you choose, as long as you're willing to accept the consequences".

Jim,
Good advice. I might also add if stealth was necessary, a tarp might be a better choice or just the tent fly.

..."if they wanted to kill you, you would be dead"...
That's exactly what I was thinking.

"p.s. NEVER DISCHARGE A HANDGUN INSIDE A TENT"

hhhmmmm???, and how would we know this?

Tango

Tango
"p.s. NEVER DISCHARGE A HANDGUN INSIDE A TENT"

hhhmmmm???, and how would we know this?"
__________________________________________________

I have never actually tested this idea. It was kind of an inovation of an observation. I noticed that the ball of flame, which is around a foot in diameter, would appear about 6 feet from the muzzle of my .44. It dawned on me that the walls of the tent were closer than that and that the hole in the tent would not be .44" in diameter, but rather about a foot in diameter and then the tent would burn to the ground.

Just a thought I had once about self defense from animals. Now I try to get as close as I can without scaring them away.

And Jehan "anywhere" still means you can't camp right next the lake, you have to back a ways.

Jim