Day 97 - East Texas Ramble - ETB Travel Photography

Day 97 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

With my belly full from two cinnamon rolls and a cup of coffee and VANilla decorated with Mardi Gras beads, compliments of Pat and Gerald, I ventured southwest to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, a little over an hour outside of Houston in East Texas.

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

I talked my Uncle Casey into joining me literally in the middle of nowhere. If I hadn’t been meeting him, I probably would have turned around. I arrived at the east entrance of the Refuge at the same time Casey arrived at the west, 6.5 miles apart. We spent the morning walking around a pond and driving 15 miles of gravel roads looking at a variety of birds.

Thankfully he knew his birds better than I did. We saw Canadian geese, snow geese, teal, ibis, egrets, herons, and more. It would have been a goose hunter’s dream. One shot would have taken at least three geese at a time. Thousands of them honked, took flight and landed in flocks on the field covering it in all white.

geese at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in East Texas

ducks at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in East Texas

Big Thicket National Preserve

After the morning at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, I continued through East Texas to spend the afternoon at Big Thicket National Preserve. The preserve is home to four of the five insect eating plants. The Reader’s Digest book claimed I could learn the best places to see the plants by stopping at the Visitor’s Center. The teenager working the front desk didn’t know, but there were plenty of trail maps, so I took one and off we went. The dogs and I took the 1.6 mile Kirby Nature Trail beneath the pines and along the river.

pine cones in big thicket national preserve

After our walk, we head north through East Texas to camp in San Augustine for the evening. ETB

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

For a summary about my road trip across the USA, click HERE. For the interactive map, see the below link.

map of road trip along scenic byways across the USA — Interactive Link to Map

Shop

Check out the photographic note cards and key chains at my shop. Each card has a travel story associated with it. 20% of proceeds are donated to charity.