Big Thicket National Preserve · Texas

Birdwatchers Trail

0.4 mi of trail, end to end · 50 ft of descent · 48 ft–79 ft · hiking

Picnic areas

68 ft 48 ft · 0.3 mi high 72 ft

Along the way Birdwatchers Trail Day Use Area

Trailhead Birdwatchers Trailhead 79 ft Drive there

Hike the Birdwatchers Trail the Park Service's write-up

30-60 Minutes · dogs allowed · season <p>Winter and early spring are best for views of the Trinity River.</p>

Start Menard Creek Corridor Unit | Romayor, TX

A wide, curving creek with trees and green shrubs lining its banks.
See Menard Creek on the Birdwatchers Trail. Photo: NPS Photo / Scott Sharaga

The Birdwatchers Trail leads past Menard Creek to a quiet spot to look for birds and see the Trinity River in the distance.

Distance: ¾ mile roundtrip

Type: Out-and-back

Location: Menard Creek Corridor Unit

Trailhead: Parking lot on Forest Park Lane

Lat/Long: 30.488579, -94.837222

Overview

Begin the hike at the parking lot on Forest Park Lane, marked with a picnic table.

Shortly into the hike, a side trail leads to the right (north) to a view of Menard Creek. After enjoying the view, return to the trail and continue through the woods.

The trail ends at a picnic table with views of the Trinity River, an important migration route for birds . When ready to return to the trailhead, retrace your steps.

More Information

Explore the Menard Creek Corridor Unit

Accessibility The trail is generally flat with a short decline near the beginning. Hikers may encounter large puddles and mud on the trail even if it has not rained for several days. The trail ends at a picnic table in a grassy area.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 26 trails in Big Thicket National PreserveFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.