Lone Star Hiking Trail: Lake Conroe Section

Sam Houston National Forest (Richards to Stubblefield)

The Lone Star Hiking Trail is the long footpath of the Sam Houston National Forest, north of Houston. Wikipedia splits it into three areas, and the westernmost, the Lake Conroe section, runs about 40 miles (counting its loops) from near Richards to Stubblefield Recreation Area at the north end of Lake Conroe, passing through the Little Lake Creek Wilderness on the way.

The Forest Service describes the trail as relatively flat with some wet areas, and the hikers who have written about this end mostly write about mud.

The hike

The Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club conceived the trail in 1966, according to Wikipedia; the first 30 miles were built in 1968, and the trail was finished and handed to the Forest Service in 1972. The Forest Service now calls it a 129-mile National Recreation Trail, while the Lone Star Hiking Trail Club gives 128 miles and most guides give about 96 for the main trail alone.

The western end is near Richards. OuachitaMaps gives directions to the Richards trailhead off FM 149 on Forest Service Road 219, and says the west section, south of FM 149 and FM 1375, is a network of seven trails offering loop and point-to-point options. Hiking Project names the first sections Wilderness, Kelly/Caney Creek, and Stubblefield.

Nutty Hiker, who thru-hiked in March 2019, walked a little over 11 miles on day one, from Trailhead #1 to Osborn Road, and “quickly realized that we would spend the day trekking through ankle-deep mud,” worst in the Little Lake Creek Wilderness near Trailhead #2. She notes registration at the wilderness entrance. Her water notes list the Lone Star Hiking Trail Pond, a clear creek about half a mile past Trailhead #2, and several creeks inside the wilderness. The Outbound lists a separate 8.3-mile Little Lake Creek Wilderness South Loop for a shorter trip.

Day two ran about 9 miles from Osborn Road to Stubblefield. She describes a swampy, rainforest-like stretch with mud and calf-deep water until Trailhead #6, then a muddy walk along the lake to Stubblefield Campground, which she puts at mile 20 with potable water. A commenter on her post reported many feral hog signs between Trailhead #6 and Stubblefield. Hiking Project shows Little Lake Creek mostly dry in a January 2018 photo, so water can swing either way.

East of Stubblefield the trail continues as the central section, and the eastern end is covered in the Winters Bayou and Tarkington section.

Tips

Check the closure order first. The 2024 flood closure order is still posted (see the notice).
Plan around hunting season. From Sept. 26 to Jan. 8, the Forest Service limits camping to designated areas.
Expect mud. The 2019 thru-hiker spent much of this section in ankle- to calf-deep water.
Treat all water. Backpacking Routes says water on the trail can be scarce and of poor quality, especially in drought.
Wear orange in season. Wikipedia advises highly visible clothing during deer season.
No toilets at trailheads. The Forest Service says the trail is meant to be primitive.

Camping

The Forest Service says camping is permitted anywhere along the trail except from Sept. 26 to Jan. 8, when overnight camping is allowed only in designated areas. Texas Highways says that during hunting season camping is limited to hunter camps and 12 designated primitive hiker sites. The forest-wide occupancy order (08-13-00-25-001, through Dec. 31, 2027) limits stays to 14 days in 30, bans camping within 300 feet of a developed parking area, and caps each campsite at eight people and two tents. The Forest Service allows fires with dead and down wood, but check current fire danger and county burn bans. Dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet.

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a specific site were found. Nutty Hiker’s 2019 notes list a site with water at the Lone Star Hiking Trail Pond, a hunter camp around mile 6.5, another off FS 271 around mile 14.5, and lakeside spots around mile 16.5, which may help when planning a hunting-season night.

Trail facts

Distance: About 40 miles including loops (Wikipedia, OuachitaMaps); about 20 miles of main trail to Stubblefield (Nutty Hiker)
Route type: Point to point, with loop options
Difficulty: Easy to moderate; muddy
Campsites: Dispersed most of the year; designated camps Sept. 26 to Jan. 8
Water: Creeks and ponds, variable; potable water at Stubblefield (check whether it’s open)
Permits: None found for the trail
Dogs: Leash no longer than six feet
Trailhead: Richards trailhead, FS 219 off FM 149
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Supper at the edge of Little Lake Creek Wilderness:

A day of ankle-deep mud on the west end of the Lone Star Trail calls for a dinner that's easy and filling. See the backpacking meals testers keep coming back to.

See the picks →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.