Big Sandy Creek is Polk County's piece of the Big Thicket

Big Thicket is a patchwork, not one fenced park. Its Polk County piece is the 14,343-acre Big Sandy Creek Unit. The landscape changes as the ground drops: upland pine gives way to slope forest, sloughs, and the floodplain along Big Sandy Creek.

The unit's Woodlands Trail makes a short loop through longleaf-pine country. The Beaver Slide and Big Sandy trails reach deeper into the woods, where wet ground and creek crossings can change a trip. That variety is the point of the place: several East Texas habitats meet within one unit.

The preserve itself is open around the clock, but some after-dark activities require a permit. The visitor center is at 6102 FM 420 near Kountze. Use the unit page and current preserve rules for trail conditions, permits, and access before setting out.