Lake Houston Loop - Mountain Bike Trail

The Lake Houston Loop is possibly one of the most scenic mountain bike trails we've seen in East Texas, snaking its way through creeks, swamps, and plenty of greenery. Lake Houston Wilderness Park is heavily forested, with plenty of wildlife under the bushes, including some snake species. That said, it's also an easy/beginner-friendly loop that allows you to see that allows you to cycle at your pace while checking out the beauty of nature around you. 

Before you go:

Drinking water

Restrooms

Fee required

Lift service

Fat bike grooming

Family Friendly

Night riding

E-bikes allowed

Dogs Allowed

Obstacles

Shuttles

Detailed Trail Description 

You can find the main trailhead for the Lake Houston Loop near the park's nature center, where you'll also find parking. From there, you'll get onto Nature Center Road on your bike, head northwest on Peach Creek Ln, then take a left into the Peach Creek Loop Trail. This is where you start the Loop, with other named sections of the Lake Houston Loop being the Ameritrail, 5 Mile Road, and Forest Trail, which should dump you back at the parking lot. 

The first section of the trail mainly consists of hardpacked singletrack that skirts the edge of Peach Creek in some sections. The Peach Creek Loop Trail will drop you into the Ameritrail if you stick to the right at the intersection. 

This part of the trail will take you through swamps, and you may want to stop at the swamp overlook bench to get an eyeful. After that, keep following Ameritrail until it merges into 5-mile road. Here you'll skirt the edges of Lake Isabell with a fishing dock where you can take a breather and take a few pictures. 

From there, it's a straight shot to Forest Trail, which takes you back to the parking lot. However, just before you get to Forest Trail, there's a trail that cuts from 5 Mile Road to Peach Creek Loop named Yauton Trail. Avoid it due to the old bridge in the middle that's falling apart. 

The park is heavily forested, and with the snake species in the area, you might encounter one or two creepy crawlies. 

Also, given that you go through swamps, some sections of the trail are wet almost all year round. Fortunately, you don't get many elevation changes, making it possible to ride through even when there is a bit of mud. That said, some slippery sections could put you down if you're not careful. These help add some excitement to the Loop, albeit not much since the trails are wide enough to see the way ahead of you. 

Restrooms are available near the Peach Creek Loop Trail trailhead, so you can stop there before getting into the Loop. 

Additional Trail Features

1. Extra fees: Lake Houston charges a $3 parking fee, so have a few ones on hand for where you leave your car.
2. Obstacles: Given that you're in East Texas, you won't get many obstacles in the way of elevation changes. However, you will have to snake your way through lots of puddles and mud, if that counts. 
3. Shuttles: With the closest major road in the area being Grand Pkwy, you'll be hard-pressed to find any public transport in and around Wilderness Park, including shuttles. 

Sights of Interest, Landscapes, Views

Sights here include the swamp overlook, Lake Isabell, and Caney Creek. You can also make a stop at the nature center once you're back at the parking lot. 

Recommendations/Precautions

• Watch out for snakes and other creepy crawlies.
• Wet weather can change the trail's landscape fairly fast, with some bridges being put out of commission and some areas flooding. As such, avoid it in the rainy season.