Little Lake Creek Wilderness
Years after loggers' saws tore through these hills, hardwoods again dominate Little Lake Creek Wilderness. On ridges above the drainages, loblolly and shortleaf pines thrive beneath the plentiful sunlight. But many of the pines are now dead, victims of the Southern pine beetle epidemic of the mid-1980s. Three major drainages–Pole Creek, Sand Branch, and Little Lake Creek–divide the area, which sits perched on the western edge of the Gulf Coastal Plain. The latter waterway runs the entire length of this relatively narrow Wilderness. Colonies of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker share their home here with deer, owls, and armadillos.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Texas |
| Size | 3,817 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 30.48° N, 95.72° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
5 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 119 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Lone Star ↗ | 96.9 | |
| Little Lake Creek ↗ | 18.4 | |
| North Wilderness | 2.2 | |
| Pole Creek | 1.2 | |
| Sand Branch | 0.7 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx San Jacinto 9587
25 mi from the center point · 146 acres · 0% contained
- PrescribedRx San Jacinto 9568
32 mi from the center point · 113 acres · 0% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 4.5 miArnold-Simonton House ↗Montgomery, TX
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Texas
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Little Lake Creek Wilderness?
3,817 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Little Lake Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Little Lake Creek Wilderness in?
Texas.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Little Lake Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Little Lake Creek Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Little Lake Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 30.484° N, 95.723° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Little Lake Creek Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx San Jacinto 9587 at 25 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Little Lake Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Arnold-Simonton House.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.