Davy Crockett National Forest
The Davy Crockett National Forest is a national forest located off of U.S. Highway 69 lying west of Lufkin, Texas and east of Crockett. It is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture National Forest Service whose headquarters can be found in Lufkin. There are local ranger district offices found in Ratcliff.
The forest encompasses a total of 160,647 acres in two counties. 94,481 acres are located in Houston and 67,361 acres are located in Trinity.
This national forest is managed on a multiple-use philosophy and is used for grazing, lumbering, oil production, and recreation. In fiscal year 1994, 93.8 million board feet of timber was harvested from the national forests within Texas, providing 2,098 jobs and $73,108,000 US dollars of income to the surrounding Texas communities. Additionally, Texas ranchers with special permits were able to graze their cattle inside the national forest. At the Davy Crockett National Forest, 386 heads of cattle grazed in fiscal year 1994. Davy Crockett National Forest, which is bordered in the northeast by the Neches River, encompasses the 45 acre Ratcliff Lake. The area is pine-hardwood woodlands with flat to gently rolling terrain. Recreational facilities featured at this national forest include a bathhouse, camping and picnicking areas, hiking trails, and boat ramps. The Big Slough Wilderness lies within this forest as well.
Image Caption: Davy Crockett National Forest, Texas. Credit: U.S. Forest Service/Wikipedia