Davy Crockett National Forest, National forest in Houston County, United States.
Davy Crockett National Forest is a large woodland area in Texas featuring mixed pine and hardwood forests with gently rolling terrain. The forest offers outdoor recreation opportunities and is managed by the United States Forest Service.
The forest's land was logged by the Central Coal and Coke Company, owned by Richard H. Keith, from 1901 until the timber was cleared by 1920; the Four C National Recreation Trail is named for that company and follows its old railroad and tram routes. Congress established the 3,639-acre Big Slough Wilderness in the Texas Wilderness Act of 1984, banning further timber harvest there. The most recent logging in Big Slough took place in 1968, and parts of the area were never cut.
The Four C National Recreation Trail is named after the Central Coal and Coke Company, which logged the region from 1901 until the forest was clear cut in 1920. Parts of the trail follow the company's old railroad and tram routes, berms and levees. Ratcliff Lake served as a log pond, and sawmill remnants still stand in the recreation area.
The Four C National Recreation Trail runs about 20 miles from Neches Bluff Overlook south to Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area, crossing the Big Slough Wilderness. Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area has a bathhouse, campsites, picnic and swimming areas, and boat ramps. Parts of the trail follow old tram and railroad berms built by the Central Coal and Coke Company.
The forest supports a range of wildlife including deer, raptors, and other species that depend on the mixed woodland habitats. This biological diversity makes it an important natural refuge for the region.
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