George Mitchell Nature Preserve — Attraction in The Woodlands

I love this place and go here often, but as some of you may know the connecting trails to creekside have been washed away. I found a way around it yesterday (Febuary 15, 2017) and I have to warn people. DO NOT GO BACK THERE UNARMED OR INCAPABLE OF SCALING A TREE. I don't think people have been back there in a while, or if they have, they've come from another way. The wild hogs have over run it. My friend and I were almost charged yesterday by a hoard of about 7 to 10 of them. We weren't expecting this as it was still daylight. But all the construction under Keyukedndahl I feel has pushed them into the Nature Preserve. This is not a complaint, again I love this place, I just need people to know that young kids explore these trails and a boar of about 40lbs could easily take down a child or teenager. Please educate your kids about these animals, they are ruthless and are not friendly pets, you need to climb a tree and wait for them to leave. Otherwise, shoot them. If they have babies, and spring is coming up so it won't be long, the mothers will charge you. If anything do not try to find another path, stay on the side of the trails where the lake is. I cannot stress enough that without a gun, you cannot take on these animals. They are dangerous. Please be safe, I know the woodlands has had a problem with wild hogs for three decades and there isn't much we can do, they breed fast and to be fair, we're invading there home, not the other way around. Just always be aware of your surroundings and try to stay on the trails. Always bring a buddy or a large dog...

I love this preserve and frequently run here. Today I learned never to cross water over the trail, no matter how easy it seems. A heavy rain storm a week prior caused Spring Creek and Bedias Lake to run water in areas they normally do not. I thought I'd step on what appeared to be a small log jam over water covering the trail. It ended up being unstable logs, water over my head, swimming 15 feet across, and trying to claw my wait out in the muddy shore on the other side. 5 more minutes running down the path, the trail was covered again, three times larger and impassable. I tried for 90 minutes to find another way back out of the preserve without crossing water but to no avail. Essentially I felt trapped. At one point, my GPS stopped working as well, so I actually wasn't sure where in the woods I was for a while. I did have constant cell phone contact the entire time with my husband. I ended up having to swim back across the way I had come. Thank goodness for a waterproof cell phone and a zippable pouch. I should never have croosed the water. The trails were lovely and accessible to a point from either Flintridge or from Rob Fleming, just not through the middle. I hate snakes, and ironically didn't see one until I was in the Flintridge parking area...

The only facilities @ GMNP are barely visible dirt road entrance & exit for dirt parking. There is a tiny roofed shelter & a picnic table a few yards up the fitness loop trail called "Wooden Bench" on Google maps. There is a nice wooden bench .2 miles south @ the junction with the West trail. Also many plant descriptions & trail markers all along the trails here. Whole trail is shaded. You can hike to Bedias pond & Spring Creek bridge (ruins?) ; then take a different loop trail back, all probably in less than an hour if you are fit. Biking is also an option with very wavy trails for fun! If you have kids & older folks, base your group on the South side of Spring Creek @ Rob Fleming Recreation center where all the facilities are such as Bathrooms!!! The trails are just as good & with Goomaps, you are never lost! No paper map needed, but the RFRC has them along with lots of activities & events you & your kids can...