Tish's Blog The Piney Woods of East Texas
Like “Up North” in Wisconsin Except Warmer
Didn’t know what to expect when I booked a timeshare at Holly Lake Ranch in East Texas. 
Our original destination was Freeport, right on the Gulf. But after it was blown away by Ike, we chose one in East Texas, far from the hurricane damage. Plus it was an easy drive to the Dallas airport which was important as we were flying in.
We wanted to explore more of Texas. I’ve been to the Wildcatter Ranch, a guest ranch northwest of Dallas and loved it. I’ve visited sophisticated downtown Dallas and many of the small, charming communities that lie just north of the city. And I enjoyed Ft. Worth with all its old West charm. San Antonio was rich in history and Mexican influences. Each of those areas in Texas is unqiue and different from the other. But I wondered what the rest of that big state held for visitors. Was I surprised to find that East Texas is very much like northern Wisconsin and the U.P. (Upper Peninsula of Michigan), but with a milder climate.
An Endangered Ecoregion
As thick and beautiful as the Piney Woods are, I learned that it is an endangered terrestrial ecoregion that stretches from East Texas into Arkansas, Louisiana and southwest Oklahoma. I loved the variety of trees: hickory, oak, dogwood, magnolia, and massive pine trees with the longest needles I’ve ever seen. The forest floor is covered in 8-12” long pine needles. The area is rich in flowering bushes and trees including holly, many of which were in bloom during this late October/early November trip. And you’ll also find both cactus and palms. What a great combination! Temperatures were upper 60s to 80 during the day, dropping into the 40s and 50s at night. Just delightful and certainly much warmer than “up North.”
NEXT:Staying at Holly Lake Ranch
