South Loop
- 4.0 mi
- round trip
- 383 ft
- climb
- 404 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Oct–May
- best months
Caution today
Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is marginal · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 1 h ago
Is South Loop open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in National Forests in Texas. It doesn't name South Loop, so check the source for the area it covers.
Know Before You Go, Davy Crockett and Sam Houston National Forests Road Work
Agency closure covering National Forests in Texas · USFS · National Forests in Texas
National Forests and Grasslands Burn Ban Information
Agency alert covering National Forests in Texas · USFS · National Forests in Texas
Sabine National Forest-Trail Between the Lakes
Agency alert covering National Forests in Texas · USFS · National Forests in Texas
Davy Crockett National Forest
Agency alert covering National Forests in Texas · USFS · National Forests in Texas
As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in Texas. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
South Loop is an easy hike of about 4 miles in the Sam Houston Ranger District of the National Forests in Texas, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back with a total climb of about 86 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.1 miles in, with a grade of about 6 percent. Bikes are allowed. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Huntsville show April highs around 77°F and October highs around 79°F, while July and August average in the low 90s. The Inner Loop and North Loop Trail are both about 0.7 miles away, and the North Loop is about 1.2 miles away. For an overnight stay, Cagle Recreation Area is about 8 miles off.
- INNER LOOPHiking0.7 mi
- North Loop TrailMountain biking0.7 mi
- Inner Loop TrailMountain biking0.7 mi
- North LoopHiking1.2 mi
- SAM HOUSTON (Houston/Conroe/Huntsville Area)Lake fishing8.2 mi
Cagle Recreation AreaCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain8.2 mi
Stubblefield LakeCampingPhoto: Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)9.5 mi
CagleCampingPhoto: epicanis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)9.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Triple C TrailHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Triple C CutoffHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Lake LoopHiking · ~16 min drivePhoto: epicanis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Lone StarHiking · ~30 min drivePhoto: William L. Farr, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- North LoopHiking · ~2 min drive
CagleHiking · ~17 min drivePhoto: epicanis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Iron Horse LoopHiking · ~24 min drive
- Chinquapin TrailHiking · ~3 min drive
- Cagle NorthHiking · ~17 min drivePhoto: epicanis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Little Lake CreekHiking · ~29 min drive
Best time to visit South Loop
Best months: October–May. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
58° / 39°
9 wet
Feb
62° / 43°
9 wet
Mar
69° / 49°
8 wet
Apr
77° / 56°
7 wet
May
83° / 64°
7 wet
Jun
89° / 70°
8 wet
Jul
92° / 73°
7 wet
Aug
93° / 72°
7 wet
Sep
87° / 67°
7 wet
Oct
79° / 58°
7 wet
Nov
68° / 48°
7 wet
Dec
60° / 41°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Huntsville, TX, 4.3 mi away at 494 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
