Featured Houston Sierra Club Outing

Houston Group Outings and Trips are coordinated by our Group's Outings Committee.  If you'd like to help with these efforts, new members are welcome.  Our Outings Committee meets monthly.  Please see our on-line calendar for the time and place.

How our outings program works

    Houston Sierra Club outings are open to members and non-members alike. The leaders of our trips serve in a volunteer capacity and assume no responsibility above that of trip organizer. All trips require appropriate physical conditioning.  If you have special medical requirements or any condition that might affect your ability to participate in the trip, it is your responsibility to inform the trip leader before departure. While our trip leaders are not paid professionals, they are encouraged to participate in training to increase their skills. All outings officially begin at the trailhead. If you must cancel a reservation, inform the leader promptly.   The deposit requirements and refund policy of each trip are available from the trip leader.  Please obtain and review them prior to making your deposit.

Trip planning notes:

• Remember to verify any listed dates with the trip coordinator before you make long range vacation plans. Sometimes dates initially selected have to be changed.

• The airfare cost is quoted separately from the trip cost. When airfare payment is required, participants will make a separate payment to the specified travel agent.

• The trip cost normally covers all ground transportation, lodging, camping and park fees, and club administrative overhead. Food and camping gear are to be supplied by the participants.

• Please note that prices listed may be tentative.

    In order to participate in one of the Sierra Club's outings, you will need to sign a liability waiver.  A copy of this waiver can be found here.

    In the interests of facilitating the logistics of some outings, it is customary that participants make carpooling arrangements.  The Sierra Club does not  provide insurance for carpooling arrangements and assumes no liability for them.  Carpooling, ride sharing or any similar activity is strictly a private arrangement among the participants.  Participants assume the risks associated with this travel.

Sierra Club is a California non profit corporation, with "California Seller of Travel" registration number: CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California."

2009 Houston Sierra Club Air/Bus Trips

Mt. St. Helens, Washington Backpack
June 21 - 28 (Sun-Sun)

The Loowit Loop trail around Mt. St. Helens has been described as "A world class scenic adventure". This above timberline trail offers views of nearby volcanic mountains while traversing through the aftermath of one of Nature's most destructive events, the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Waterfalls, pockets of old growth forest, pumice plains, and lava tubes are found off the side trails. This four night 30 mile loop with a summit accent is classified as difficult. We will also spend a couple of days exploring around the Columbia River gorge area. Cost exclusive of air fare and meals should be around $300. Limit 6. Contact Dale Stevens at dale_stevens9@yahoo.com (dale_stevens9@yahoo.com) or 281-719-7459.  Status:  Closed
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Oregon Coast (including Olympic NP)
July 11 - 19 (Sat-Sun)

This trip will be car camping with a variety of day hikes exploring the Oregon coast from Newport north to Astoria. We will also visit the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood. The Oregon coast is noted for its scenic beaches, headlands, and sea stacks, and features a variety of state parks, historic lighthouses, and the Oregon Coast Trail. Some locations on our itinerary are Ecola State Park, Cannon Beach, Cape Falcon, Cape Lookout, and the Nature Conservancy’s Preserve at Cascade Head. We will also have the opportunity to visit several historical sites related to the Lewis & Clark expedition, including Cape Disappointment and Fort Clatsop. We will fly to Portland and travel by mini-van, camping at state parks along the Oregon coast and Columbia River Gorge. For more information, contact Frank Blake, at frankblake@juno.com or 713-528-2896, or Lorraine Gibson, at raineygib@aol.com or 281-384-4104.  Status:  Closed
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Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
August 8-16 (Sat-Sun)

Join us to explore this spectacular wilderness on the Montana-Wyoming border, just north of Yellowstone National Park. We will visit the Lake Plateau district south of Big Timber, Montana, in this weeklong and strenuous backpacking trip. Its beautiful scenery, combined with the extensive amount of open country that lies above timberline, creates wonderful hiking conditions both on and off trail. The trip includes the spectacular Columbine Pass at 10,000 ft altitude. A layover day is planned to rest, fish, or take advantage of some of the abundant side trip opportunities in this gorgeous, lake-riddled plateau. Water is abundant and we plan to camp every day near a lake. Be aware that this is Grizzly Bear country, and the appropriate precautions need to be taken to prevent midnight visitors, or unexpected encounters in the trail. We will depart Houston for Billings on August the 8th, get vans and last minute provisions and drive to the trailhead at Rick Park Campground. Return to Houston will be on Sunday, August 16th. For more details contact Gus Cei at 713-962-5813 or guscei@yahoo.com.   Status:  Closed
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Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
September 26-October 4 (Sat-Sun)

This trip will be car camping with a variety of day hikes to explore the trails and view the wildlife at Rocky Mountain National Park. Fall should mean a less crowded Park, and as the seasons change we hope to catch some golden aspens and hear bugling elk. For more information, contact Frank Blake, at frankblake@juno.com or 713-528-2896, or Lorraine Gibson, at raineygib@aol.com or 281-384-4104.   Status:  Closed
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Gila National Forest, New Mexico
October 28-November 1 (Sat-Sun)

Our annual fall trip is being planned. The destination is the middle of the Gila Wilderness in the Gila National Forest of southwestern New Mexico. The Gila Wilderness which was established in 1924 as the first designated wilderness in the country. Elevations range from 4,200 to 10,900 feet and cover four of the six life zones. Flora and fauna are diverse. Ocotillo and cactus are found in the lower elevations, and juniper, pine, aspen, and spruce-fir forests are plentiful in the high mountains. Wildlife such as the black bear, mountain lion, elk, deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, and wild turkey inhabit the Forest while the bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and the red-tailed hawk soar in the wind. As usual, we plan to have both base camping and backpacking groups. We will fly to El Paso on Wednesday afternoon, then drive in minivans to the Gila. Return will be on Sunday. Participants will purchase their own airline tickets and pay a reasonable amount (tentatively, $185 per person, including the cost of renting the minivans, and some profit) to the Houston Sierra Club. The profit supports the mission of the club, which has no paid staff. Contact George Batten at BayouBanner@gmail.com to make a reservation.  Status:  Closed

2009 Houston Sierra Club Weekend Outings

Weekend outings events of two to three days in duration and involve destinations within a few hundred miles of Houston.    All outings officially begin at the trailhead. Leaders cannot assign carpools but may help coordinate ride sharing to conserve energy and to promote camaraderie. Some outings require advance reservations at the destination site as well as from the participant.

November 6-8 (Fri-Sun) - Double Lake Recreation Area Campout - Family Friendly - A weekend of fall camping in the Sam Houston National Forest. Join us Friday night at Double Lake Recreation area near Cleveland. Saturday morning we will shuttle to the Big Creek Scenic Area where there are several loop trails for moderate hiking. Or hike through the Scenic Area back to Double Lake along the Lone Star Trail (about 5 miles). For the little kids we can play some games around the campground. This area is habitat for the red-cockaded woodpecker, an endangered species. Sunday morning is an opportunity to enjoy Double Lake's many other attractions: canoeing, fishing, hiking & biking. Cost is $25 donation to the club. Space is limited. Please contact Tony King at 713-669-0837 home, 281-804-6896 cell or kingt8@comcast.net.

January 22-24, 2010 (Fri-Sun) - Enchanted Rock SNA Camping - Join us for our annual camping trip to Enchanted Rock in the Texas hill country. The Rock is a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome that rises 425 feet above ground. It is one of the largest batholiths (underground rock formation uncovered by erosion) in the United States. We plan to have both a backpacking and a base camping group. This outing is family friendly and well behaved dogs are ok with permission of the leader. For more information or to reserve a spot, contact Lorraine Gibson at 281-384-4104 or raineygib@aol.com .

See our on-line calendar for single day outdoor events and other activities

Houston Area Anytime Outings

Even if you're new to Houston, you've probably already realized that we have less open space per capita than most other major cities in the US.  Statewide, less than 3% of land is publicly owned.  Nonetheless, there are a number of great places to get out and enjoy a pretty day.  

Metro Houston - from the Woodlands to Pearland to Sugarland, Brookshire to Baytown, and places in-between

Southeast Texas - from Buffalo to Bridge City, Coldspring to Columbus, Lake Jackson to LaGrange, all around Southeast Texas

Last updated:  10/25/2009.   Content © 1999-2009 by the Sierra Club.