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."

2008 Houston Sierra Club Air/Bus Trips

October 30-November 2, 2008 (Thu-Sun) - Guadalupe Mountans National Park

Join us for the popular trip to the highest mountain in Texas, usually with cool nights and mild daytime temperatures. Travel by air to El Paso, then by auto to Pine Springs Campground. Hike in the Guadalupe Mountains for three days before returning to Houston Sunday afternoon. Day hikes/base camping, and backpacking groups are planned. On this trip, hiking is strenuous, and backpacking is very strenuous.  There are three added-cost options: 1. Leave Houston on Wednesday afternoon and camp that evening at Hueco Tanks State Historic Site, about 30 miles from El Paso. 2. Take a day trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park and have a ranger-led tour of the Slaughter Canyon Cave — not the usual tourist cave. 3. Start your Guadalupe Mountains visit at the Dog Canyon site, which is about 110 miles by road from Pine Springs.  The Houston Sierra Club charge is $165 for the basic trip; each option costs an additional $25. Participants must purchase their own airline tickets, which cost about $220 at this time. This brings the basic trip cost to about $375 (not including options).  All camping is outdoors. The Houston Sierra Club pays admission and camping fees at Hueco Tanks SHS and Guadalupe Mountains NP, but it does not furnish any equipment or food for this trip. Participants must pay any other park fees (such as any associated with the cave tour). Reserve a place by sending email to GUMO2008@gmail.com (GUMO is the National Park Service abbreviation for Guadalupe Mountains National Park, but this email address is strictly for this trip; email sent to it does not reach the U. S. National Park Service) or by contacting George Batten (713-665-1505); email is prefered. Email messages will be acknowledged and additional information will be provided as it becomes available. A $50 deposit, due now, is required to hold a place. Deposits are not refundable if the trip is not cancelled. All other fees are due by October 1. Learn more about the parks: use your favorite Internet search engine to find them. Search for "Hueco Tanks", "Guadalupe Mountains", and "Carlsbad Caverns" — each of them has an official web site.   Status:   Space Available

2008 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.

July/August TBD - Texas Hill Country - Two days to be arranged in July-August - Do you want to backpack in central Texas in the hottest part of the year? If so, contact George Batten at 713-665-1505 or BayouBanner@gmail.com, email preferred. Trip details depend on interest and participants. Not for dogs or children. Recommended donation $15.

September 19-21 (Fri-Sun) - Car Camping Guadalupe River State Park - Join us for a weekend of camping and hiking in the fresh autumn air of the Texas Hill Country. Available activities include a tour of the adjacent Honey Creek State Natural Area, tubing, paddling, fishing, and mountain biking. Nearby Natural Bridge Caverns tours are an optional Sunday side trip before returning to Houston. This trip is child and pet friendly. Cost is $10 per adult. Day entrance fees are extra. Contact Dale Stevens W:281-719-7459 (dale_stevens9@yahoo.com) for more information. Please RSVP by 8/24/07.

October 17-19 (Fri-Sun) - Martin Dies, Jr. State Park - Enjoy an East Texas Fall weekend. This should be a good trip for beginners as well as experienced campers. Bring your bike, kayak, fishing pole, or just your light hiking shoes as this park on B. A. Steinhagen Lake has a lot to offer including easy hiking trails and flat park roads. Hopefully we will enjoy some autumn color as well. A donation of $10 to the club is requested and park fees are extra. Contact Rick Rice at rick.rice@sbcglobal.net or 713-680-0585.

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:  08/25/2008.   Content © 1999-2008 by the Sierra Club.