Miles Of New Trails And A Bike Park Are Coming Soon To Sam Houston Jones State Park
By Madelaine B. Landry
The driving force, or perhaps the riding force, behind the miles of America’s hiking and biking trails is the dedication of communities cooperating with their local cycling organizations, as well as governmental land management and recreational agencies. When these groups collaborate, the development of diverse networks of trails become a reality, ranging from beginner-friendly paths to more challenging trails and everything in between.
Recently, the Lake Area Mountain Bike Organization (LAMBO) announced its biodiversity grant $50,000 award from Phillips 66. The funds from the grant will restore, enhance and expand the network of mountain bike trails in Sam Houston Jones State Park. Already a popular outdoor destination in SWLA, the park is located on the Central Migratory Flyway where visitors can observe ducks, geese and over 200 bird species throughout the seasons.
The park’s current trail system winds around tree-filled lagoons where hikers and bikers can observe an abundance of wildlife, such as deer, squirrels, bobcats, rabbits, alligators, raccoons, nutria and foxes. However, the dual hurricanes of 2020 left the trails in need of upgrading. Plans for improvements include an additional 10 miles of new mountain biking trails.
In an early October news release, the collaborative effort was promoted as a way to “create sustainable and accessible recreational opportunities for the community, enhancing the park’s value as a resource for both locals and visitors.” Citing the partnership as a “significant step toward the realization of the Louisiana Office of State Park’s master plan,” LAMBO announced they had chosen Avid Trails, a Park City, Utah-based planning, design, and trail-building company, to spearhead the project’s design.
Originally the state park was named for Sam Houston, a Texas folk hero who traveled into the western boundaries of Louisiana. The name was later changed to honor Sam Houston Jones, a former Louisiana governor, who was involved in obtaining the 1087 acre-tract of land for public recreational use. Campsites and cabins are available, as well as picnic areas, pavilions, a playground and restrooms. Located on the West fork of the Calcasieu River, the park’s two boat launches provide convenient access to the Gulf of Mexico a few miles away.
It’s no secret that mountain bike trails are popular worldwide. In Louisiana, there is no shortage of diverse landscapes that are available to every level of cyclists. Varying terrains and topographical features challenge every level of mountain bikers. A moderate year-round climate means more hours of biking is available to residents and visitors.
LAMBO founder Tyler Churchman said, “Our vision is to develop the trail system at Sam Houston Jones State Park (SHJSP) into a premiere network of multi-use and bike-optimized trails for hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers of all skill levels. Exceptional trails close to home for all locals to enjoy is our mission – from this we strive to turn SHJSP into a true Louisiana attraction for travelers from neighboring cities and states. This park presents an incredible opportunity to make a massive impact in our area for generations. A trail system such as this presents several economic, recreational, environmental, and health benefits.
“Conservation and recreation working together is also part of our vision. One of our partners is the Louisiana Nature Conservancy; we have integrated their firebreaks into the trail system by making them multi-use trails of which we also maintain. When we re-establish or create new trails, we utilize the International Mountain Bike Organization’s trail building standards to ensure our trails are sustainable. The restoration and expansion of trails at Sam Houston Jones serves as a perfect conduit for people to experience the great outdoors, improving overall physical and mental health.
“Mountain Biking, Hiking, Trail Running, Birding, Photography, Nature Enthusiasts, and probably a few other groups I’m forgetting, all utilize this trail system for recreational enjoyment. The bike park will open opportunities beyond these groups, from young families looking for a fun unique playground experience at the nature play space, to skateboarders, scooter riders, rollerbladers, and wheelchair users who can enjoy the asphalt pump track. It’s a single space, that a multitude of users get to share and enjoy.”
“I am excited for the development of this bike park and trail system,” said LAMBO President, Robert Landry. “We are a group of mountain bikers, developing bike trails, but we hope the bike park will be used by the entire community. I envision people riding or hiking the trails, having birthday parties, competitions with our triathlon groups, and other running groups hosting events. I also hope to see birdwatchers and families enjoying the outdoors here. This project is more than just a bike park and trail system, it is an enhancement to Sam Houston Jones State Park.”
Jay Hoeschler, co-founder and design director of Avid Trails: “The new trails and bike park will make SHJSP a major attraction. Families and friends will load their bikes up and drive for hours to come experience this awesome place. The centerpiece of the bike park is planned to include several asphalt pump tracks, jump lines, skills features, and a super fun bike play zone for kids.”
Top to bottom: Progressive jump lines, start platform and branded return berms are shown. All will be a part of the Jump Lines area of the core.
“Up the hill from the bike park, we’re designing an elevated hub that feeds several downhill flow trails leading back into the bike park with jumps, berms, and rollers—all the stuff mountain bike riders love. There will be beginner, intermediate and advanced options for riders of all skill levels. It will be an absolute blast.
“Outside of the bike park core, we’re planning another 10 miles of cross country and technical trails that will add a huge variety of styles to the 10 miles of trails that the LAMBO team has already recovered since the 2020 hurricanes. A bike park project like this does not exist anywhere in the area, and we’re so happy to help make it a reality.”
Churchman further notes, “Riding and walking burns calories, and thankfully we have some incredible places to eat nearby. I know when our friends with Avid Trails came to town, they certainly didn’t leave hungry! Visitors need a place to stay, whether at a luxury cabin in the park, local hotel, or one of our casinos, which is only a few miles away from the park, trails put heads-in-beds.
“I envision people riding or
hiking the trails, having
birthday parties, competitions with our triathlon groups, and other running groups hosting events. I also hope to see
birdwatchers and families
enjoying the outdoors here. This project is more than just a bike park and trail system,
it is an enhancement to Sam Houston Jones State Park.”
– LAMBO President
Robert Landry
“When I travel to ride, I always find a local bike shop to go grab a hat or water bottle from, and my wife and kids often find several other places to go shopping. One thing many people glance over is the added benefit of job retention and recruitment draw of potential applicants from other states. Starting a NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) league, summer camps, and various programs to teach youth and people with mental and physical disabilities how to ride bikes, are all dreams that would be possible with this type of facility.”
Louisiana has always been known as the ultimate playground for the outdoorsman, earning it the nickname “Sportsman’s Paradise.” Sam Houston Jones State Park offers a paradise as well to many endangered species of flora and fauna. Mountain Biking is a sustainable, pollution-free option for family and friends to enjoy nature and its wonders, at any age, at any fitness level.
There are bikes designed for persons with disabilities, including tricycles, tandem bikes, wheelchair bikes and adaptive bikes. With a comprehensive bike trail system in place, SWLA can look forward to a future filled with bon temps, another slice of Louisiana lagniappe.
For more information on SHJSP, visit https://crt.state.la.us. For additional information on LAMBO’s mission and upcoming events, go to https://lambotrails.wixsite.com/mysite
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