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

April 27-May 3 (Sun-Sat) - Trail Maintance at Buffalo River National Park

This service trip will assist in constructing a new trail at the scenic Buffalo National River, a unit of the National Park Service. The Buffalo National River is one of the few remaining rivers in the lower 48 states without dams. The river cuts its way through massive limestone bluffs traveling eastward through the Arkansas Ozarks and into the White River. Project Information: The first step will be clearing the construction area by removing fallen leaves, leaf mold, decaying wood, bushes and saplings. Then a 24-inch-wide trail tread will be leveled by digging and raking. Rocks will be removed, and native rock steps built. Finally, construction debris will be scattered or covered to re-naturalize any disturbed areas along the trail. Most of this trail will be along wooded hillsides. This multi-year project is to build a 25-mile trail along the Buffalo River from U.S. Highway 65 to Highway 14. Elevation varies from 500 to 900 feet above sea level, but the trail passes over high bluffs providing impressive panoramic views of the river and surrounding hills. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the Ozarks is here. Trip participants have opportunities to canoe the river in Park Service canoes, hike, view wildlife, explore caves, and learn about the region’s colorful history. Space is limited to ten people. Participants can either drive to the site, or contact other participants for carpooling options. Camping will be at Spring Creek. Cost will be approximately $10 per day for food. Contact Jane Prentiss at 713-201-5755 or lsttrailboss@yahoo.com for additional details, and to sign up. You can check the Houston Sierra Club website outings page for possible updates on this trip.  Status:  Closed

May 31-June 8 (Sat-Sun) - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

This trip will be car camping with a variety of day hikes at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Sequoia is the second oldest National Park, established in 1890 after Yellowstone, and noted for its concentration of giant sequoia groves. We will fly to San Francisco and stay at California State Parks on our way to and from Kings Canyon. 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:  Space Available

June 7-14, 2008 (Sat-Sat) - Backpacking - Hells Canyon NRA Idaho

Hells Canyon on the Snake River is the deepest river valley in North America. The 10 mile wide valley has an elevation drop of 7900 feet, nearly 3000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon. Abundant wildlife such as elk and mule deer with the occasional big cat and bear frequent this forested to bare ridge landscape. Our plan is to use some combination of jetboat/raff within the canyon for up to 45 miles of backpacking within the Scenic and Wild Snake River valley. This is a strenuous 5 night outing for the experienced backpacker. Trip size is limited to 10. Contact Dale Stevens at 281-719-7459 or at dale_stevens9@yahoo.com. Status:   Space Available

October 29-November 2, 2008 (Wed-Sun) - Guadalupe Mountans National Park

Join us for the popular trip to the highest mountain in Texas, usuall with cool nights and mild daytime temperatures. Leave at 6:00 PM on Wednesday and sleep at night while on the road in a "fabulous" sleeper bus with horizontal (!) beds, then have three full days of hiking in the Guadalupe Mountains before returning to Houston early Sunday morning. Day hikes/base camping, and backpacking groups are planned. On this trip, hiking is strenuous, and backpacking is very strenuous. Tentative price: $335. Reserve a place by sending email to gumo2008@gmail.com (GUMO is the National Park Service abbreviated designation for Guadalupe Mountains National Park) or by contacting George Batten (713-665- 1505). A $50 deposit will be required by July 1. Email is preferred; email messages will be acknowledged and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.  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.

none currently scheduled

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:  05/06/2008.   Content © 1999-2008 by the Sierra Club.