Spring Blossoms and Tall Trees – Paddling Through the Cypress Wonderland
June 10, 2017
by Tom Douglas

Nestled in the basin of the Trinity River, the Cypress Wonderland is a wonderful place to paddle. We were especially looking forward to visiting it on June 10 because the outing we had planned there for last December had to be cancelled due to severe weather. ("A Cozy Day...") But today, conditions were fine: the wind was moderate and coming from the southeast (notice how our route followed the southern and eastern shores of lakes wherever possible), the water level was high enough to make remote parts of the swamp accessible, many swamp flowers were in bloom, and a long-blocked bayou had opened up.

Our large group included paddlers in a variety of craft: solo kayaks, a solo canoe, tandem canoes, and a three-person canoe. Because of the shape of the lake shore near Cedar Hill Park, where we launched our boats, there initially seemed to be little wind. But this changed as we rounded the first curve, when we saw that we would be paddling into the wind for a while. Hugging the eastern edge of Lake Charlotte, we headed south. Flowering hibiscus plants and a US Geological Survey gauging station provided interesting diversions along the way. Continuing on around the southeast corner of the lake, we followed a small channel to Mud Lake. There, we wondered at a large cluster of American lotus plants, with their large, round leaves floating on the water’s surface, and many white blossoms.

Lotus by Joe Coker

The next leg of our route required a little advance explanation. “Yes, we are about to paddle directly into the flooded cypress forest, where there are almost no landmarks, and, most of the time, no real bayous to follow. After about a mile, we plan to emerge from the forest at Lake Miller.” The group gamely followed, and our route through the forest went as planned.

Into the woods by Kent Walters		In the woods by Kent Walters		Out of the woods! by Linda Shead

After a short jog to the south in Lake Miller, we paddled along a channel through the forest to our lunch spot, which was located only a short distance from where Spanish troops had occupied a military garrison during the 1700s. One paddler commented that they had visited the Cypress Wonderland many times, but this was the first group they knew of who had used what was, for us, an ideal place to stop for lunch. Linda Shead spread tarps on the ground, making a comfortable spot for us to eat lunch and to share comments about why each of us wanted to spend a day in the swamp, and what we do during those times when we can’t be paddling. Before departing the area, Joe Coker guided several paddlers over to a nearby pool where the water is very clear, and where large carp can often be seen. We paddled back out to Lake Miller and followed its eastern side up to the entrance of Mud Lake Bayou, which was a particular treat because it had been all but impassable for the last couple of years.

Lunch by Joe Coker		Sailing Lake Miller by Linda Shead		Mud Lake Bayou by Joe Coker		Mud Lake Bayou video by Natalie Wiest

Following the bayou for over a mile, we soon came upon a large patch of lizard’s tail plants in full bloom. Spectacular! A little farther along, we began seeing swamp lilies, which were also in full bloom. Again, spectacular! Here, we also enjoyed views of blooming pickerelweed and halberd-leaved hibiscus plants. Two rafts of floating water hyacinth required some effort to push through, but they were not thick enough to stop our progress. Shortly before reaching Mud Lake, we avoided a very large raft of water hyacinth by taking a short-cut through the forest into the lake. (This whole segment of the route wouldn’t have been possible without the information that had been gathered by our advance scouting team, who had checked out conditions and potential paddling routes, three days ahead of time.)

Lizard's Tail by Kent Walters		Swamp lilies by Linda Shead		Pickerelweed by Joe Coker		Hibiscus by Kent Walters

Heading up to the north side of Mud Lake, we crossed our own earlier track for the first time during the day, returning to Lake Charlotte, and then paddling to the north-northeast with the wind at our backs. This made for the fastest leg of our 8.5 mile paddle, but we tended to notice the 85 degree heat more at this time because our direction of travel downwind made it feel as if there were almost no breeze. Back at Cedar Hill Park, we enjoyed what was possibly the world’s best cold watermelon, generously provided by John and Cindy Bartos in celebration of Cindy’s birthday. Hmmm, good.

Watermelon! by Joe Coker

To see more pictures of the outing, check out the photo albums posted by Joe Coker and Kent Walters. You can also go “behind the scenes” with the scouting team during its June 7 exploratory paddle by reading Natalie Wiest’s article (link here) and viewing Joe's photo album from that day. That team included Joe Coker, Tom Douglas, Rea Inglis, Dave Kitson, Bill Ohsie, and Natalie Wiest. Special thanks are also due to Joe Coker and Kent Walters for their help during the day of the trip with key logistics that made it safe and fun for all.

Where we went by Tom Douglas

After the outing was over, those of us who are inclined to watch river gauges thanked our lucky stars. The window of opportunity for this magical route, which is determined largely by the water level in the swamp, had opened just in time to permit access for our scouts, and it remained open for less than two weeks. If you want to try this route yourself, we recommend doing it when the water depth at USGS Gauging Station 08067118 “Lk Charlotte nr Anahuac, TX” is at least about 9.0 feet.

The author, Tom Douglas