The Woodlands Hiking Club celebrated its 25th anniversary last year (2008). The club started in 1982 and was formally organized in 1983 by a small group of employees at Mitchell Energy in The Woodlands. Several of the original members are still active in the club. In the beginning, there were Saturday-morning hikes in the greater Houston area that included trips to Sweet Leaf Nature Trail, Jesse Jones Park, trails in The Woodlands, the Mercer Arboretum, Huntsville State Park, and Double Lake. The club met on the first Wednesday of each month at the local community center. As the group grew, a monthly newsletter was written and sent to members. Trips expanded to the state parks, and the club began planning out-of-state trips to places that included Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone. For many years, the club also did an annual trip to Big Bend National Park; and between Christmas and New Year's in 2009, a group went once again to one of the club's favorite places. |