April 15-19: Part of the Big Sandy Creek Unit will be closed while firefighters conduct a prescribed fire. Smoke may be visible in nearby communities. Trails in other units will remain open. Click/tap "More" for a map of the closure. More
At Big Thicket National Preserve, we strive to keep you informed about what’s happening in the park. We routinely issue news releases and engage local media in sharing stories and content that highlight everything happening here.
Media Inquiries
Contact the park's Public Information Officer by email or through the visitor center at 409-951-6700. Looking for photos of the preserve? Download NPS photos in our photo galleries.
Social Media
Follow us on social media @BigThicketNPS to find out about events going on in the preserve and learn about our natural and cultural resources. We're on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
These are some of our favorite fun posts from Big Thicket's social media accounts. Follow us @BigThicketNPS on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
More Photo Galleries
Browse and download high-quality, public-domain photos of the preserve in our photo galleries. Featured galleries include Big Thicket landscapes, wildlife, and recreation.
Following emancipation, formerly enslaved Blacks built communities in Big Thicket and southeast Texas. They lived off the land by homesteading, hunting, and foraging.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Alagnak Wild River, Alaska Public Lands, Aleutian Islands World War II National Historic Area, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Assateague Island National Seashore, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Big Bend National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Thicket National Preserve, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Biscayne National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Bluestone National Scenic River, Cabrillo National Monument, Canaveral National Seashore, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Channel Islands National Park, Everglades National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Indiana Dunes National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Padre Island National Seashore, Yellowstone National Parkmore »
At night, birds use the stars to find their way. But bright lights from buildings can confuse them. That's why national parks are so important - they're like bird hotels! They give birds safe places to rest and eat, especially after flying across the ocean.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Amistad National Recreation Area, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Arches National Park, Assateague Island National Seashore, Big Bend National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Thicket National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Buffalo National River, Cape Cod National Seashore, Capitol Reef National Park, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Channel Islands National Park, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, City Of Rocks National Reserve, Colorado National Monument, Congaree National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Denali National Park & Preserve, Devils Tower National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Everglades National Park, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Gateway National Recreation Area, Glacier National Park, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Teton National Park, Great Basin National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Homestead National Historical Park, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Hot Springs National Park, Indiana Dunes National Park, Isle Royale National Park, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Joshua Tree National Park, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Lowell National Historical Park, Mammoth Cave National Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, Monocacy National Battlefield, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Mount Rainier National Park, Natchez Trace Parkway, Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Niobrara National Scenic River, North Cascades National Park, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, Olympic National Park, Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Padre Island National Seashore, Petersburg National Battlefield, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Pinnacles National Park, Pipestone National Monument, Prince William Forest Park, Redwood National and State Parks, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, Rock Creek Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Saguaro National Park, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, San Juan Island National Historical Park, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Shenandoah National Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Voyageurs National Park, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wind Cave National Park, Women's Rights National Historical Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Yucca House National Monument, Zion National Parkmore »
Offices:Air Resources Division, National Natural Landmarks Program, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate
Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on a model to predict mercury risk park waterbodies: Kotalik, C.J. et al. 2025. Ecosystem drivers of freshwater mercury bioaccumulation are context-dependent: insights from continental-scale modeling. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c07280
Locations:Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Thicket National Preserve, Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Isle Royale National Park, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, North Cascades National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Zion National Parkmore »
Offices:Climate Change Response Program, Geologic Resources Division, National Natural Landmarks Program, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate
As we reflect on 2024, we offer you a list of 24 interesting and exciting science and nature events from parks of the national park system. From awe-inspiring celestial events to celebrating anniversaries and conservation wins, 2024 was filled with amazing moments.
Offices:Fire and Aviation Management, Wildland Fire Program
The Big Sandy prescribed fire at Big Thicket National Preserve treated areas that held plant communities that need frequent fire. These treatments help prevent woody brush accumulation, control invasive plants and insect pests, recycle nutrients into the soil, and encourage new plant growth. The US Fish & Wildlife Service found more than 30 plants and animals associated with longleaf pine ecosystems.
Offices:Gulf Coast Inventory & Monitoring Network, Inventory and Monitoring Division
At Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas, the presence of bats yields several ecological benefits while roost trees offer the vital havens they need to thrive. Researchers conducted a species inventory to assess the bat population and health of their preferred habitat. Two at-risk species— Rafinesque’s big-eared bat and southeastern myotis, require old-growth wetland forest habitats with hollow trees for survival.
On October 12, 2024, Big Thicket National Preserve hosted its 50th Anniversary Celebration, a festive day to celebrate the past, present, and future of America's first national preserve.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Amistad National Recreation Area, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Big Bend National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Thicket National Preserve, Cape Cod National Seashore, Capitol Reef National Park, Channel Islands National Park, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Colorado National Monument, Congaree National Park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Death Valley National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Denali National Park & Preserve, Everglades National Park, Gateway National Recreation Area, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Teton National Park, Great Basin National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Homestead National Historical Park, Hot Springs National Park, Indiana Dunes National Park, Isle Royale National Park, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Mammoth Cave National Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Redwood National and State Parks, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, Rock Creek Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Saguaro National Park, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, San Juan Island National Historical Park, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Shenandoah National Park, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Voyageurs National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Zion National Parkmore »
Offices:Air Resources Division, National Natural Landmarks Program, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Wild and Scenic Rivers Program
Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on how dragonfly mercury studies uncover unexpected atmospheric delivery pathways: Janssen, S.E., C.J. Kotalik, J.J. Willacker, M.T. Tate, C. Flanagan Pritz, S.J. Nelson, D.P. Krabbenhoft, D. Walters, and C. Eagles-Smith. 2024. Geographic Drivers of Mercury Entry into Aquatic Foods Webs Revealed by Mercury Stable Isotopes in Dragonfly Larvae. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02436
Locations:Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Acadia National Park, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, American Memorial Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Anacostia Park, Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve, Antietam National Battlefield, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Arches National Park, Arkansas Post National Memorial, Assateague Island National Seashore, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Badlands National Park, Bandelier National Monument, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Big Bend National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Hole National Battlefield, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Big Thicket National Preserve, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Biscayne National Park, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park, Buffalo National River, Cabrillo National Monument, Canaveral National Seashore, Cane River Creole National Historical Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Capitol Reef National Park, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Channel Islands National Park, Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Chiricahua National Monument, City Of Rocks National Reserve, Colonial National Historical Park, Colorado National Monument, Congaree National Park, Coronado National Memorial, Cowpens National Battlefield, Crater Lake National Park, Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Death Valley National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Denali National Park & Preserve, Devils Postpile National Monument, Devils Tower National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Effigy Mounds National Monument, Eisenhower National Historic Site, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, Everglades National Park, Fire Island National Seashore, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Fort Caroline National Memorial, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Fort Frederica National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Fort Matanzas National Monument, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, Fort Union National Monument, Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Fort Washington Park, Fossil Butte National Monument, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve, Gateway Arch National Park, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, George Washington Carver National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Glacier National Park, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Golden Spike National Historical Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Teton National Park, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Great Basin National Park, Great Falls Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Greenbelt Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Haleakalā National Park, Harmony Hall, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Homestead National Historical Parkmore »
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Pacific Island Inventory & Monitoring Network, Rocky Mountain Inventory & Monitoring Network, San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sierra Nevada Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sonoran Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network, South Florida Caribbean Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southeast Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southeast Coast Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southern Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southwest Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network, Upper Columbia Basin Inventory & Monitoring Networkmore »
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
