Houston Shelter

Houston Shelter is a group picnic site nestled on the shore of Lake Lewis Smith in Bankhead National Forest, a popular recreation area offering a variety of activities. The shelter is first come, first served, and the site is walk-up only. The picnic facility offers tables, flush toilets, grills and drinking water. A boat ramp and showers are nearby. Day users can enjoy a beautiful sand swimming beach. Other activities include motorized and non-motorized boating and water skiing, and anglers can fish for Kentucky spotted bass and hybrid striped bass. Hiking trails in the area include the 1.4-mile High Rock Loop and the nearly 2-mile Fox Run Loop. Bankhead National Forest is in northwestern Alabama, and the prominent feature of the area is the Sipsey Wilderness. Known as "The Land of a Thousand Waterfalls," the Sipsey encompasses abundant streams, old-growth forests, limestone bluffs and lush canyons. Lake Lewis Smith boasts more than 500 miles of shoreline marked by high rock bluffs; the water is clear and deep and provides excellent fishing.