Stories

A Montgomery, Texas day trip starts about an hour northwest of downtown Houston, close enough to smell the city but far enough that it doesn’t feel like it. This is a town of about 2,000 people with roots that go all the way back to Stephen F. Austin’s original colonists, and it happens to be the birthplace of the Texas flag. It’s also home to a goat with more statues than most Texas governors. Whatever you came here expecting, Montgomery has a way of one upping it.

Watch the full episode below:

The Town That Named the Flag (and a Goat Named Monty)

Long before Montgomery had a barbecue joint worth driving for, it had Dr. Charles Stewart, the local resident who designed the Lone Star flag itself. That’s the kind of history this town carries around quietly. It also carries around the legend of Monty the Goat, a real billy goat who wandered into town a hundred years ago, figured out how to mooch water and beer off the locals, and became such a beloved fixture that he’s now got more than one statue in his honor. Not a bad life for a goat who never worked a day in it.

Bar A Barbecue: From Fence Salesman to Pit Master

Cooper Abercrombie used to sell fences. Then he bought a house, which in Texas apparently comes with an unwritten rule that you now own a smoker, and he got hooked. He drove three hours each way to Goldee’s in Fort Worth just to take out the trash for a chance to learn from the best, and it worked.

Today he runs Bar A Barbecue with his wife Shelby and brother Caleb, and they sell out most days before closing. The brisket is the king of the tray, but it’s the honey butter cornbread that steals the show, a dessert dressed up as a side dish, with enough butter in it to be its own food group. Get there early. Sold out signs are practically part of the decor.

Fernland Historical Park: A Cabin Built Without a Single Nail

A few blocks away, Fernland Historical Park holds the Jorden Cabin, the oldest structure in Montgomery County, built by hand in the 1820s with no nails at all. Whoever built that thing had more patience than I have on a good day. Right beside the front door there’s a gun port instead of a doorbell, a reminder that early Texas hospitality came with conditions. The cabin’s builder was an Irish Catholic who came to Texas in search of land he couldn’t own back home. Freedom looks different depending on when you were born.

Hiking the Lone Star Trail in Sam Houston National Forest

Montgomery sits at the edge of the Sam Houston National Forest, one of only four national forests in the entire state, and the Lone Star Hiking Trail runs 129 miles through it, the longest continuous hiking trail in Texas. We only covered a sliver of it, crossing Little Lake Creek on a tree bridge that felt sturdier than it looked. Standing under pines that tall has a way of making you feel appropriately small. Texas gets a lot of credit for deserts and cattle. It deserves just as much for forests like this one.

Riding Dirt with a MotoGP Legend at Texas Tornado Boot Camp

From the forest to the dirt track, Texas Tornado Boot Camp is Colin Edwards’ training ground for aspiring motocross riders, no experience required, which is exactly why I qualified. I started on what I was told was a kid’s bike, graduated to real motocross terrain faster than felt medically advisable, and got both tires off the ground at least once. Adrenaline is apparently addictive. So is the corn dog stand at the gate, if Colin ever lets me sell tickets to his next canyon jump.

Catfish and Calm on Lake Conroe

We slowed back down on the water with Captain Chris Edwards of Catch A Trophy Guide Service, hunting blue and channel catfish on Lake Conroe. The bite was good, the water was clean thanks to the San Jacinto River Authority, and for a few hours the only stakes were whether the next tug on the line was a fish or just a hopeful imagination. Fishing has a way of making you patient whether you want to be or not.

Tony’s Italian Delicatessen: The Best Sandwich in the Country, in Montgomery

I did not expect to find the nation’s top rated Italian deli, per Yelp, tucked into small town Texas, but here we are. Tony’s Italian Delicatessen makes the Stallone, a hoagie built on fresh pesto, a pound of basil, provolone, salami, and a proprietary sub oil that owner Lori will not share under any circumstances. Every sandwich is named after an Italian icon, and every bite makes a strong case for its namesake. This is the kind of place you drive an hour out of your way for and then wonder why you don’t do it every week.

Final Thoughts on Our Montgomery, Texas Day Trip

We covered deep roots, tall pines, smoky pits, a dirt track, a quiet lake, and a sandwich shop that outranks delis in New York and Chicago. That’s Montgomery in a single day, proof that small towns can carry an outsized amount of Texas. Just remember to save room for the canoli. If this Montgomery, Texas day trip has you itching for more, browse all our Daytripper stories for the next one.

I’ll see y’all on the road.

The Daytripper

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Montgomery, Texas worth a day trip?
Yes. Between Bar A Barbecue, the Lone Star Hiking Trail, Texas Tornado Boot Camp, Lake Conroe fishing, and Tony’s Italian Delicatessen, Montgomery packs history, food, and adventure into a single day.

What is Montgomery, Texas known for?
Montgomery is known as the birthplace of the Texas flag, its proximity to the Sam Houston National Forest, and Tony’s Italian Delicatessen, a nationally ranked sandwich shop in a town of about 2,000 people.

What food should you try in Montgomery, Texas?
Brisket and honey butter cornbread at Bar A Barbecue, and the Stallone hoagie at Tony’s Italian Delicatessen.