Guests of Mission Tejas State Park have loads of trails to discover.
We Suppose it’s time for a brand new sheriff on the town. West Texas has been on everybody’s radar for some time, its cactus-dotted desertscape and iconic Large Bend Nationwide Park emblematic of how folks view the Lone Star State. However the Pineywoods’ wetlands and forests stuffed with loblolly pine and oak bushes remind us of simply how huge and numerous Texas’s panorama actually is.
This a part of East Texas boasts sprawling nation roads, climbing trails, wildlife, and tons of historical past. With greater than a dozen state parks and all 4 of Texas’s nationwide forests, the Pineywoods is the right place to go to throughout cooler climate once we’re in a position to benefit from the outside. Whether or not you’re touring there with household or buddies or resolve to camp solo, you’ll end up so immersed in nature, you may not ever need to come again to the metropolis.
East Texas is far more than simply its magnificence—it tells the true story of Texas. Lengthy earlier than it grew to become a state in 1845, Caddo tribe settlements might be discovered all through the Pineywoods space all the way in which again to the 800s. The Caddo Mounds State Historic Website sits on what was as soon as a village and ceremonial middle. After the Spanish took management of Texas within the late 1600s, they created El Camino Actual de los Tejas, a community of roads that related their missions from Mexico Metropolis to western Louisiana, based mostly on Indigenous commerce routes. It’s now a Nationwide Historic Path often called the King’s Freeway or Texas’s personal Route 66, and follows sections of recent highways akin to I-35, US 59, US 79, and TX 21, the place these Caddoan remnants nonetheless sit.
To get the total East Texas expertise, take into account driving on this historic route, the place you’ll have the ability to cease at completely different state markers and historic grounds that depict Texas historical past, together with the David Crockett Spring, which commemorates the campsite Crockett stayed in on his journey to the Alamo.
And due to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), created as a New Deal work program underneath President Franklin D. Roosevelt, we nonetheless have this state historical past preserved immediately. Those that enrolled within the CCC through the Despair helped assemble the parks that guests at the moment are fortunate to have the chance to flee to and luxuriate in by means of climbing, tenting, and different actions.
Take a journey with us by means of East Texas’s nationwide forests and state parks—or select your personal journey.
The 4 nationwide forests
Though the Pineywoods could seem far, the area truly begins simply 50 miles north of Houston with the Sam Houston Nationwide Forest. Containing over 160,000 acres throughout Huntsville, Conroe, Cleveland, and Richards, this forest is a superb place to begin when you’re eager to discover all the Pineywoods, however, with its proximity to the town, it might probably additionally make for a fun-filled day journey or in a single day tenting journey.
Sam Rayburn Reservoir is a pleasant escape from metropolis life.
Up for a problem? The Sam Houston Nationwide Forest holds the favored Lone Star Mountaineering Path, which spans a whopping 128 miles and boasts Nationwide Recreation Path standing. In case you select to aim this, you’ll undoubtedly want an prolonged in a single day keep. There are three developed campgrounds throughout the forest: Cagle, Double Lake, and Stubblefield Recreation Areas.
Cagle is positioned alongside Lake Conroe’s shoreline, and it presents full-service hookups, a ship ramp, practically 50 campsites, hike and bike trails, and loads of alternatives for fishing. If you wish to see redbud and dogwood tree blossoms, one of the best time to go to is mid-February to early March. Double Lake’s campground is on the forest’s east aspect. The world additionally surrounds a 24-acre lake with a swimming space and seaside, and there are canoe and paddleboat leases.
Camp in Huntsville State Park, which sits throughout the Sam Houston Nationwide Forest.
On the western aspect of the nationwide forest, however nonetheless alongside Lake Conroe, Stubblefield is a vacation spot for fishing, climbing, birding, or looking, and has round 30 first-come, first-served campsites ($15). Websites at Cagle and Double Lake could be reserved, beginning at $20 for a tent website and as much as $66 an evening for RV electrical websites.
About 60 miles north of Sam Houston, Davy Crockett Nationwide Forest permits dispersed tenting year-round, with some restrictions through the fall deer looking season. For final solitude, take into account staying within the extra distant Large Slough Wilderness Space. For a bustling getaway, the Ratcliff Lake Recreation Space surrounds a 45-acre lake and presents tenting, swimming, boating, fishing, a forest path, a bathhouse, and a concession stand.
Journey one other hour or so east to succeed in Angelina Nationwide Forest, identified for the
Sam Rayburn Reservoir, which is well-liked for fishing, boating, and snowboarding. Caney Creek and Sandy Creek Recreation Areas provide tenting alongside the shore.
The world surrounding the Boykin Springs Recreation Space provides guests a glance into what life was like when the lumber business was booming.
The Angelina Nationwide Forest can also be house to Boykin Springs, an older recreation website constructed by the CCC in 1938, surrounding a nine-acre spring-fed, man-made physique of water. It’s the place to be for anybody who loves historical past. Between the recreation space and Bouton Lake, a five-and-a-half-mile path results in the historic Aldridge Sawmill website, providing a peek into what life was like when the lumber business was booming.
From Angelina, drive about 70 miles east to Sabine Nationwide Forest, the place you may benefit from the nation’s fifth-largest man-made reservoir, the Toledo Bend Reservoir, which straddles the state line with Louisiana. This attraction has introduced lodging and motels to the world, so no want to remain at a primitive campsite if that’s not your velocity. However you’ll discover some first-come, first-served spots at a number of campgrounds within the Sabine ($5–10 per night time), in addition to areas out there for dispersed tenting. In case you’re into mountain biking or horseback using, Sabine is your finest guess among the many 4 nationwide forests. Its 28-mile path system, together with a few of its surrounding roads, enable each actions.
At Cherokee Hint Drive-Via Safari you may stand up shut and private with wildlife.
Take a Break from Mountaineering
Need one thing just a little completely different after just a few days of hitting the paths? Go to New York—no, not that New York. For a enjoyable expertise that may take a look at your bravery, go to New York Texas ZipLine Adventures and try both the six- or 9–zip line problem. With the six–zip line possibility ($80), you’ll journey on strains that vary from 150 toes to 950 toes lengthy, with heights from 20 to 100 toes above the bottom. The longer course ($120) additionally consists of two cable sky bridges and a 1,500-foot-long zip line.
As for many who need to get a glimpse at wildlife (safely), you’ll want to carve out a while in your itinerary for a visit by means of the Cherokee Hint Drive-Via Safari. This 300-acre animal park close to Jacksonville permits guests to stand up shut and private with unique and endangered species. A few of the animals embrace bison, capybaras, llamas, crimson kangaroos, and zebras. The safari is $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for youngsters 3 to 12, and $17.95 for seniors; group costs can be found, too, and range by measurement. No pets allowed.
State parks we love
East Texas incorporates a dozen state parks, all with distinctive personalities and worthy of exploration, however now we have a few high suggestions.
Constructed by the CCC, Mission Tejas State Park sits within the northern a part of Davy Crockett Nationwide Forest and is house to a commemorative mannequin of the primary Spanish mission in Texas. The park’s Rice Household Log Cabin isn’t only a mannequin, although. The unique cabin was in-built 1828 by Joseph and Willie Masters Rice; it was donated to the State of Texas in 1973, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division moved it to its present house. In case you go to, search for the remnants of the wallpaper that was added within the 1860s.
Mission Tejas State Park has loads to supply, from tenting to trails.
Outside, Mission Tejas boasts 13 trails that adjust in problem. For a straightforward 20-minute stroll and an opportunity to see some wildlife—particularly turtles—select the half-mile Tejas Timber Path. This hyperlinks to different hikes within the park, such because the 0.4-mile Cemetery Hill Path, 0.5-mile Olen Matchett Path, and the 0.1-mile CCC Bathtub Path—mix all of them for an extended loop that shouldn’t take you greater than two hours.
Honest warning: If you end up on the foot of the Cemetery Hill Path, brace your self for a little bit of a steep uphill. The 1.1-mile Nabedache Loop takes hikers to remnants of the El Camino Actual path. It’s a reasonable 45-minute route, and also you’ll be strolling on the identical floor that vacationers as soon as took between Louisiana, San Antonio, and Mexico.
There’s a duplicate mission at Mission Tejas State Park.
The historic websites are our favourite components of the park, however the El Camino Actual entry and commemorative mission are in part of the park that can be closed for development from early January to mid-2025, together with its campground, playground, and fishing pond. Different components of the park will nonetheless be open for climbing and biking, however examine the park’s web site if you wish to plan your journey for a time you will get the total expertise.
Even farther north, about 200 miles from Houston and about an hour from Tyler, you’ll discover Martin Creek Lake State Park, the place you’re more likely to hear birds chirping and households recreating. It’ll remind you that nature actually feels therapeutic.
Martin Creek Lake State Park has loads of choices for fishing.
It’s not all serenity, although, because the park has tons of actions for the entire household, like climbing trails, a swimming space, a playground, and a ship ramp and fishing pier. In case you forgot your fishing pole or simply don’t have one, you may borrow gear from the camp. Plus, in Texas state parks, no license is required to fish from the shore or pier. Whereas right here, you would possibly get just a few good bites—together with catfish, bass, and sunfish.
This state park has its personal island, which could be hiked through the simple 0.9-mile Island Path that’s related to the park by means of a picket bridge (you would possibly even see a deer whereas on the market). Do you hear a buzzing sound? That’s the facility plant on the island—that is Texas, in any case. Nonetheless, we’re barely grateful for the plant, as a result of it helps maintain the water heat year-round.
The 1.2-mile Outdated Henderson Street Loop has stays of an outdated commerce route between Henderson and Shreveport, Louisiana; this path can also be your finest guess to identify a bald eagle or an osprey. Go for the 1.5-mile Concord Hill Loop if you wish to see an outdated gasoline properly pump, a pine plantation, and a historic cemetery with graves relationship again to the 1840s. You may conquer all three trails in a day when you’re up for it.
Martin Creek Lake has an entrance price of $4 for adults, and youngsters 12 and underneath are free. Campsites run $10–20 an evening and embrace lakefront spots with electrical energy and extra primitive choices on the island, the place there are not any restrooms or water spigots. Straight-up tenting isn’t all people’s cup of tea, after all. Fortunately, Martin Creek Lake State Park has just a few roofed choices, too. You’ll need to deliver a cot or sleeping pad to remain in one of many screened shelters ($30), which have electrical energy. Or go for a cottage with an AC unit and bunk beds (BYO bedding) for $55 an evening.
In order for you your personal rest room and a kitchen, too, degree as much as one of many cabins, which sleep 4 and go for $85 an evening. Cabins have beds, a eating desk, a full rest room, and home equipment together with a microwave, range, and fridge. Simply do not forget that it’s nonetheless a step down from an Airbnb, so be sure to pack the whole lot you want for the right keep, akin to cleansing provides, utensils, groceries, cooking gadgets like pans and dishes, bedsheets, pillows, towels, and no matter else you would possibly have to make you are feeling at house.
A cabin will include its personal code, so you may enter and go away the house as you please. It’s outfitted with a screened-in porch for a pleasant dinner that gained’t be ruined by exterior critters.
It’s undoubtedly not glamping, so don’t anticipate to be handled to something extraordinarily good, however with its air-conditioning and heater, it’s a step up from staying in a tent—plus, when you went to summer season camp as a baby, the screened shelters and cottages would possibly set off some nostalgia.
Put your telephone away and luxuriate in serenity with a Postcard cabin.
Do not Wanna Tough It?
If tenting in a tent or staying in an older cabin isn’t your factor, however you continue to need to get the Pineywoods expertise, you’re in luck. Postcard Cabins (previously known as Getaway), an organization that gives fashionable cabin trip leases, has a glamping location in LaRue, about an hour and a half from Martin Creek Lake State Park. It’s principally tenting—however in a tiny house with fashionable facilities.
Postcard Cabins come together with your alternative of a queen mattress or bunk mattress, and all have a bathe with scorching water; a non-public rest room; a two-burner range; a sink and consuming water; pots, pans, and dishware; and AC and warmth. Costs range relying on dates.
The Battle of the Piney Woods
The Pineywoods is identified for its magnificence, hike and bike trails, and historical past, however do you know it’s additionally house to 2 universities which have previous beef? Sam Houston State College in Huntsville and Stephen F. Austin State College in Nacogdoches don’t play towards one another anymore in faculty soccer, however they did for years. The rivalry was titled Battle of the Piney Woods. This face-off between the Bearkats and Lumberjacks was a convention that started within the early Nineteen Twenties and went on sturdy for 96 conferences, till SHSU left the Western Athletic Convention. The sport was held proper right here in Houston at NRG Stadium from 2010 till the final battle in 2022.
