Martin Dies State Park employees are always so friendly, they always give great advice and know how to make your trip memorable. The park is pretty vast and spread over quite a few areas, always want to make sure you get your park permits, good news is they are affordable and usually easy enough to obtain. Since I live locally i almost always take visitors out to this park to explore and make a day of it always live stopping in the little rangers store front area and purchasing souvenirs for our visitors as well a keep sake and they have quite a few to choose from all in all always a pleasant experience!!! read more

I'd say this is an average state park for Texas. It's got LOTS of water. We stayed on the south part and only went to the north part for the interpretive center. Campsites are large, but its open between them, so might be a little weird if crowded. There is water at every third campsite (also may be weird if crowded). Bathrooms vary: ours was above average, but one further down was old and creepy. The area we were in had lakefront camping, but there was a 6 ft bulkhead down to the water. Scary with kids to be sure. The small swimming area was uninviting. The trails are nothing spectacular. One was closed, when I asked why, the park host told me a hunter had set up a deer blind that could shoot towards the trail. Hope they get that worked out. The interpretive center is very nice and a surprise to see highly recommended for kids. This lake is very nice for canoeing as it is shallow in many areas and they rent canoes and have "canoe trails". read more

This is a 3.5 gone to 4 star cause I think my g/f might give this park a 2 star. All in all we had fun (not enough that we'd make the commute back up from Houston with all the other state parks in Texas we wanna visit), but we stayed for a couple nights after Thanksgiving. What's really quite fun is renting a canoe for a few hours -- I'd definitely recommend taking paddling trails at the northern camp site if you have a choice. The southern paddling trail takes you across open waters, which for a non-experience canoe-ist was not fun. We actually turned around and just hung out in the slough where the canoe launch was located. There is no reserving canoes, so wake up early and get them while they are available. What's really not fun is the fact that if you're staying in the southern campsite as we did, you're pretty darn close to the hunting club in the neighboring property. Even if you don't mind the fact that they put a deer blind so close to the nature trail that the Park Rangers had to close the trail on our side of the property, you'll definitely mind the lovely sounds of gunshots in the morning.... But that said, the nature trails on the north side are nice, and in general we had fun. If we ever come back, it will definitely be for the chance to canoe around the northern island, but it is definitely a bit awkward to have to cross a semi-busy highway to get from one side to the other. And we won't be back during deer hunting season for sure. Oh and one more thing, it was just slightly warmer and more humid the Sunday we left...and good lord, the mosquitoes were out like bats from hell -- they obviously didn't get any thanksgiving turkey... read more

Perfect for Many... Sadly, Not for us anymore... 24th annual camping trip this January... About 17 of those have been at the same site at this park. It is perfect for us tent campers who like a little glamping... electricity, water, firepit on each site... but they are nicely wooded so we don't feel like we're exposed on an RV plot. The bathrooms are nearby... the showers are hot. We, however, will not be back... We stay in the Hen House Ridge unit on a little cul-de-sac (sites 217-219). They were just renumbered this year. Our closest restroom was being renovated... which is great... but it was always fine. The problem wasn't with the campground itself this year. It was with the State Police. We are a group of all adult campers... mostly in our 40's and 50's. There are about 10 of us... all fully employed adults. The first interaction occurred at around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. There were five of us sitting outside. The police officer walked up and told us to turn our music down. We did. He told us that we needed to make sure all of our vehicles were parked in the driveways (one wasn't). Then he said, "and most importantly ... just be honest with me. Where's the marijuana?" We looked at each other perplexed. There was no marijuana... He said "Don't lie to me. It has a very distinct smell... it's coming from that shelter." We've been going for 20 years... so we've got the glamping thing down. The temperature dropped to 15 degrees when we were there, so we have a commercial canopy... the kind with four walls... that can be used for festivals. We invited him to go in there and look around. He did. There was nothing. About five hours later... around 8 o'clock... all of the vehicles are in their proper places. about ten of us are around the campfire. We are talking... have just finished eating prime rib and jerk chicken... a flashlight turns on behind us... and he says, "Officer Friendly again...." He had parked around the corner somewhere and walked up to us sitting around the campfire. He tells us we are too loud. One of our group apologizes about the music. He says "The music is actually fine. It's your voices." Again, this was around 8 o clock at night. We apologize... but are getting a little bit angry. We camp in January so that there are few people in the park. We don't like to be disturbed or disturbing... He says "I see beer cans on the ground over there. Public display of alcohol is not allowed." This is a rule of which we are aware. We know that it is not one that is usually enforced in a state park... but we should not have had alcohol in public. Then, he says... "Again... I CLEARLY smell marijuana. I KNOW what it smells like." We HAD NO MARIJUANA. One of the people in our group says "Some of us are smoking cigars..." Someone else says "Maybe it's the campfire." The officer says "I know the difference between marijuana and a cigar..." Clearly, he does not... because there's NO MARIJUANA!!! Then he says "You're that same group who comes every year, right?" He continues to talk about marijuana. We invite him AGAIN to look around... search our vehicles... us... whatever... He walks around my tent with a flashlight for a bit... and then leaves. This is particularly troublesome because many members of our group have professional licenses (truck driver, teacher, doctor) which could be affected by any sort of infraction. He was clearly lying about smelling drugs and we have no idea WHY he would lie... but if he was willing to lie about it.... how MUCH would he be willing to lie? Would he make something up entirely? It made for a bad evening. We truly felt we couldn't talk or laugh... that he was literally waiting around the corner to catch us opening a beer... and his mentioning that we were there every year makes us feel no longer welcome. On the way out of the park, a friend has bid the park "farewell" for the last 17 years... continuing the tradition, he honked his horn to say goodbye to us and to the campsite. The state police pulled him over... told him not to honk his horn for no reason and stated "You're from the group in the corner..." Another individual of our group mentioned the flex of authority/intimidation when she was checking out at the front of the park. The park ranger seemed empathetic and concerned and suggested that we speak with the park manager. We will. I just wanted to be sure any group of friends who planned to travel to the park had full disclosure. On the day we left there were a couple groups of boyscouts and several families who seemed to be having a very good time. We have in the past as well. I'm sorry my memories of this park had to be tarnished by the actions of the police. I"m sorry these few police officers made me feel harassed and intimidated because I have great respect for the police. I wanted to be sure any other groups who plan to go to this campsite are aware that this could happen if they choose to go with a large group. read more

We spent our spring break at Martin Dies Jr. State Park. (3/14/11 - 3/18/11). We camp at Texas State Parks frequently throughout the year. We love TPWD. However, we will not be returning to this park. The layout of the park is similar to an apartment complex, only for campers. The camp spots are all run together without any type privacy for each individual spot. It seemed that a great deal of the natural vegetation has been removed around the camp sites. I would like to commend the park on the cleanliness of the bathrooms. They were perfect at all times. Also - the park host was very friendly. The ranger in charge of the park is very strict. Be careful not to let anyone ride in the back of your truck; many times hubby or I will sit in the back when taking our blue thing to the dumping station to insure there are no accidental spills. This is a big no-no and several people were counseled about it. Be careful, that you do not have any drips or wet areas near your sewage/water pipe outside your camper - this will make for many questions as well. The last piece of advice - for all Texas State Parks - be sure that you bring your actual pet papers with you, a rabies tag on the collar is not considered proof of vaccinations. We always enjoy camping with our family - but this experience did not rate - especially since it was the spring break vacation. We were really disappointed. read more

If you want to experience the wilds of the big thicket this is the place to go. By day you can take a hike down the the hiking trails( if your quite you will probably see your fare share of wildlife), you can also go to the activities sponsored by the park which includes feeding snakes and baby alligators. If you have a boat you can enjoy the beautiful lake(Caution: Very shallow in places) which is fed by the Neches and the Angelina Rivers. Once your on the river you can really start to experience what the Big Thicket was like a hundred years ago with its Towering Pines Giant Hardwoods and abundance of Bald Cypress. There is over 12000 acres of public land to explore(only hunters need a permit-$40.00)that spans from the Highway 190 Bridge to well beyond the forks of the rivers. It is also a great Base camp for hunting or fishing. You can catch Bass, Catfish, Perch and maybe even a needle nose gar. One of our favorites is all of the Wildlife right in the park. If you drive around right at Sunset you'll see all the Deer coming out for there evening snack. You'll also get plenty of chances to see the famous 9 banded Armadillos! If you don't have a boat be sure to rent one of the parks canoes, while paddling the canoe trails you'll see many different species of birds including cranes and waterfowl. Keep your eyes peeled while paddling and if you look real close you'll see one of the lakes many alligators. Now if your not looking for a genuine Pineywoods Big thicket experience maybe this park is not for you, But if you want a real life Southeast Texas adventure this is as good as it gets! 0 read more

i've loved this state park and enjoyed so many many years there with my children & the Boy Scout outings are so nice . i've recommended them a thousand times to friends-it was such a great place for children.....BUT....now it is NOT !!!!! they have built a deep bulk head at the swimming area...now i can not take any of my 7 grandchildren there to swim , build sand castles or play at the waters edge in the swiming area. the water is very deep and extremely merky. The water against the bulk head entrance is foamy and stagnant looking. You can not see what you are going to be walking into or how deep it really is. It's such a shame because they have such clean restrooms / showers with hot water. such nice bike riding and at night the kids can enjoy the little racoons scurrying around and the squirells are tame . It's so peaceful on the not so crouded days !!! BUT WITH OUT BEING ABLE TO USE THE SWIMMING AREA WE WILL NEVER USE THIS PARK AGAIN....EVEN AS AN ADULT THE WATER WAS VERY UNINVITING. it's such a shame...we love this state parks beauty otherwise. read more

Martin Dies Jr. State Park continues to be one our favorite camping parks. The sites have plenty of room between other campers. The Rangers constantly patrol the area. The park is very clean!! It's a great place to relax. All of the other campers seem to be courteous. It's a beautiful park with nature trails (for bikes and walking). What a fabulous place! We plan to return. read more