Just got back from a camping trip here. We stayed in a screened shelter on the hen house side. We…read morewere there for 2.5 days and we managed to finish ALL of the (walkable) trails in the whole park. The park is small but gorgeous and has lots of things to do. Camping, swimming, fish, kayak/canoe... we did two evening swims, and one where it was completely secluded. Absolutely magical. Sadly didn't spot any gators during this trip, but we saw lots of deer and armadillos! The mosquitoes are wicked tho so be sure to pack loooots of bug spray. Our bug spray had DEET in it and although it detered them a bit, it didn't stop them fully. It also rained twice for a little bit over the span of two days so that was really nice considering we come from austin and we haven't seen rain in a few months. Our first shelter actually ended up flooding so staff allowed us to love our things into another available and dry shelter. So anyway - overall we had the most amazing camping trip here. Pros: everything Cons: mosquitos We definitely left here covered head to toe in bites! Haha.

Beautiful park. It's like having 3 different parks in one depending on where you camp. We love this…read moreplace and come often as possible. It's the first park we camped when we got our rig so it's rather special.

Great hiking trails and the staff is very knowledgeable and helpful! Had a great day fishing at the…read morepond as well.

As an outdoors goer, I love visiting this park with the exception that the people around there wait…read morefor others to pick up trash if they see it. So guess who ends up picking up trash all the time? That's right, me! Sadly, I see more and more trash every time I go, and that is a disgrace. A clean park lies on the citizens like us. If you see trash, please pick it up. Bring a bag with you. Every lit but that we do, will. Ake a big difference collectively. Don't expect others to pick up trash, please help and pick it up!

Big Thicket National Preserve is an American treasure. It is a beautifully serene area of the…read morecountry located in East Texas that fully deserves all the attention it's due. The many ecosystems that this park encompasses is a geological mystery that starts millions of years ago with the movement of glaciers. We only had a short 2 hour time window to enjoy the exhibits at the visitors center, the short film in the theatre, and a quick hike close to the visitors center. The film is the same one you can view on their website, so if you are short on time, skip it and watch it at home. The gift shop is stocked with amazing items, so definitely save 5 minutes to browse around. My kids enjoyed speaking to Ranger Scott about his favorite animal in the preserve, the American alligator, and completing the Junior Ranger booklet for the badges. This program is targeted for 14 and under but adults can participate as well.

Nice NPS site. Small but informative visitor center with friendly ranger. Infrastructure is…read moresimple and well maintained. Nice junior ranger program. Would not go out of my way to visit but worth a stop if in area.

We loved this trail! I was impressed and thought it was well maintained. It was definitely easy and…read morethe perfect trail for my little hiker. We enjoyed the different walkways - paved paths, raised platform, bridge and of course the well coursed ground. I liked the clear markings on the trail too letting me know I was on track. The Pitcher Plant Trail merges with the Turkey Creek Trail for a bit and it was nice that everything was clearly marked. This is also the perfect trail to introduce you to the Big Thicket and the piney woods. This was my first trail in this area and it was so different from my other trail experiences. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I didn't take a lot of time to stop and look at the plants but did notice some interesting ones I'd never seen before. This forest area is so interesting and definitely worth checking out. I can't wait to come back and do this trail again.

I love this place! It is so quiet and such a great place to have a picnic or just sit and watch the…read moreturtles. Wish that Harvey wouldn't have displaced most of them, but still a clean and well taken care of oasis.

The Big Creek Scenic Area, Latitude : 30.5027 Longitude : -95.0833,…read more is an USDA Forest Service designated area of special scenic quality. The Big Creek Scenic Area is named after the perennial Big Creek which runs through the area. The 98.6 mile long, Lone Star Hiking Trail, travels West and North through the Scenic Area and has three concentric trails that make easy and short loops for families, bird watchers, and outdoor enthusiast. The Lone Star Hiking Trail has a white rectangular marker on trees, the Pine Trail has a silver marker with yellow stripe, White Oak Trail has a silver marker with green stripe, and Big Creek Trail has a silver marker with orange stripe. There are benches along several of the trails to allow you to sit quietly to listen. Come out on a overcast day or have a night hike to hear Barred Owls hooting back and forth to each other. Evenings or nights you might see Beavers working on their dams on Big Creek. You can hike for 5 miles on the Lone Star Hiking Trail to the Double Lake Recreation Area (Campground) and back for a 10 mile hike. Find maps at lshtcsonservancy.org

We pulled in for a 5 night stay and this park is absolutely beautiful and quiet and a terrific…read moreTexas State Park! The sites are spacious and we stayed at Yaupon Loop with full hookups! It's Christmas season so many of the Park Hosts had Christmas decorations setup. We put lights at our sites as well.

Lake Livingston was most certainly a gem !!! I would have never known about this place if my friend…read morewouldn't have told me about it! This was a camping trip with some friends of mine and my family. The spot was really nice and it came with a lake view of lake Livingston. They have trails around this park that lead to a cabin center in which you can rent. My friend had an RV and rented two spots which has running water and a fire pit! The views are dope. Weekends are pretty busy for people glamping and camping, so definitely book in advance ! This will most definitely be a go to spot!

Went camping with my mom and my kids for a weekends trip. We stayed in one of the 2 cabins because…read moremy mom needs her sleeping machine. It was a nice little trip. I took a hike with my little man to see the pine trees lined up and then the next morning took my daughter the short way. The kids loved the lake and my mom loved the fishing. The power plant across the lake lights up pretty but the constant hum coming from it is a bit strange. All and all it was a nice little trip and I'm looking forward to going back. I didn't get a chance to go on the island and I'd really like to go back to do that trail.

Fairly small park with not much to offer. I was supposed to do a campout here with my hiking group…read morelast year in December, but I was moving. So, after Thanksgiving, I was already in East TX and decided to drive to the park to check it out. Checkin was easy at the ranger headquarters. I went inside to purchase a magnet. Their stickers selection was limited and the designs were unappealing. My first impression with the creek lake that it was very beautiful and reminded me of Lake Catherine State Park in Arkansas. The beach portion doesn't allow dogs, so I just viewed it from the park. There's a total of three trails. I found one, but not the other. I searched high and low to find it, but was unsuccessful. I ended up going on the Island Trail. The view of the power plant was nice. The plant was loud. The Island trail was a smooth hike. The path is covered in pine needles and if you look closely, you can find armadillos, rabbits, and field mice. Now the camping portion was very crowded and the sites were close to each other. I didn't see any private sites. It reminded me of Blanco State Park; where you're just close enough to your neighbors where you can see and hear them. How fun! This park isn't worth coming back to explore. I didn't like it much.

About 15 minutes drive outside of Nacogdoches is a lovely, secluded forest trail that's free and…read moreopen to the public. It's part of the Angelina National Forest. The Jack Creep loop is about a mile, flat path and is a well maintained path with benches along the way. There are a few signs along the way identifying different kinds of trees. There's also a "management loop" trail that's a couple of miles long, but when we visited, it was so overgrown that you couldn't hike much on it. However, it was really lovely to walk along the roads (FS 400 and FS 401 on the map) that are actually meant for cars. They were closed to vehicles when we were there because of recent rain, but I don't think they get any traffic most of the time, and the path is very wide and pleasant. There's a lot of shade, and the trees are tall and simply beautiful. I was so happy in the forest that I literally hugged a tree. There's a small parking lot - turn left when you reach the main gate; if you go straight, you'll wind up far from the trail around a bunch of research buildings. There is a water fountain at the trail head, and bathrooms, though the bathrooms were still closed in June 2021 because of the COVID pandemic. We visited on a weekday morning and saw only two other people on the trail the entire time. Check it out!

But I truly remarkable experience. Many years ago the Caddo people lived and worked on this land…read more They were resourceful and used their knowledge to make this part of Texas home. I was amazed seeing the different mounds with different purposes. Each mound was constructed by hand out of mud that they collected from a mud pit on site. The burial mound was used to bury the bodies of their people and family. The low platform mound was where they went to have important political discussions. And the amount of separated by the highway was religious purposes. On the vast land that's where they grew crop for food. And unlike other villages the men weren't so much in charge. It was the women that built the mounds grew the food took care of the children they ran the show! It is a beautiful thing that women were able to put their best foot forward and take the lead! I do wonder why did the Caddo people abandon this village? And I also wonder why did the US government force them to move to Binger, Oklahoma? I also wonder do the cuddle people living in contemporary Oklahoma come back to visit where their ancestors lived and worked? Also fun fact: Caddo Lake State Park is a region of where the Caddo people also lived before going to Oklahoma. This historical site cost $5 admission and pets are free! It is very dog friendly museum that you can bring your dog on the inside to watch the small 9-minute video that they have also they have little treats for your pup as well. Sneakers and I had a very fun time! It is a lot of walking but well worth it.

Caddo Mounds is a peaceful and meaningful place to explore history. The trails and ancient mounds…read moregive a strong sense of the past, and the visitor center explains the Caddo culture clearly. It is quiet, well kept, and worth a visit if you enjoy history and nature.

Basic camp grounds. Host Debra was friendly and helpful when…read moreI was setting up my tent solo. Facilities are older and need some maintenance but function as they should. Can't wait for the swimming area to reopen- I'll come try again.

Looking for a quick scenic hike? The trail around Double Lakes is a bit over a mile and has a paved…read morepath around two small lakes. It makes for a lovely afternoon stroll. The fee is currently $7 and you have to drive all the way to the back of the park to get to the trail.