This place is surreal. Extremely peaceful and well worth the drive. We stopped here on the way back from Mississippi to take some pictures of the trees. The admission to the park is really affordable (like $4 per adult) and free for prior military. They have cute little cabins for rent and even canoes if you'd like to paddle around the lake. This place is a great day trip from DFW. read more

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Awesome park Great sites Lovely trees and water Nice park employees Canoes Boat ramps Hiking trails read more

We love coming to Caddo! Not only is it beautiful, has great waterways but the employees are fabulous! Each one is friendly and knowledgeable. They can answer any question you have and do it with a smile and a laugh!! Always a joy coming here! read more

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Beautiful state park with some of the most unique lakefront views I have come across - it is spooky and ethereal. Wish we had planned a bit better to get a boat tour or similar to fully take in all the park had to offer, but we still enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. The real stars here are the Cypress trees and their spooky vibes. Very picturesque and gives that quintessential swampy vibe. Great cabins and camp areas in the park itself or stay in one of the quaint nearby towns for easy access. read more

We did a trip to this park in late October just as the oaks and hardwoods and cypress trees were starting to show their fall colors. It was so beautiful and rivaled what one sees up in the northern states. We brought our RV trailer and had a nice space, it had water and electricity but no sewage disposal on site but that was ok. The park does have a small section with full hookups but that was already booked up. The park offers many trails to hike on in the woods. They also have a nice large pier on the small lake in the park, one could fish from their or go to take pictures. On occasion we used the restrooms, we try not to fill our grey water tank so take showers in the public restrooms. They were quite nice and seemed to be fairly new. We saw a park host driving around on a golf cart but didn't interact with him. Each site has a picnic table, a hook to hang a lantern and a fire ring. Some are larger sites than others but all were of a decent size. Just so you know in case you have a big trailer, there is a fairly steep hill you have to come down from to get to the campsites. The one way road leaving the park is not as steep which we liked. Pulling a big trailer is not easy! read more

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Caddo Lake State Park is in far east Texas near the Louisiana and Texas border. It's about a 3-hour drive from Dallas, but a worthwhile weekend adventure. We visited in late September after kids were back at school, so this state park and others in the area were not crowded. It is recommended that you make reservations online in advance of your visit. There are a limited number of day passes as well as camping passes. We gambled without getting a reservation, and were good to go, but I wouldn't recommend risking it during the busy summer season when families are vacationing together. You can buy your pass and permits from the ranger station when entering the park or online. My husband decided to buy an annual pass so that he could use it at multiple state parks throughout the year. Note, even if you have an annual pass, you still need to make reservations to enter the park. This park is unusual in the sense that it is mostly a waterway. People come here to take a boat out and fish. You can rent canoes here. There are alligators in the water, so it isn't a place where you would paddle board or swim. We didn't see any wildlife while we were there, but we didn't go out on the water. Our visit was to merely check out the park and hike a trail. The one trail was less than a mile long. It was tree covered and the large pine canopy protected us from the sun and kept us cool during our late morning walk. I would definitely come back here and recommend others to visit. The bald cypress trees in the water are a sight to be seen. read more

Caddo Lake State Park - Parks Near Me - Karnack, Texas

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This is an awesome park. $4 for entry is a steal and the rangers at the visitor center are super friendly and helpful. The gift shop was out of most stuff but it's end of the busy season. Definitely rent a canoe and check out the big cypress in the pond up and close. It's worth the extra $10. They allegedly have alligators though not many and they avoid humans. I didn't see any. Overall majestic beauty and great stop! read more

Went here for the first time and loved it! What a surreal experience! Never saw anything like these bald Cypress trees with those creepy and mesmerizing Spanish moss! Cheap entry fees and easy hiking that is good to do with an entire family, I definitely recommend this park to experience at least for one time in your life. Make sure to rent the canoe at the front desk otherwise you have to drive all the way back again. They should put a sign so visitor don't have to go through the inconvenience of driving back. I highly recommend doing the canoe by yourself or with others. You will not regret! Canoe rental was cheap at $10 for 1 hour, $20 for 3 hours, and so on. Each canoe has a weight limit of 700 lbs. You can also bring your own canoe, kayak, boat, etc., and enjoy the lake on your own. There are many docking areas. Make sure to check with the park office first. You can also camp out or rent one of the cabins in the park but you have to reserve those in advance as it booked out pretty fast specially during peak seasons. Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge is also within driving distance that you can go after you are done here. Overall, I highly recommend. read more

We did not actually enter the state park, but my spirits were dampened as I entered the visitor center. They did not have the usual state maps in colour and instead had some black and white copies. They also did not have maps of the paddling trails in the Wildlife Management Area, and they justified this by arguing the state park is separate, but yet they had a bunch of maps for other state parks and random places. I was further disappointed by the fact that the only stickers they sold were big, ugly decal stickers. However, the bathrooms were clean, and my friend liked the cute girl in the back. She had nice feathers. read more

Caddo Lake State Park - Parks Near Me - Karnack, Texas

Great, little state park. There's no swimming so for me this would be a spring/fall destination only. There are a couple of short trails perfect for kids. Steep inclines and declines but 100% shaded and lots of stairs and bridges that keep little ones entertained. Not stroller friendly, but those days are FINALLY behind me (hallelujah!). The real draw here is the canoeing around the bald cypress trees. The park office rents out canoes for anywhere from 1 hour to 24 hours. They provide life jackets for everyone on board. There are only two actual seats on the boat but additional kids can sit in the middle. My husband and I each took a boat out with 3 kids on board. As long as no one stands up, the boats feel relatively stable and we paddled all around without feeling remotely at risk of capsizing. Wear a life jacket anyway! The park offers a variety of sites, but if you're looking at screened shelters and have kids I recommend site 17 for its proximity to the bathroom. FYI they specifically ask that you not bring firewood from home because of some beetle they're having by trouble with. Apparently they typically provide firewood (donation requested), but when we got there they were all out. The office gave us the ok to purchase local wood, which we did at the country store just down the road. $7.50 a bundle there. Friendly park staff. Clean bathrooms. On a weekend in late April/early May the park didn't feel crowded at all. Get yourself out there! read more

We enjoyed a weekend cabin stay at Caddo Lake State Park during our first, much-anticipated visit in mid-January. CABIN RENTAL Heated/air-conditioned cabins of different sizes are reservable online and require a two-night minimum stay (at least on weekends). CALL AHEAD FOR LATE CHECK-IN Our group of four arrived late having called ahead for late check-in after full work days in Dallas, final packing/cooking, and a three hour drive. Arriving at night was slightly spooky and peaceful with a dash of magic. We have heard that this area is haunted and had fun teasing each other about it. CABIN AREA Our first approach to the cabin gave a nice impression. Cabins sit in a horseshoe style ring with lanterns, picnic tables, grills, and some patio chairs at each cabin. Tall pine trees loom above, pine needles and pine cones covered the ground, and a clear, star-filled sky could be viewed from the cabin walkway - the lanterns around it giving a Narnia-esque vibe! CABIN AMENITIES - BYOB DISHES & LINENS Inside of the cabin was a small fridge/freezer combo, sink, two-burner gas stovetop, two bedrooms with two double beds, bathroom with shower, and lounge room with a table, four chairs, a couch and two cushioned chairs. All linens, dish and hand soap, and kitchenware/utensils must be supplied by cabin guests. There are two fireplaces on each side of the cabin which had been a drawing point for us but, unfortunately, we're not working and had not been repaired by the time of our visit:(. There is no outdoor fire ring for the cabins which meant no fire during our state park stay. Still, fun was had by all and the accommodations were beautiful, historic, and cozy. SUNRISE My partner and I woke for sunrise the first morning - going down to the boat ramp and docks to see what we were able to of the sunrise and the shifting colors in the sky and water. Though there was no ideal vantage point for sunrise, the views of the water and cypress trees were lovely and we could hear the birds waking and singing and smell campfires at the neighboring campground. All-in-all it was a good stay and we would certainly return but it's worth mentioning that this park is not a hiker's delight nor does it rent canoes/kayaks during COVID. KAYAK OR CANOE RENTALS During COVID, to really experience what's on offer in this unique area I cannot recommend more strongly renting/bringing canoes/kayaks to explore Caddo Lake which has its own water trails! NEARBY ATTRACTIONS I've never had such an experience canoeing as we did in this incredible landscape! We had a great experience renting from Johnson's Branch Marina just up the road. We also enjoyed visiting Crip's Camp for sunset and the Uncertain Flea Market after checking out on Sunday. Here's wishing you an incredible experience if ever you visit;)! read more

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Drive out from Dallas for a quick weekend adventure with the kids. Rented a canoe from the state park and canoed the kids around. Canoes are 1st come 1st serve, $19/day from open (maybe 9am?) to 4:30pm. Comes with life jackets for adults and kids. As this was a quick trip we didn't explore much, we left the main cove but found the "river/lake" full of boat traffic and hard to maneuver canoe with kids. Staying the cove was a bit boring after a bit but we managed. There's a ton of birds and wildlife, it is very serene. We will definitely return, maybe rent a cabin and do some hiking. More research is needed, but highly recommended! The park is not renting kayaks at this time. The place they refer is $35/day for the kayaking. If we had our own kayaks, I would definitely rate this higher! read more

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Been here with a friend after checking out some pics. The cypress trees with spanish moss makes it surreal, amazing , Spooky and straight out of a movie. Make sure you check this place out !!!!! read more

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It's not quite as big as I thought it'd be but it's a pretty state park. Hiking was quite short but a good work out due to inclines. The lake is a pretty good size and definitely seems fun to canoe/kayak across. We didn't get to partake since we didn't feel comfortable taking a baby with us on water without an appropriate sized life jacket. The rangers we did run into were helpful and nice. I just probably would run out of things to do if I were to go here on a multi day trip (as I had initially planned). It's definitely recommend checking it out. Plan to hike, picnick, and kayak/canoe to make the most of your time there. read more

Beautiful small park. We enjoyed The few short trails. Nice place to take photos of the bold cypress. Definitely place to go camping. read more

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This is a really cool state park. I went fishing with my father-in-law here and I love the cypress trees and the Spanish moss. We got through the gate quickly and were able to get our boat in the water easily. The boat ramp was in very good repair and it was not very busy out there so we were able to go wherever we wanted. It was really pretty and I enjoy the state park quite a bit and I am ready to go back already! read more

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It's a beautiful, well maintained and fun state park to visit. No fishing license needed if fishing from the shore. You can rent canoes ($10 an hour) and life jackets are included. We stayed the night in cabin 5. Reasonably priced. read more

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I really love this place! The trails are so thick. It's like walking through some kind of Bayou fairytale. That said, it's teeming with life, including bugs so just be careful (although I got to see some Hollywood quality spider webs). The trails are all the way toward the back of the park, and most of them are a fraction of a mile. Be sure to check out the lake for some great views of sunken trees! read more

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Texas' only natural lake! Texas has hundreds of lakes, but all of the rest of them are man made, by damming up a river. But this one is all natural! This park is a little on the creepy side, it's dark and filled with croaking frogs, screaming birds, and snapping turtles! I'm sure there are gators in there. There are cypress trees everywhere, making it hard to get in the water with all the little cypress knee knots in the shallow waters. There's nature trails and hiking trails. We came here to go canoeing and fishing. There's lots of wide open places to paddle through, with plenty of places to rent a boat. We caught a few fish, but nothing impressive- all catfish. I've heard this is a good place to go catfish noodling. There's plenty of places to pick up bait and beer, so it's a convenient park. It's too bad half the lake is in Louisiana. read more

Nice park to launch your boat on Caddo Lake. Has an aluminum pier that's nice to tie off your boat until you get the truck off the launch area. Has plenty of parking , hiking trails and Canoe rentals. There are cabins as well, I haven't stayed or had a look inside one. The outside seems to be well kept. You can fish off the bank or another pier close to the canoe rentals. read more

Caddo Lake State Park was such a relaxing weekend! You need to get out there to explore this beautiful piece of Texas (the lake is also shared with Louisiana, but the pretty, low-hanging Cypress trees are on the Texas side). Camping at the State Park was great as it it right by Caddo Lake, right on its own bayou. The park itself is really nice. No alligators found this time. You need to get into Uncertain, Texas and take a boat tour to get the incredible shots. Going at sunrise is a must!! It was chilly in the morning but so worth it! I took a photography with Aaron and cannot say enough; it was simply perfect! I had considered renting a kayak and going myself but I would have definitely gotten lost. You need someone who knows the area. read more

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If you can deal with high humidity, this park is the place to be! We just spent 10 days there (July 2018) tent camping, and we loved every moment. The sheer beauty and mysterious views were so captivating! The staff is very friendly and helpful, and when the weather was about to get bad, the state park police came by to let us know. The park is undergoing some improvements right now, and in September, they will be closed until the first of the year to complete these improvements. We attended Ranger Kelsey's pond dipping program, and she was very nice, great with the kids, and very knowledgeable! I highly recommend this park to anyone looking for that experience under the cypress trees draped with Spanish moss. Oh, and the fishing was pretty good, too! read more

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The good: Camp sites spread out at the moment. Pretty little lake view. Not so good: teeny tiny trail system yet steep at the same time. Two piers often with people casting out from them. Not renting out canoes because of covid , which doesn't even make sense to me. Have not been for some time. Visitor center closes at 4:45 (why not just close at 5?) not a whole lot to do besides short steep trails or fishing from one of their short piers. Overall: Set your expectations, it really isn't much but a campground if they won't even rent out their canoes. read more

We rented a cabin for $100 per night. We had no hot water the first night and took cold baths. The water was so dirty you could not see the bottom of the tub. The next morning I notified the ranger. He said the pilot light was out so he relit it. I ask about the water quality and he gave some evasive answer. I told him the water heater needed to be flushed and drained. I could hear it through the wall cooking mud and churning. He left. Went to main office and showed photos to the lady in charge. She called someone but no one ever showed up. You would think charging prices like the Hyatt Regency they would not only supply linens but at least a little service. It is not because they are short on employees as there are truck and ATV's everywhere. read more

Caddo Lake State Park - The second day after reported to office. No one did anything. An employee did say the supervisor had the day off so???? - Parks Near Me - Karnack, Texas

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My dad has one rule. He must know where his family is and what they are doing. You can't be part of our family if you are not on life360. Ask my kids what's our only family rule? If they aren't being smart-alecky they will reply "we don't litter". We have always been state park holders and we instilled this in them since they were little. Personally in my heart, my looking for a man rule is: He must have Texas State Park Pass. I say I am outdoorsy, but in reality I was a spoiled wife. Even in primitive camping, I was always very comfortable, all my ex's efforts. Thing I miss most. My experience with every Texas State Park (TSP) has been whole heartedly amazing. The staff never fails in being helpful and knowledgeable. Tips: 1. If you just want to do a 5 minute drive through tell them that. They have always allowed us to check it out without charging us the day. 2. If the office is closed, they have self-serve envelopes. They work on the Honor Code. Do the math it's not that hard. 3. If the office is closed and you have a TSP pass go on in, come back later, no big deal! It's a park; they want you to enjoy it. DO SO! I did find this office closed for the lunch hour, took note of when they'd be back. I drove on in, walked a trail, went out on the boat ramp, and located the canoes. There was a notice that you could rent them in the main office. I went back and the staff was back from lunch. I rented my canoe at only 10 bucks an hour. I signed a waiver, and was given keys for the canoe and closet where they keep the paddles and life jackets. Not the normal, TSP, so I asked, "I do it myself?", she simply said "yes". Cool, and so I did, me, Fancy Nancy, who loves the outdoors and refuses to break a nail! I dragged that canoe from its locked up home to the water and pushed it in. I rowed for the full hour, dragged it back out and put it all up just the way I found it. It can be done. Stop being a pansy. This park deserves the 5 stars! The lake IS MAGESTIC, beautiful, relaxing and I had it all to myself. I always feel like the luckiest woman in the world. Nothing can ruin your experience unless you do. I created wonderful memories! I love my TSP's and so should you!! read more

We went on an adventure to Jefferson and Karnack this past weekend, and Caddo Lake State Park was definitely the highlight of the weekend. Though the park is in the middle of nowhere, the signage on the way there makes is incredibly easy to locate. When we arrived at the entrance, I went inside to pay for the $3 a person day pass. When we stated that we were looking to picnic, bird, and hike (in that order), the park rangers was very helpful and gave us trail maps and walked us through where the best places were for every activity we wanted to do. The park itself is majestic. There are only a handful of cabins in the park itself, so you will rarely run into someone else, aside from a bass fisher or kayaker making their way slowly down the moss lined lake. The trails are short enough so that you don't get lost, but long enough so that you see everything the nature out there has to offer. Great Blue Herons, Carolina Chickadees, Wild Turkey, Red Headed Woodpeckers, and many other birds were easily seen along the path. This is a wonderful daytrip destination from Dallas and highly recommended. read more

What a cool park! The park entrance fee for the day is only $2.00 per person and it is well worth it. The canoe rental down by the bayou is a little pricey at $22.50 for 4 hours of rental, but it is well worth it too! We rented a canoe to canoe through the bayou and Texas only natural lake! There lush trees and very beautiful wild life. We were hoping to get to see a alligator that supposedly live there and hang out in the back lake, but it was cold for them to be out and didn't get to see any. We did see a huge snapping turtle which I got to touch with my paddle before he swam off! The canoeing is great and it really something that a person who likes the outdoors would enjoy! I think that most people should go and canoe here it was very cool! I would recommend going in the middle or end of summer when they are not coming out of winter because the trees will be much more beautiful with deep green colors and more exciting of wildlife to see too! We had so much fun here! read more

We love visiting our local phenomenon! It's a great place to take your family just for the day or the weekend. Staff is friendly and inviting. Park is very well maintained and clean. read more

What an incredible park. When we're in the area, we normally stay at Daingerfield State Park, which is around 45 miles away. After stay at Caddo we'll definitely return. We stayed with a church group of 35 which had booked a combination of screened shelters, cabins and RV sites. Our RV site, #25, was somewhat level and had full hookups. The park's staff was super friendly and helpful. We can't wait to return to Caddo Lake State Park again in the future. read more

My family camped in the park this past weekend. The park is nice, and the staff were great. But the accommodations for campers leaves a bit to be desired. The campsites are right on top of each other - way too close together in my opinion. To make things worse, poison ivy was EVERYWHERE around the campsites. We had to instruct our son to not touch anything green while we were there because everything that was green was poison ivy. The bayou and canoe trail into the swamp is really cool. Only attempt the paddling trail if you are a strong paddler. I race canoes and kayaks and it would have been an exhausting adventure for anyone not proficient at paddling a canoe. The entrance to the trail is around 3 miles from the park boat ramp. That said, it was really cool to paddle in the swamp. The bathrooms in the park are in desperate need of some updating....it looked like the showers hadn't been renovated since their original construction in the 50's? They looked dirty and moldy. The park is great, but the facilities not so much. We probably won't be back unless it is just for a day trip. read more

Wanted a few days to relax so came here in our trailer. No openings at the sewage equipped sites, so stayed in the older section. Tight older spaces, but very pleasant. Good hot showers, pretty clean. Canoe rentals and hiking trails. Will definately come back. read more

Caddo Lake State Park - Canoeing at the Mill Pond. - Parks Near Me - Karnack, Texas

One of the best and most scenic State Parks in the State of Texas. MUST go! Boat launch, cabins and canoes for rent.

I have been coming here for 50 years and seen a lot of changes. The log cabins are great for the weekend and they have great camping spots too. There are some huge trees and the landscape is gorgeous. The park road drops nearly 40 feet down to the lake and with the tree canopy, it is quite breath taking. The small lake inlet has a boat dock where you can rent canoes and it is really a cool place to stay. The Cypress trees with the hanging moss really give it a unique look - some people think it is creepy, but I love it. This place was built in the 30s during the depression as part of Roosevelt's WPA program. The history is preserved in some of the historical markers in the park. Really a great place for camping; it is famous in Texas. Highly recommend! read more

I have been here many times. We often stay at the cabins. Lots of hiking trails, areas to fish, canoe, or run. Jefferson is nearby for a little antique shopping if you wish to do that. Shreveport is also a short drive away for good food or shopping. You do have to bring towels, sheets, toiletries and such for this trip. Enjoy! read more

The roads are a little tight for large rigs and they have limited sites for these. Smaller units should have no problems. However, the park is simply magnificent. The fishing pier overseas Millers Pond which is totally encompassed with exceptionally large cypress trees. We rented a canoe from the park office and paddled through the trees out into the open canal and about a mile down stream. There also very nice hiking trails in the park, however, these are very poorly marked. This simple was at exceptional experience and highly recommend it to anyone read more

My all time favorite state park in all of Texas. Always has been a wonderful experience !!!

This is my favorite place in the world. The park is unique and so beautiful. If you want to restore peace to your soul, get in a water vehicle and explore "The Land Before Time." read more

Texas is so cool! To stay in a cabin in a Texas State Park for the weekend requires you to pay for both Friday and Saturday night. The park rangers are super accommodating, too. My family and I arrived at the park after hours and the cabin was already set up and ready for us. If you do arrive after dark, be aware that the entrance to the park is inside the bend of the road and the lighting is poor. BRING SOAP! While the cabins had toilet paper, there was no soap in sight to wash your hands.... The Park tells you that there aren't any cooking utensils and you should take their word for it. Not a pan in sight.... They do provide a small fridge that has ice and a two burner stove. Each cabin has their assigned parking spot nearby, which is nice when you arrive at night. DON'T GO TO THE PARK IF THERE'S A BIKER RALLY WITHIN 50 MILES - THEY WILL BE THERE, TOO, DRIVING AROUND PAST MIDNIGHT IN THE PARK. We heard the train twice before midnight and then again in the early morning. I'm not bothered by that stuff, but my husband doesn't seem to care for trains.... The whole cabin was very clean, including the linens. The park has some old school playground equipment that keeps on giving.... The slide is super tall and the swings go sky high. Good times.... The lake is well kept in the park and we had a good time taking it easy. read more

Based on the area's beauty, I want to give this a perfect review. Based on my experience at the park, 2-stars is all I can do. We arrived at the park at 1300. We are Texas Parks Passholders, so we're used to being greeted at the gate, getting a map and making our way through. Sometimes, we'll get out of the car to talk to the ranger, stretch, use facilities. At Caddo Lake, we were greeted by piece of paper taped to a door saying someone would be back after lunch. We looked around for awhile, couldn't find anyone, couldn't find a restroom. We put our park pass in the window and started driving to find a bathroom. (We did, it was clean, but less so than other Texas parks.) We found the boat dock where we hoped to rent a canoe and a very nice volunteer who chatter with us for awhile. We then went back to the ranger station/HQ and found rangers, but they couldn't help get us checked in/admitted or help us get a boat. [Not really sure what they can/can't do, but apparently it's not offer help or service.] We left the park for awhile, got lunch and came back and then were able to get "in" the park and out boat rented. This had cost us about an hour of our day. By the time we got our boat it was almost 1400 and we had to have it back by 1600. We liked the self-service of getting the boat, lifejackets and oars and set out on the water. The scenery was wonderful and we enjoyed it, until our paddle back when we were carefully watched by four rangers, watching our every move. (Creepy.) We got the boat back in time but then had to wait again at HQ to return our keys and. We loved Caddo Lake but really hope the Park Service better staffs the facility or comes up with a better way for visitors to enjoy it. Having to be wait to be told what to do and being scrutinized by a mob is certainly not what I hope for in Texas parks. read more