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    Texas State Railroad Rusk Depot

    3.7 (24 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Ray F.

    This is the turn around/lunch break stop on the Texas State Railroad. Nice old timey railroad terminal turned into a gift shop, rest area, tourist photo op location, administration offices, and just a cool place to stretch your legs while they turn all around. The restaurant is kind of cool. It makes some great sandwiches/picnic food and serves using old rail cars no longer in service. The food is decent, but having a picnic overlooking a small lake full of all kinds of wildlife is pretty cool!

    Jenny S.

    I wanted to do something special for my 31st anniversary celebration, and I am glad i got the perfect ride. As soon as we get there, we went to the stationmaster who gave us our printed tickets. A ticket print! When was the last time I saw something like that!!?? All the facilities are super clean, all the attendants and people at the concession stands are very professional. They serve appetizers and they have the whole line of Miranda Lambert's Red 55 wines. Which are good and affordable. If you go from Palestine to Rusk, get off the train and see how they move the engine from the back to the front, and how the "signalman" (hope I got the right term) gives directions to the engineer how to and when the cars to "couple". Our ticket collector Payton was also our porter, she is the best! They also have a Pumpkin Patch, Easter one, Wine one for the wine connoisseurs/ enthusiastic, and the famous Polar Express that runs from November through December. I would recommend that you get reservations for The Dome, which is the best.

    Train through the campground. Never saw a train, they were working on the tracks
    Brandi A.

    Wow this place was pretty cool. We camped here before and after our ride on the polar express train at the Palestine depot. We enjoyed the playground and open area to see kids and let them roam while still feeling they were safe. The only challenge is the camper parking options are first come first serve and in the dark of night(6:45) it was very difficult to navigate our rig. We managed to find a primo spot when we saw it in the light, but know the trees and drive way options could be a real issue for bigger rv's. Be mindful of arrival times and be sure to stop at the office even if closed for the map and parking lengths recommended for your camper. The trees and area to trek around were amazing! Totally recommend!

    On the engine!
    Garry H.

    For my full review, see the Palestine Depot posting. Rusk was the halfway layover point on our trip. Inside is air conditioned and has a gift shop and a little train history. A converted train car sales some small lunches which are overpriced and "acceptable ". Outside it was so hot! See the train website. This is something you want to do!

    Meriem B.

    My family just got done doing the Pumpkin Patch Express. We paid extra for air-conditioned seating only to find out later that the A/C was broken. Online it says the duration of the trip is 2.5 hours. The reality is that it was like 20-30 min. Of train ride to the pumpkin patch. An hour there, then another 20-30 min. back. The pumpkin patch itself was pretty lame. If you have really young kids, they may enjoy it. I just honestly felt it wasn't worth the money. The ride was very short and not very scenic at all.

    Our Minion at the Pumpkin Patch Express!
    Cindy N.

    I cannot say enough great things! It was perfect for our 2 year old! We did the pumpkin patch-and the ride was long enough for our toddler to stay engaged but not bored. The patch itself was PERFECT! It had so many activities for the kids and so well organized. It was extremely spacious for an independent toddler. I would say the age range would be good for 2-7, maybe 8 or 9. It was a great experience and we will definitely be doing it again next year!

    Diamond class - don't do it - not worth it.

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    Ask the Community - Texas State Railroad Rusk Depot

    Review Highlights - Texas State Railroad Rusk Depot

    I took the kids up to Palesine a few years back to do the Polar Express train ride and it was faboulous!

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    Caddo Mounds State Historic Site

    Caddo Mounds State Historic Site

    4.5(11 reviews)
    14.7 mi

    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.

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    Caddo Mounds State Historic Site
    Caddo Mounds State Historic Site - I love the visuals that they had in the museum

    I love the visuals that they had in the museum

    Caddo Mounds State Historic Site

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    Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest Interpretive Trail - Tall trees

    Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest Interpretive Trail

    5.0(1 review)
    29.3 mi

    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!

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    Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest Interpretive Trail - Map of the trail system. Management trail is overgrown but Jack Creek is well maintained, and you can walk on the FS roads too

    Map of the trail system. Management trail is overgrown but Jack Creek is well maintained, and you can walk on the FS roads too

    Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest Interpretive Trail - Creek

    Creek

    Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest Interpretive Trail - Lovely tree

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    Lovely tree

    Texas State Railroad Rusk Depot - parks - Updated May 2026

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