National Forest Foundation | National Forests in Texas

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Photo by the U.S. Forest Service

National Forests in Texas

The U.S. Forest Service manages approximately 675,000 acres of public land in Texas. This land is divided into four National Forests (Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sabine, Sam Houston) in east Texas and the Caddo-Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands in northeast Texas.

The Sabine and Angelina National Forests are located on the shores of Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn Reservoirs, two large east Texas lakes featuring fishing and other water sports.

The Sabine National Forest, located in the pineywoods of east Texas, is the eastern-most of the four National Forests in Texas. This Forest forms part of the boundary between Texas and Louisiana.

The Angelina National Forest lies in the upper Gulf Coastal general plain province and the terrain is gently rolling. The forest lies in the Neches River Basin and on the north and south shores of Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

The Davy Crockett and Sam Houston National Forests are located where the pine forests of the southeastern United States join the blackland prairies of central Texas.

The Sam Houston National Forest is located 50 miles north of Houston. The 128-mile Lone Star Hiking Trail, a portion of which has gained National Recreation Trail status, winds through the Sam Houston National Forest.

The Davy Crockett National Forest, named for the legendary pioneer, contains more than 160,000 acres of East Texas woodlands, streams, recreation areas, and wildlife habitat.

Sam Houston N.F

The National Forests in Texas provide a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities, including fishing, hunting, hiking and boating. There are 25 developed recreation areas, four hiking trails totaling 185 miles, five scenic areas, five wilderness areas, a canoe trail, off-road vehicle trails and 52 miles of horse trails.

The National Forests and Grasslands in Texas provide excellent opportunities for bird watching and wildlife viewing. East Texas lies in the path of warblers, vireos, and other species of neotropical migrants.

Caddo and LBJ Grasslands

The Caddo and Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) National Grasslands are located in two areas northeast and northwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

These Grasslands provide habitat for wildlife and a variety of recreation activities. The most popular are hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, and photography.

White-tailed deer, small mammals, coyotes, bobcats, red fox, waterfowl, bobwhite quail, turkey, and songbirds thrive in the diverse habitats provided by the Grasslands.

Statistics

State(s):

Texas

Nearest Large Urban Area:

Houston, Dallas

Notes & Conditions:

Research campground locations and amenities at the U.S. National Forest Campground Directory. The Web site is full of pictures and detailed descriptions to help you plan your next trip.

If you want to experience a guided recreation trip in a National Forest, visit Adventure Vacation to learn about whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, horseback riding, camping, hiking and fishing trips.

Maps:

Visit the U.S. Forest Service Map Directory to see what maps are available for this Forest and others you may want to visit.