Caddo Lake State Park
State park in Harrison County, in the Pineywoods region. Established 1933. 445 acres by TPWD boundary data.
Caddo Lake State Park sits on Big Cypress Bayou, where bald cypress trees hung with Spanish moss tower over the water. It's a paddling and fishing park: rent a canoe at the office, paddle Saw Mill Pond and the bayou, or fish the 26,810-acre lake, which has more than 70 species of fish. The cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
Things to do
Paddle the bayou
Rent a canoe at the park office or bring your own for Saw Mill Pond and Big Cypress Bayou. Experienced paddlers can take on the Hell's Half Acre Paddling Trail.
Fish
The park has a fishing pier and a boat ramp. You don't need a license to fish from shore, and you can ask at headquarters about borrowing gear.
Hike to the CCC pavilion
The park has 2.5 miles of trails. Climb the steps of the Caddo Forest Trail (0.7 mile) to the historic CCC pavilion.
Trails
TPWD counts about 2.5 miles of trails in the park. These are the named trails it lists, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caddo Forest Trail | 0.7 mi | Moderate | 1 hr. |
| Pine Ridge Spur | 0.2 mi | Easy | 15 min. |
| Pine Ridge Loop | 0.8 mi | Moderate | 1 hr. |
| CCC Cut-Through | 0.2 mi | Moderate | 15 min. |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
There are 46 campsites, ranging from water-only to full hookup, plus screened shelters and CCC-era cabins that sleep two to six people. Two cabins are ADA accessible.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Hookup CampsitesFull hookup | 8 | 8 | $25 |
| Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric | 18 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with WaterTent sites with water | 20 | 8 | $10 |
| Screened SheltersScreened shelters | 7 | 8 | $25 |
| Cabins (Six Person)Cabins | 3 | 6 | $115 |
| Cabins (Four Person)Cabins | 2 | 4 | $95 |
| Cabins (Four Person | Accessible)Cabins | 2 | 4 | $95 |
| Cabins (Two Person)Cabins | 2 | 2 | $75 |
| Cabin (Without Bathroom)Cabins | 1 | 8 | $40 |
Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.
Visiting with dogs
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.
Swimming
TPWD doesn't list swimming for this park.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- March through November
- January low
- 48°F
- July high
- 88°F
- Night sky
- Bortle 4
TPWD lists March through November as the busy season and says the park often reaches capacity, so reserve camping and day passes ahead. Winters are mild, with a January average low of 48°F; the first freeze usually comes in mid-November.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Karnack, TX 75661
(903) 679-3351
Open in OpenStreetMap (32.6802, -94.1764)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler | 1 hr 36 min | 70 mi |
| Dallas | 3 hr 1 min | 151 mi |
| Fort Worth | 3 hr 45 min | 185 mi |
| Waco | 4 hr 13 min | 193 mi |
| The Woodlands | 4 hr 27 min | 190 mi |
| Houston | 4 hr 34 min | 212 mi |
Nearby parks
- Martin Creek Lake State Park
- Daingerfield State Park
- Atlanta State Park
- Lake Bob Sandlin State Park
- Tyler State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Pineywoods.
Questions people ask
Can you rent a canoe at Caddo Lake State Park?
Yes, canoes can be rented at the park office.
Does Caddo Lake State Park have cabins?
Yes. The historic CCC-built cabins sleep two to six people, and two are ADA accessible.
How much does Caddo Lake State Park cost?
Day-use entry is $4 per adult, and kids 12 and under get in free.
Photo credits
- Canoeing Caddo Lake State Park Texas 2023.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- USA - Texas - Caddo Lake State Park - Mill Pond - 51351079371.jpg by Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0.
- USA - Texas - Caddo Lake State Park - Mill Pond - 51353186174.jpg by Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0.
- CCC Retaining Wall Caddo Lake State Park Texas 2023.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- USA - Texas - Caddo Lake State Park - Mill Pond - 51348626448.jpg by Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0.
- USA - Texas - Caddo Lake State Park - Big Cypress Bayou - 51351000950.jpg by Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Caddo Lake has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Caddo Lake State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Caddo Lake State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Caddo Lake State Park screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Caddo Lake State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Caddo Lake State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Caddo Lake State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
- OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
- Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026