TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Huntsville State Park

State park in Walker County, in the Pineywoods region. Established 1956. 2,045 acres by TPWD boundary data.

The Headwater Boardwalks in Huntsville State Park in Walker County, Texas, United States are built over wetlands and marshes of Lake Raven's headwaters..
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Huntsville State Park is a pine-forest park in the Sam Houston National Forest, a short drive north of Houston. Its 210-acre Lake Raven has a designated swimming area, kayak rentals, fishing piers and a boat ramp, and 21 miles of trails run through the woods. Alligators live in the park, so read TPWD's alligator safety tips before you swim.

Things to do

Paddle and fish Lake Raven

Self-service kayak rentals are near Raven Lodge. Fish for crappie, perch, catfish and bass from the piers or a boat; motorboats are allowed at idle speed only.

Hike or bike the pines

The longest loops are the Triple C Trail (8.4 miles round trip) and the Chinquapin Trail (6.9 miles round trip). TPWD rates both challenging.

CCC buildings

The Civilian Conservation Corps built many of the park facilities, including the group recreation hall and the boat house.

Great Egret at Lake Raven in Huntsville State Park , Texas
Photo: John Bonzo, CC BY 3.0
Lake Raven south side at Huntsville State Park
Photo: Urban Versis 32, CC BY-SA 4.0
A view of Huntsville State Park on Lake Raven
Photo: Urban Versis 32, CC BY-SA 4.0

Trails

TPWD counts about 21 miles of trails in the park. These are the named trails it lists, with its own distances and ratings.

TrailDistanceDifficulty
Triple C Trail8.4 miChallenging
Chinquapin Trail6.9 miChallenging
Dogwood Trail1.8 miModerate
Prairie Branch Loop1.5 miModerate
Coloneh Trail0.8 miEasy
Loblolly Trail0.2 miEasy

Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).

Camping

There are 160 campsites, from water-only to full hookup, plus screened shelters.

Site typeSitesSleepsPer night
Full Hookup CampsitesFull hookup238$25
Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric778$20
Campsites with WaterTent sites with water548$15
Screened SheltersScreened shelters288$30
CabinsCabins28$60

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

Swim in the designated area of Lake Raven from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are no lifeguards, and alligators live in the park.

Best time to go

Busy season
Mid-February to Thanksgiving
January low
50°F
July high
90°F
Night sky
Bortle 4.5

TPWD lists mid-February to Thanksgiving as the busy season, and the park often reaches capacity, so reserve ahead. September is the wettest month, with high humidity year-round.

Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).

Getting there

565 Park Road 40 W
Huntsville, TX 77340
(936) 295-5644

Open in OpenStreetMap (30.6284, -95.5259)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
The Woodlands50 min32 mi
Houston1 hr 19 min59 mi
Tyler2 hr 50 min117 mi
Waco2 hr 57 min118 mi
Dallas3 hr 7 min166 mi
Austin3 hr 15 min135 mi
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Nearby parks

  1. Lake Livingston State Park31 miles away. $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  2. Fort Boggy State Park47 miles away. $3 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  3. Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center58 miles away. Free entry.
  4. Mission Tejas State Park65 miles away. $4 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  5. Stephen F. Austin State Park66 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free.

Straight-line distance. See every park in the Pineywoods.

Questions people ask

Can you swim at Huntsville State Park?

Yes, in Lake Raven's designated swimming area from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are no lifeguards.

Are there alligators at Huntsville State Park?

Yes. TPWD notes that alligators live in the park and asks visitors to read its alligator safety tips.

How far is Huntsville State Park from Houston?

About an hour and 20 minutes from central Houston, or 50 minutes from The Woodlands, based on OpenStreetMap routing.

Photo credits

Sources

Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Huntsville has current alerts and closures.

  1. TPWD: Huntsville State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
  2. TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
  3. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
  4. TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. TPWD: Huntsville State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD: Huntsville State Park screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. TPWD: Huntsville State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. TPWD: Huntsville State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
  9. TPWD: Huntsville State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
  10. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  11. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Boundaries (area computed from boundary), retrieved October 14, 2026
  12. Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
  13. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
  14. Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026