Lake Livingston State Park
State park in Polk County, in the Pineywoods region. Established 1977. 644 acres by TPWD boundary data.
Lake Livingston State Park is about an hour north of Houston, on one of the largest lakes in Texas. The lake is known for white bass, and the park has three boat ramps, a fishing pier, swimming in the lake, and trails through the pines. The park no longer rents watercraft, so bring your own.
Things to do
Fish and boat
Fish for white bass, catfish, crappie, bass and perch. There are three boat ramps, two fish cleaning stations, a pier and bank fishing.
Swim
Swimming is allowed in the lake; there are no lifeguards. Alligators live in the area.
Hike the pines
The longest trails are Trinity Trace (2.1 miles) and Bakba (2 miles). The Pineywoods Boardwalk Trail is 0.9 mile.
Trails
Trails listed by TPWD, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakba Trail | 2 mi | Moderate | 1 hr. |
| Pineywoods Boardwalk Trail | 0.9 mi | Moderate | 30 min. |
| Trinity Trace Trail | 2.1 mi | Moderate | 2 hrs. |
| Oak Flat Trail | 0.3 mi | Easy | 15 min. |
| Hawthorn Trail | 0.2 mi | Easy | 20 min. |
| Fó:Si Trail | 0.5 mi | Moderate | 45 min. |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
Campsites range from tent sites with water nearby to full hookups, and there are 10 screened shelters, some ADA accessible.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Hookup Campsites (Piney Shores)Full hookup | 22 | 8 | $30 |
| Full Hookup Campsites (Red Oak)Full hookup | 12 | $25 | |
| Full Hookup Campsites (Yaupon)Full hookup | 37 | 8 | $25 |
| Full Hookup Campsites (Pin Oak)Full hookup | 4 | 8 | $22 |
| Campsites with Electricity (Hercules)Water and electric | 26 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with Electricity (Pin Oak)Water and electric | 26 | 8 | $18 |
| Campsites with WaterTent sites with water | 16 | 8 | $14 |
| Screened SheltersScreened shelters | 10 | 8 | $35 |
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
Swimming is allowed in designated areas. There are no lifeguards at Texas state parks.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- Spring, summer and fall
- January low
- 37°F
- July high
- 94°F
- Rain per year
- 48 in.
- Night sky
- Bortle 4.5
TPWD lists spring, summer and fall as the busy season and says the park often reaches capacity. Rainfall averages 48 inches a year.
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Livingston, TX 77351
(936) 365-2201
Open in OpenStreetMap (30.6569, -95.0011)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| The Woodlands | 1 hr 24 min | 45 mi |
| Houston | 1 hr 31 min | 64 mi |
| Tyler | 2 hr 43 min | 116 mi |
| Waco | 3 hr 46 min | 144 mi |
| Dallas | 3 hr 58 min | 180 mi |
| Austin | 4 hr 3 min | 166 mi |
Nearby parks
- Huntsville State Park
- Martin Dies, Jr. State Park
- Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center
- Village Creek State Park
- Mission Tejas State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Pineywoods.
Questions people ask
Can you swim at Lake Livingston State Park?
Yes, in the lake. There are no lifeguards.
Can you rent kayaks at Lake Livingston State Park?
No. The park no longer rents watercraft; bring your own.
How far is Lake Livingston from Houston?
About an hour and 30 minutes from central Houston by car, based on OpenStreetMap routing.
Photo credits
- USA - Texas - Lake Livingston State Park 2021 - 51216399235.jpg by Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0.
- USA - Texas - Lake Livingston State Park 2021 - 51215540283.jpg by Alexander Hatley, CC BY 2.0.
- Lake Livingston State Park Cabin.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Lake Livingston SP Observation Tower.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Pearl crescent on Indian blanket, Lake Livingston State Park, Polk Co. TX; 29 April 2025.jpg by William L. Farr, CC BY 4.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Lake Livingston has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Lake Livingston 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: Lake Livingston State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Livingston State Park screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Livingston State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Lake Livingston 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