Martin Creek Lake State Park
State park in Rusk County, in the Pineywoods region. Established 1976. 286 acres.
Martin Creek Lake State Park is 20 miles southeast of Longview, on a 5,000-acre lake that a power plant keeps warm year-round, which makes it popular for winter fishing tournaments. You can fish, swim (no lifeguards), water-ski and rent canoes. Primitive campsites sit on an island.
Things to do
Fish
Catch largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, tilapia and sunfish from the lighted pier or a boat. You can borrow gear.
Hike the history
The Old Henderson Road Loop traces a former trade route to Shreveport. The 1.5-mile Harmony Hill Loop passes remnants of a historic community that's now a National Register Historic District.
Trails
Trails listed by TPWD, with its own distances and ratings.
| Trail | Distance | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Old Henderson Road Loop | 1.4 mi | Moderate |
| Harmony Hill Loop | 1.7 mi | Easy |
| Island Trails | 0.9 mi | Easy |
Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).
Camping
Choose campsites with water and electricity (some lakefront), primitive sites on an island, screened shelters or cabins.
| Site type | Sites | Sleeps | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites with Electricity (30 amp | Lakefront)Water and electric | 13 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with Electricity (50 amp)Water and electric | 6 | 8 | $20 |
| Campsites with Electricity (30 amp)Water and electric | 37 | 8 | $17 |
| Primitive CampsitesPrimitive | 6 | 8 | $15 |
| Screened SheltersScreened shelters | 19 | 8 | $30 |
| Cabins (Four Person)Cabins | 2 | $85 | |
| Cabins (Cottage 2 & 3)Cabins | 2 | 5 | $55 |
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.
Hike under tall trees - pets on leashes welcome!
Swimming
Swimming is allowed in designated areas. There are no lifeguards at Texas state parks.
Best time to go
- Busy season
- Spring and summer
- January low
- 35°F
- July high
- 94°F
- Rain per year
- 46.5 in.
- Night sky
- Bortle 4.5
Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).
Getting there
Tatum, TX 75691-3425
(903) 836-4336
Open in OpenStreetMap (32.2779, -94.5661)
| From | Approx. drive | Straight line |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler | 1 hr 5 min | 43 mi |
| Dallas | 2 hr 32 min | 133 mi |
| Fort Worth | 3 hr 16 min | 166 mi |
| Waco | 3 hr 42 min | 162 mi |
| The Woodlands | 3 hr 46 min | 156 mi |
| Houston | 3 hr 53 min | 179 mi |
Nearby parks
- Caddo Lake State Park
- Tyler State Park
- Daingerfield State Park
- Lake Bob Sandlin State Park
- Mission Tejas State Park
Straight-line distance. See every park in the Pineywoods.
Questions people ask
Why is the water warm at Martin Creek Lake?
A power plant on the lake keeps the water warm year-round.
Can you swim at Martin Creek Lake State Park?
Yes. There are no lifeguards.
Photo credits
- Canoes Martin Creek Lake State Park 2019.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
- Docks at Martin Creek Lake State Park 2019.jpg by Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Martin Creek Lake has current alerts and closures.
- TPWD: Martin Creek 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: Martin Creek Lake State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Martin Creek Lake State Park screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Martin Creek Lake State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Martin Creek Lake State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: Martin Creek Lake State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
- TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), 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