Northern Texas & Northern Louisiana

[Drbolasky]

One of the things we'd like to do this summer is to spend time in the northern reaches of Louisiana and Texas; they are among the last states in which we have not yet camped.

Looking for recommendations as to decent campgrounds and things to do - historical, geological attractions interest us the most.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

Ditto on Poverty Point State Park in Delhi LA.
Lake Texoma Corps of Engineers campgrounds are nice. Some new sites right on the lake.
In Thackerville OK just over the state line we like Windstar World Casino and Resort. If you don't care to gamble, they have restaurants, shows, rodeos, and a great RV Park. I would make reservations.
Fort Worth Stockyards if you haven't been. We like to stay in Weatherford TX at Oak Creek RV Park.
Across the river in Vicksburg MS there is lots of Civil War stuff to see.
In Vidalia LA across the river from Natchez MS we like Riverview RV Park right on the MS River. There is Frogmore Plantation in Ferriday LA. In Natchez MS across the river, drive around and look at all the beautiful Victorian homes. They have night tours of the cemetery which is beautiful. They used to have a Steamboat ride on the MS in Natchez.
Ditto on Palo Duro Canyon State Park 25 miles south of Amarillo. We like Oasis RV Park in Amarillo. Be sure to visit The Big Texan restaurant, home of the 72oz steak challenge! (no we didn't try it!)

[TxGearhead]

^^^X2. Northeast Texas and north Louisiana is not cactus, rocks, and tumbleweeds. Very heavy forests, pine & oak, that a cooling breeze sometimes can't penetrate.
Best to get down here before July 4.

[Bumpyroad]

Palo Duro is one area I want to visit on my next trip. we checked out a small campground on the south side of Caddo lake where a movie crew stayed (Claude VanDamme IIRC) during filming on the lake. lots of explosions they said.
bumpy

[padredw]

Agree with PawPaw. Spring is an ideal season for East Texas. Second best is Fall. We have two ACs and use them in the Summer.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Drbolasky wrote:
this summer is to spend time in the northern reaches of Louisiana and Texas

Be sure to have plenty of your favorite mosquito repellant and flying insect bug killer.

And a couple of very good ACs.

[Drbolasky]

Thanks to all who've replied so far - looking forward to visiting now more than ever!

Keep 'em comin'!

[RoyB]

One big downside to North Texas is all the towns with the honkytonks... Hard to get out of Whiskey-tall Falls with a Longneck waterhole spot about every other building along the main drag...

makes it hard to go camping hehe...

If you do get into this area be sure to visit the Wichita Mtns Wildlife Refuge at Medicine Park near Lawton Okla (50miles N of Wichita Falls)... Hugh place with several Lakes and lots of wildlife. Camp Doris is a very nice campground but with all the animals roaming all over the Refuge one has to watch where they step especially in the dark hehe...



Roy Ken

[padredw]

1971Duster wrote:
Hodges Gardens, Many LA; Tyler Rose Garden, Tyler TX; Jefferson TX; First Monday Trade Days, Canton TX; Texas State RR, Palestine TX; many freshwater lakes and antique/resell shops,

All good suggestions. I'll add a few more. Natichoches, LA including the downtown and plantations along the Caine River, especially Melrose. (Learn to pronounce the city's name before you arrive. 😉

I will be glad to answer any questions you may have about any of these. I have lived in East Texas for almost 85 years. :R

Just over the state line into Texas, visit and stay in Caddo Lake State Park. Click for Caddo Lake

Several good COE Parks on Lake o' The Pines which will be best site for visit to historic Jefferson as recommended above.

Tyler State Park is one of our favorites. Campsites along a small beautiful lake. A great spot to visit Tyler for Azaleas in the Spring and the Rose Garden; AND for visit to Canton as suggested. Here is a photo I took at Tyler State Park:Click for Tyler State Park

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Some of my friends like Lake Bistineau and also Lake Claiborne SP, Lake D'Arbonne SP and Chemin-A-Haut SP across the northern part of the state in addition to Poverty Point

There are not many federal campgrounds in Louisiana.

In Louisiana the only developed COE campground with power is near the Bodcau Reservior Dam It does not take reservations and is on the banks of the dam outflow area - a bit off the beaten path, but a good place for a quiet visit.

There is a USFS campground at Caney Lakes - Beaver Dam near Minden, LA.

In North East Texas - Texas SP Map Caddo Lake State Park and Daingerfield SP are neat. Along the far north Texas reach - Caprock Canyons SP and Palo Duro Canyon SP are great places to visit.

There are all sorts of commercial RV parks across those regions.

We have stayed at most of the COE lakes parks - Wright Patterson near Texarkana, Lake O' The Pines between I-20 and I-20 in the east park of Texas, Pat Mayse Lake near Paris, TX, Lake Lavon and Lake Lewisville near Dallas, Lake Benbrook near Fort Worth, Lake Bardwell near Ennis south of Dallas, Navarro Mills between Corsicana and Waco, Lake Waco, Lake Whitney - where we are located right now.

Lake Texoma on the Texas / Oklahoma border on the Red River doesn't officially open its parks until April 1.

[southernsky]

Poverty Point state park in Delhi La. It's also a state historic sight.

[1971duster340]

In the corridor 100mi north and south of I-20: Hodges Gardens, Many LA; Tyler Rose Garden, Tyler TX; Jefferson TX; First Monday Trade Days, Canton TX; Texas State RR, Palestine TX; many freshwater lakes and antique/resell shops, but you'll find piney woods more than anything else between the Mississippi R. and Dallas. I can't suggest much east of Shreveport LA. Most of the local Fairs are in Autumn. Texas was settled east to west beginning early 1800's.

[jerseyjim]

Can't say anything about northern Louisiana, but I can say that the Texas "Hill Country" is very nice.

Years ago, we stopped in Burnet (Burnett?) Texas. A very nice CG right there. Good day trips with the toad.

[Isaac-1]

This may a bit of a generalization, but I consider some of the most scenic parts of northern Louisiana to be along the Ouachita river, but that may just be because my family has 150 acres of land with about a 600 feet of riverfront footage, and about 1500 ft of footage along a former finger bayou.

Here is a sunrise photo from when I was boondocking there in November