Planned Activities

Lake Murvaul Park & Marina

19 RV Sites, 5 Cabins

Lake Murvaul Park Marina in Carthage, Texas, provides a marina-equipped lakefront camping destination on Lake Murvaul in Panola County's East Texas Piney Woods, where a quiet 1,000-acre reservoir on Murvaul Bayou creates the protected boating, fishing, and swimming environment of a smaller East Texas lake without the boat traffic and commercial development that the larger East Texas reservoirs experience during peak summer season. Carthage's position as the Panola County seat and the birthplace of country music legend Tex Ritter—whose legacy the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame preserves in the county seat's museum complex—gives the Lake Murvaul area a cultural heritage dimension that distinguishes a visit to this corner of East Texas from pure lake recreation. The marina and campground's facility provides the complete lake access infrastructure for Murvaul's boating and fishing community: a marina, full hookup sites, a boat ramp, a pavilion, lake access for swimming and canoeing and kayaking in the reservoir's calm protected water, dining on site, playground, laundry, showers, bathrooms, and pet-friendly policies collectively serve the families and anglers whose Lake Murvaul stays center on the water's bass, catfish, and crappie fishing in the reservoir's timber and brush structure. The Wi-Fi and full hookup utilities provide the extended-stay infrastructure that the lake's fishing community values in the colder months when Lake Murvaul's catfish and crappie productivity peaks in the deeper water structure. Lake Murvaul's creation in 1958 on Murvaul Bayou in Panola County impounded a Piney Woods watershed of loblolly pine and mixed hardwood timber in a reservoir whose clear East Texas water and the surrounding timber company lands that limit shoreline development create the quiet lake character that small-lake fishing enthusiasts specifically seek out when the major East Texas reservoirs are crowded with recreational boaters on summer holiday weekends. The lake's timber and brush submerged structure from the original forest provides the crappie and largemouth bass habitat that sustains one of East Texas's more consistently productive smaller lake fisheries. Carthage, the Panola County seat approximately 8 miles from the lake, is home to the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame—a museum celebrating Panola County's remarkable contribution to country music history through native sons Tex Ritter, Jim Reeves, and Ricky Van Shelton in a county that has produced more country music recording artists than virtually any comparably sized rural county in the United States. The historic Panola County Courthouse and the downtown's commercial blocks reflect the timber and oil economy that built Carthage into the most prosperous small city in the Sabine River corridor's East Texas Piney Woods. Lake Murvaul Park Marina operates year-round in Panola County's mild East Texas climate, where the Gulf-influenced winter temperatures rarely drop below freezing for extended periods and allow the catfish and crappie fishing that Lake Murvaul's deeper structure sustains through December and February in the most productive cold-water fishing months. The spring bass spawn from February through April draws the tournament fishing community to Murvaul's protected structure, and the summer swimming and boating season brings the family recreation visitors who find Lake Murvaul's smaller scale and quieter character more appealing than the commercial intensity of the larger East Texas reservoirs on summer holiday weekends.

from $40/night

Wildwood Resort

Toledo Bend Reservoir straddles the Louisiana-Texas border for 185,000 acres of water that consistently ranks among the top bass fisheries in the United States, producing largemouth bass of a size and frequency that keeps professional anglers and recreational fishers returning season after season. Wildwood Resort occupies 40 acres of waterfront on the Louisiana side, offering lodging from full-hookup RV sites to cabins and multi-room lodges positioned to take full advantage of the reservoir's remarkable fishery and the dramatic piney-woods setting of Sabine County. The resort accommodates guests in two main configurations: 16 full-hookup RV sites with 30- and 50-amp electric service on back-in, 40-foot-friendly pads with security lighting, and 31 cabins and lodges ranging from intimate two-person retreats to large group units sleeping up to 24. The lodge options run from simple cabin accommodations to resort-style suites with full kitchens, making Wildwood a practical destination for fishing groups of any size. Three swimming pools serve guests during the warmer months, and a gift and tackle shop on the property handles last-minute gear and bait without requiring a drive to town. The fishing infrastructure at Wildwood is among the property's strongest attributes. A 300-foot fishing pier, lighted for night fishing and partially covered, extends from the shoreline into Toledo Bend's productive near-shore waters — an excellent option for guests who want consistent access without launching a boat. A private boat launch gives those with their own craft direct reservoir access, while three separate stocked ponds on the property provide catch-and-release fishing that doesn't require a Louisiana fishing license. Paddle boards, kayaks, and paddle bikes are available to all resort guests at no additional charge, making casual water exploration accessible regardless of whether guests brought a boat. Toledo Bend Family Adventure Park, directly across the road from the resort, adds a land-based entertainment component to the trip that extends the property's appeal well beyond fishing. The park includes water attractions, zip lines, and family activities that serve as natural afternoon programming after a morning on the water. Zwolle, the nearest town, is best known for the Tamale Fiesta, an annual October celebration of the area's Spanish and Adaes Indian heritage that has grown into one of the most distinctive local festivals in Louisiana, with tamale preparation competitions, music, and cultural programming. Bald eagles work the reservoir's edge in winter months, and the surrounding Sabine River country offers additional wildlife viewing throughout the year. Toledo Bend's bass fishing season never truly closes, but peak periods run February through May for pre-spawn and spawn activity and October through November in the fall feeding period. Summer fishing is productive in the early morning hours before heat sets in, and the resort's pools provide afternoon relief during the hottest weeks of July and August. The Tamale Fiesta weekend in October fills area lodging well in advance — book early if that event is on the itinerary. Winter is the season for bald eagle watching and quieter reservoir conditions, with cabin rates at their most accessible and fewer boats competing for the best water.

Gods Country Resort

85 RV Sites, 7 Cabins, 11 Tent Sites, 1 Tipi, 2 Houses, 4 Wagons, 1 Lodge

God's Country Resort in Shreveport, Louisiana, offers 85 full-hookup RV sites, 10 cabin, house, and lodge units, 11 tent sites, and five tipis and wagons inside the Soda Lake Wildlife Management Area, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted up to 105 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Covered and deluxe categories with covered picnic tables and swings join economy and extra-large tiers, alongside a lazy river, water park, marina, and casino. Eighty-five sites span back-in covered, back-in deluxe with covered picnic table and swing, back-in economy with picnic table, fire ring, and grill, and back-in extra-large categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 105 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. The covered sites and the deluxe tier with a swing are unusual touches, and 105 feet accommodates the longest coaches. Ten cabins, houses, and lodges, 11 tent sites, and five tipis and wagons make the lodging range exceptional. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The property is gated — call 318-309-4322 for an entry code before you arrive. A lazy river, water park, and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with a marina, hot tub, disc golf course, jumping pillow, arcade, game room, golf cart rentals, playground, pavilion, dog park, casino, on-site dining, and a bar besides. Protected wildlife habitat minutes from Shreveport's riverfront casino district. Summer drives demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $40/night

Grand Ecore RV Park

59 RV Sites

Grand Ecore RV Park just north of Natchitoches, Louisiana, offers 59 full-hookup RV sites above the Red River bluffs, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 70 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Back-in and pull-through 30/50-amp categories join a splash pad, outdoor pool, boat ramp, and recreation center minutes from Interstate 49. Fifty-nine sites run in back-in 30/50-amp and pull-thru 30/50-amp categories, both carrying water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 70 feet, with fire pits. Seventy feet accommodates a long coach with a tow. A laundry, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. A splash pad and outdoor pool anchor the warm months — a genuinely useful pairing for families through a Louisiana summer. A boat ramp gives river access, with a recreation center, pavilion, walking trails, community fire pit, and dog park filling the grounds. Pets are welcome. The riverside setting above the bluffs is the property's defining feature, and the position is unusually convenient — minutes from I-49 without the noise and asphalt of an interstate park. Natchitoches is the oldest permanently settled community in the Louisiana Purchase territory, with a National Historic Landmark district along Cane River Lake, the Creole plantation corridor south of town, and one of the most layered cultural landscapes in the state. The Christmas Festival of Lights draws visitors from across the South. Spring and fall deliver the most comfortable conditions in northwest Louisiana. Reserve well ahead for the Christmas Festival season and for Northwestern State event weekends.

from $40/night

Antique Capital RV Park

7 RV Sites

Antique Capital RV Park is a premier RV park in Gladewater, Texas, serving both short-term travelers and long-term guests. Located in the heart of East Texas near Longview, Tyler, and Kilgore, ACRV offers a clean, quiet, and welcoming setting with on-site management and amenities designed for comfortable stays. Guests enjoy full-hookup RV sites, spacious pull-throughs, a saltwater swimming pool, fishing pond, two dog parks, dog wash, laundry facilities, fitness center, resort-style private bathrooms, and an event center. Our premium long-term RV sites include hard-to-find features such as private fenced yards, storage buildings, carports, and covered RV sites. Gladewater is known as the Antique Capital of East Texas, with a historic downtown filled with antique shops, vintage finds, and small-town character. The area sits within the beautiful East Texas Piney Woods, where tall pine forests, mature hardwoods, rolling terrain, lakes, and rich red soil create a landscape that feels distinctly different from the wide-open image many people associate with Texas. The region is also shaped by the history of the East Texas Oil Field and is surrounded by some of the state's most scenic lakes and outdoor destinations. From antique shopping and small-town festivals to fishing, history, and exploring the Piney Woods, Gladewater offers an authentic East Texas experience. Whether you're visiting for a few nights, exploring the Antique Capital of East Texas, working in the Gladewater, Longview, Tyler, or Kilgore area, or looking for a quality long-term RV community, Antique Capital RV Park combines a convenient location, exceptional amenities, and a peaceful place to call home.

from $44/night

Texas State Railroad Campground

55 RV Sites, 16 Tent Sites

Texas State Railroad Campground in Rusk, Texas, offers 55 full-hookup RV sites and 16 tent sites at the historic depot of the only state-owned heritage railroad in Texas, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 45 feet. A splash pad, lake, clubhouse, and playground sit on a big-rig-friendly property in the East Texas Piney Woods. Fifty-five sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp in pull-through and group back-in configurations, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Sixteen tent sites cover simpler camping. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side, and WiFi reaches the property. One vehicle is allowed per site; additional vehicles are $5 per night on arrival. On-site recreation suits families staying around the train schedule. A splash pad anchors the warm months, a lake on the property supports fishing, and walking trails, a playground, a clubhouse, and a pavilion fill out the grounds. Pets are welcome. The railroad is the reason most guests book. Its 25-mile steam and diesel excursion runs through the Piney Woods between Rusk and Palestine, and the campground sits at the Rusk depot, the eastern terminus — which means guests can walk to the platform rather than drive to it. The line was built in 1881 to haul lumber and supplies during the East Texas timber boom. In town, the Carnegie Library, the Museum for East Texas Culture, the Howard House Museum, and Veteran's Memorial Park are all close. Excursion schedules drive occupancy here. Check the train calendar first and book your site around it — running days fill well before quiet ones.

from $25/night

The Boulders at Lake Tyler

31 RV Sites

The Boulders at Lake Tyler in Whitehouse, Texas, provides a lakefront resort camping experience on Lake Tyler in Smith County's East Texas Piney Woods, where a private lake and the adjacent Tyler reservoir system's clear spring-fed waters create a recreational lake environment complemented by the resort's bike rentals, kayak rentals, boat rentals, cabins, dining, and billiards in a destination that pairs East Texas lake recreation with access to Tyler's exceptional rose garden heritage and the surrounding Piney Woods' natural character. Whitehouse's position as a Smith County community immediately south of Tyler places the resort within minutes of the city that has earned the title Rose Capital of the World and the Azalea capital of the Southwest for the horticultural culture that the East Texas climate and deep sandy soils sustain. The resort's facility delivers full-service lake camping with active recreation infrastructure: a lake and cabin rentals, bike rentals with biking trails, kayak rentals, boat rentals, canoeing and kayaking on the reservoir, hiking trails, billiards, shuffleboard, a recreation center, dining on site, general store, walking trails, showers, bathrooms, laundry, dump station, and Wi-Fi collectively provide organized recreation for multi-day lake stays whose primary activities are water-based but whose evenings include the dining, billiards, and social recreation that the resort's indoor facilities support. The lake's bass, crappie, and catfish fishing from the shore and from rented boats provides the fishing recreation that Lake Tyler's clear water consistently delivers to anglers across skill levels. Tyler is the Smith County seat and the commercial center of East Texas's largest metropolitan area, a city whose rose growing heritage—rooted in the rose nursery industry that developed on Smith County's deep sandy loam soils in the early twentieth century—now encompasses over 500 commercial rose growers and the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden, the largest municipal rose garden in the United States with 38,000 rose plants representing over 500 varieties in 14 acres of formal garden maintained by the City of Tyler. The annual Texas Rose Festival each October has celebrated the harvest with a Rose Queen coronation and the rose show that brings the horticultural community's finest specimens to Tyler since 1933. The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler is one of the finest small-city zoos in the American South, featuring African and North American wildlife in naturalistic habitats developed across a 75-acre campus that has expanded continuously since its 1938 founding as a privately funded community institution. The oil discovery at Spindletop-influenced East Texas field in the 1930s created the petroleum wealth that transformed Tyler into one of the most prosperous small cities in Texas, and the legacy of that prosperity persists in the city's museum infrastructure, the Azalea Trail's March festival of residential azalea gardens, and the performing arts calendar that Tyler's community arts organizations sustain. The Boulders at Lake Tyler operates year-round in Smith County's East Texas climate, with the spring bass spawn season from February through April and the summer lake recreation season from Memorial Day through Labor Day representing the two most active camping periods when the lake's water temperature, the kayak and boat rental activity, and the Tyler Rose Festival's April and October peaks align with the resort's most competitive reservation windows. The fall color season in the surrounding Piney Woods from October through November and the mild East Texas winter temperatures that allow year-round fishing create the shoulder-season camping activity that keeps the resort operating through the colder months.

from $55/night

Jellystone Park™ Tyler

172 RV Sites, 99 Cabins, 4 Tent Sites, 3 Cottages, 1 Lodge

Jellystone Park Tyler in Texas offers 172 RV sites, 103 cabin, cottage, and lodge units, and four tent sites across 107 acres of Piney Woods, with 20, 30, and 50-amp full hookups and rigs accepted to 45 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Diamond Series and Platinum categories join a Water Zone, laser tag, and spa, open all year. One hundred seventy-two sites span premium back-in, preferred premium back-in, platinum back-in, and Diamond Series back-in categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. The four-tier naming makes it easy to match site to budget. One hundred three cabins, cottages, and lodges and four tent sites round out an unusually deep lodging range. A general store, laundry, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The Water Zone anchors the summer, with an outdoor pool, water park, and splash features alongside. Laser tag, mini-golf, an arcade, jumping pillow, gem mining, craft room, spa, recreation center, sports courts, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, and horseshoes fill the grounds, with a pond for fishing, walking trails, hiking, a playground, pavilion, dog park, golf cart rentals, on-site dining, and a community fire pit besides. Pets are welcome. Tyler is the Rose Capital of America, and its municipal rose garden is the largest in the United States. Summer and spring rose season drive demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $60/night

Tyler Camping RV Park

17 RV Sites, 2 Onsite RV/Trailers, 2 Tiny Houses

Tyler Camping RV Park in Tyler, Texas, offers 19 full-hookup RV sites and two tiny houses 1.5 miles from I-20, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 50 feet. Executive pull-throughs join standard back-ins, with RV rentals available and wide-open grounds in the East Texas Piney Woods. Nineteen sites run in standard back-in and executive pull-through categories carrying water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp, sized to 50 feet, with site WiFi. Two tiny houses and RV rentals — the Aurora by Forest River and the XPLOR — serve guests arriving without equipment, which is an unusual and genuinely useful option. Laundry handles the practical side. Pets are welcome. A community fire pit, playground, and dog park fill the grounds, with picnicking across the wide-open property and planned activities through the season. The pine forest setting gives the Tyler area its green, wooded character — distinctly different from the open plains most visitors picture when they think of Texas. The local attractions are unusually varied for a city this size. Tyler State Park's lake and forest trails are close, along with the Caldwell Zoo, the Tyler Rose Garden, the Discovery Science Place, Miranda Lambert's Pink Pistol, True Vine Brewing Co., and the East Texas State Fair and Santa Land. Wine tasting is nearby. The park serves both I-20 through-travelers and destination visitors. Spring azalea and rose season and the fall fair drive the sharpest demand — reserve ahead for those windows.

from $45/night

Cora's Cabins (Savannahs Events)

5 Cabins

On the 170-acre Flyin H Ranch in Tyler, Texas—the Smith County city that serves as the commercial and cultural capital of East Texas in the piney woods landscape of the Pineywoods ecoregion—Cora's Cabins at Savannah's Events provides rustic cabin vacation rentals and a full-service wedding and events venue across a vast private ranch property where the East Texas landscape of loblolly pines, hardwood bottomlands, and the rolling terrain of the Piney Woods creates the natural beauty that makes 170 acres outside Tyler feel genuinely remote while remaining close to the Rose Capital of the United States and the full cultural and recreational infrastructure of a thriving East Texas city. For the cabin getaway that combines genuine rural character with Tyler's accessibility, the Flyin H Ranch delivers. Rustic cabin rentals on the 170-acre property blend the natural surroundings of the East Texas ranch landscape with the comfort accommodations that make a multi-night stay genuinely restful—cabins positioned to take advantage of the property's scale and the wooded terrain that the pine and hardwood forest creates across the acreage. The surrounding 170 acres provide the walking, wildlife watching, and the genuine sense of rural East Texas that a small property cannot replicate, and the Savannah's Events all-inclusive wedding and events venue capacity of up to 300 guests in a breathtaking scenic setting creates the events dimension that makes Cora's Cabins a destination for both leisure guests and occasion celebrations alike. The property's ranch character and the natural surroundings serve as the backdrop for the weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations that the venue accommodates in the East Texas landscape. Tyler sits in Smith County in the East Texas Piney Woods, the region's unofficial capital and the city that built its identity and economy on the rose culture that the sandy, acidic soils of the Pineywoods ecoregion support with exceptional productivity. Tyler is the Rose Capital of the United States—the city produces approximately 20% of the nation's commercial rose crop, and the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden maintains 38,000 rose bushes in 600 varieties in the largest publicly maintained rose garden in the United States, free to visit year-round and at its most spectacular from April through November. The Texas Rose Festival each October draws visitors from across the state to Tyler for the rose show, the parades, and the coronation ceremony that has defined East Texas social culture since 1933. Tyler State Park, within the city limits, preserves 985 acres of the Pineywoods ecosystem with a 64-acre swimming lake, fishing access, camping, and the shortleaf pine and hardwood forest that represents the eastern Texas woodland at its most characteristic. Lake Tyler, the city's reservoir system, provides the bass fishing, boating, and water recreation that East Texas lakes deliver year-round in the mild climate that Smith County's position south of the frost belt creates. The Caldwell Zoo, one of the premier mid-size zoos in Texas with naturalistic exhibits across 85 acres, adds the family attraction dimension to Tyler's visitor infrastructure. Cora's Cabins operates year-round on the Flyin H Ranch property in Smith County's East Texas climate, where the mild winters keep the Pineywoods accessible through the deer hunting season from October through January and the spring wildflower season from March through May produces the dogwood blooms, redbud, and the forest floor wildflowers that make the East Texas woods spectacular. The Rose Festival weekend in October creates peak demand in the Tyler accommodation market. Reserve your cabin at Cora's Cabins and let the Flyin H Ranch's 170 acres, Tyler's rose culture, and the East Texas Piney Woods deliver the rural Texas cabin experience in the setting that Smith County's landscape has been quietly perfecting for generations.

from $95/night

Lake Hawkins RV Park

50 RV Sites, 2 Cabins

Lake Hawkins RV Park in Texas offers 50 full-hookup back-in RV sites and two cabins across about 55 acres on one of the clearest lakes in East Texas, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 45 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. A boat ramp, fishing pier, white-sand beach, and boat storage sit on 1,800 feet of shoreline. Fifty back-in sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. A single back-in category keeps things simple, and every site gets a fire pit and picnic table. Two cabins round out the lodging. A general store, dump station, restrooms, showers, RV storage, and boat storage handle the practical side. Check in at the main office during working hours or go directly to your assigned site; call the office if you need help after hours. A boat ramp, fishing pier, and nearly 700 feet of white-sand beach anchor the recreation, with boating, paddle boats, canoeing, kayaking, water sports, swimming, snorkeling, and fishing all on the water. Snorkeling is worth noting — the lake is spring-fed and clear enough to make it worthwhile, which is genuinely rare in East Texas. Walking trails, hiking, volleyball, a pavilion, and playground fill the grounds. Pets are welcome. The white sand and clear water give the property a distinctly coastal feel in the middle of the Piney Woods. Summer lake season drives the heaviest demand. Reserve well ahead for warm-weather weekends.

from $30/night

Big Al's Barefoot Bay Marina and RV Resort

65 RV Sites, 5 Cabins, 8 Tent Sites

Big Al's Barefoot Bay Marina and RV Resort in Pittsburg, Texas, offers 65 full-hookup RV sites, five cabins, and eight tent sites on Lake Bob Sandlin, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted up to 120 feet. Lakefront back-in, Sanctuary back-in, Grand pull-through, and Trailhead categories join classic and convenient tiers, with a full marina, boat rentals, and on-site dining. Sixty-five sites span classic back-in, convenient pull-thru, Grand pull-thru, lakefront back-in, Sanctuary back-in, and Trailhead pull-thru categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 120 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. One hundred twenty feet is among the most generous capacities anywhere, and the named categories tell you what you are getting. Five cabins and eight tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side. A refundable security deposit is required at check-in on all sites and cabins. The marina anchors the property, with boat docks, a boat ramp, boat rentals, and kayak rentals for boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and swimming. A clubhouse, game room, arcade, billiards, horseshoes, golf cart rentals, a playground, pavilion, dog park, on-site dining, and a bar fill the rest, with live music and planned activities through the season. Lake Bob Sandlin is a 9,400-acre Corps reservoir with 120 miles of piney woods shoreline and a strong largemouth reputation. Summer and the spring bass season drive demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $16/night