Try These East Texas Kayak Paddling Trails

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Paddling Trails

Kayaks have huge opportunities in East Texas with the creation of paddling trails.

Numerous lakes and streams feature designated paddling trails for your fishing and wildlife viewing enjoyment. If you live in East Texas and have considered getting a kayak for fishing or simply paddling, now is a good time. There has never been more opportunity.

Caddo Lake & Big Cedar Bayou (Near Jefferson, Karnack and Uncertain)

With ten official paddling trails in the region, the Caddo area now has more than 50 miles of canoe and kayak trails for visiting paddlers. Follow the trail markers posted along each of the trails to explore the mysterious maze of sloughs, swamps and bayous for which this beautiful region is known.

• Benton Lake Paddling Trail (Big Cypress Bayou)

• Clear Lake Paddling Trail (Big Cypress Bayou)

• Haggerty Creek Paddling Trail (Big Cypress Bayou)

• Mill Pond Paddling Trail (Big Cypress Bayou)

• Old River II Paddling Trail (Big Cypress Bayou)

• Carter’s Chute Paddling Trail (Caddo Lake)

• Cathedral Paddling Trail (Caddo)

• Hell’s Half Acre Paddling Trail (Caddo)

• Old Folks Playground Paddling Trail (Caddo)

• Turtle Shell Paddling Trail (Caddo)

Chandler Upper Neches Paddling Trail (Athens/Tyler)

Enjoy 1-9 miles of a great loop paddling trail just minutes from Tyler and Athens—no shuttle needed.

This loop trail can be completed in 1-4 hours, depending on water levels, flow rates, and turnaround point for your loop.

Cherokee Neches Paddling Trail (near Jacksonville) 

Offering 6.6 miles of paddling, this trail includes a variety of water types from quiet pools to several small riffles through the East Texas Piney Woods.

Cooks Lake to Scatterman Paddling Trail (Beaumont)

This 4.8-mile loop trail offers a great diversity of birds, wildlife, and plants as you paddle through the cypress and tupelo trees of the swamp and the river corridor of the Neches River. From the LNVA Saltwater Barrier Ramp up the Neches River, it goes up Pine Island Bayou into Cook’s Lake.

Martin Dies, Jr. State Park Paddling Trails (near Jasper)

Includes the Neches Paddling Trail, Walnut Slough Paddling Trail and Sandy Creek Paddling Trail, three trails running through and around Martin Dies, Jr. State Park that offer 3 to 16 miles of paddling for a variety of experiences—from the park’s backwater sloughs and a wide open lake to a fast-moving river.

The waterways surrounding Martin Dies, Jr. State Park provide extensive habitats for a large variety of fish. The constant flow of the Angelina and Neches Rivers into Steinhagen Reservoir provides anglers with bass, crappie, perch and catfish year-round.

Bevilport Paddling Trail (Dies State Park)

Beginning at Bevilport Boat Ramp, an historic riverboat landing site and location of the first cattle drives from Texas, this trail offers more than nine miles of river trail down the Angelina and Neches Rivers.

Mineola Bigfoot Paddling Trail (near Mineola)

This 11.9-mile trail offers a wild and scenic view of East Texas along the beautiful Sabine River. This is a beautiful, quiet stretch of river. However, flows in the Sabine River along this stretch can be limited as they are dependent on how much water is being let out of the upstream lakes.

Five river miles into the paddling trail there is a public camp with six tables, a fire ring/grill and gravel tent sites.

This section of the river supports numerous catfish, buffalo, gar, and sunfish. 

Neches-Davy Crockett Paddling Trail (near Lufkin)

At 9.2 miles in length, this leisurely paddle on the Neches River just outside of Lufkin gives you a front row seat for the amazing biodiversity of East Texas.

Once used as a main food source for early settlers, the Neches River is still home to the native species of freshwater fish in East Texas. The mainstay of this historic fishery is catfishing. Neches River bass are smaller but much more fun to catch than their lake counterparts.

Village Creek Paddling Trail (near Lumberton, Silsbee and Kountze)

With white sandy beaches, diverse wildlife and towering pineywoods trees, this 21-mile trail with multiple access sites allows for a beautiful one-hour trip, half day paddle or even overnight camping on the river.

The entire trail is too long to paddle in one day.  Overnight camping permits are free and  available at the Big Thicket National Preserve Visitor Center.

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