Beautiful scenery
Great
Great


My wife and I have been park hosts here at Martin Dies jr state park for 3 months now. We have been coming here for years. The park has around 200 rv, tent sites, and cabins ( 3 cabins have a/c ). They have trails and rent kayaks and canoes. Plenty of Wildlife like deer, raccoons, gray foxes, birds and of course gators.




This park is a great option for those looking for a spot not too far from Houston, but less busy than other parks such as Huntsville State Park, etc. that are a little closer to Houston. It’s also a nice option for those wanting to visit Big Thicket, but seeking a less primative camping experience (the Big Thicket National Preserve has primitive camping only).
Most of the campsites have enough trees to set up a hammock. If you get there while the office is open, they will give you the choice of picking your own campsite (of those still available).
Canoe and kayak rentals are dirt cheap. You might see an alligator while canoeing, but per the park workers they don’t bother people.
Bring bug spray! Especially in the hotter months.







Ok it's August it Texas so it was hot and the mosquitos were in full force. We knew that was. coming so we were prepared. The fishing was great and this State Park is one of those hidden gems. There was no crowd, it was like we had the whole place to ourselves. the deer walked by every night and the fireflies put on a show.
This campsite was amazing. Right off the river making the sunsets beautiful. We went in March and the temperature was perfect. Low to mid 70s in the afternoon and lower 50s at night. The trails are beautiful and there are tons of activities. It’s a beautiful Forrest park.










Campsites are modern, many have a waterfront view. The campsites are well shaded by trees, all have fire pits. Many sites have water and electric and facilities are easily accessed.
There are many things to do at the state park that are appropriate for all ages. Hiking trails are well shaded and not terribly difficult. Kayaks and canoes are available to rent, there are water trails mapped as well for those who enjoy boating. There are programs available for children as well.
The park is not far from town so there are many things to do nearby as well.
2 night stay from Friday to Sunday. We stayed at an electric and water site. The restrooms were clean, however the park was full the weekend I stayed and ran out of toilet paper often. We hiked, swam and fished. The trails were clean as was the rest of the park.





We loved our visit to Martin Dies! Coming from Houston it wasn't a long drive, and we enjoyed the greenery. The day we went, we were literally the only people there. I think this place is a bit of a hidden gem. Our cabin was very nice and spacious and air conditioned. There is fishing and a playground and bathrooms close by. The downside? It rained really hard and the whole place flooded up. Huge pools of water everywhere. We ended up leaving early because of it. But besides that, awesome spot!





This is a huge campground with many sites being on the water and the rest being close to it. If you’re here for boating or fishing, like most people, you can get a campsite near a boat launch. The campgrounds are all very wooded and shady, though some spots don’t feel very private. They have a lot of sites with electricity and there are lots of bathrooms and shower houses. So while it’s crowded and large, it’s well laid out and still feels like you’re really close to nature. They also have a bunch of cabins and screened mini-cabins you can rent to ease the bug situation...which was pretty intense. The mini-cabins were very cute and look relatively new, but we didn’t stay there. You can walk along some trails straight from your campsite. Bring a kayak, canoe, or boat and you’ll have a great weekend here.
I love going to Martin Dies Jr. State Park. I have gone there four times now to run week long canoe camps.
We often do it in the summer time, so there aren't many people around and we almost have the place to ourselves.
On the South side of the park, there is a big open lake to paddle and swim around in. The North side has a great paddling trail, but it has become choked with vegetation in recent years.
The North side is also the end point of the Bevilport Paddling Trail, which is a great trail to do.
They have signs for gators, but I have not seen any.
All sites have water and bathrooms are not too far away from any one site.
You should check it out if you have a chance.