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Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It surrounds a picturesque 45-acre lake that was once a log pond and a source of water for the Central Coal and Coke Company sawmill which operated from 1902 to 1920. The facility is open year-round and includes a large campground, picnic areas, a reservable amphitheater, a swim area and many opportunities for outdoor recreation. Camping is available year-round. The Davy Crockett National Forest, named for the legendary pioneer, contains more than 160,000 acres of East Texas woodlands, streams, recreation areas and wildlife habitat. Located in Houston and Trinity Counties, the forest is centrally located within the Neches and Trinity River basins.
Swimming, fishing, hunting, hiking and picnicking are the area's main activities. The designated swimming area and playground provides much fun for the kids (no lifeguard on duty). Fishing piers are available for anglers to try for largemouth bass, bream and channel/blue catfish. Only electric motors are allowed on the lake. Principal game for hunting on the national forest includes squirrel, deer, quail, dove, turkey and waterfowl. Three main hiking trails can be accessed from the facility: the 1.5-mile Tall Pines, 0.75-mile Trail Tamers and the 20-mile Four C, which winds through many types of forests to a scenic overlook. Learn more about recreation in the national forest.
The campground is heavily forested with loblolly pine, oak and other hardwoods, and surrounds Ratcliff Lake. A wide variety of wildlife exists in the area, including the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.
The Big Slough Wilderness Area, located along the Neches River about five miles north of Ratcliff, is free of modern development and gives the visitor a place for solitude and primitive experiences.
$30 / night
The Alazan Bayou WMA has 2,063 acres located in southern Nacogdoches County. The WMA was purchased in 1991 to preserve mature bottomland hardwood forests adjacent to the Angelina River. In addition to the Angelina River other significant drainages include Loco Bayou and Moral Creek. The bottomland forest typically begins to flood during mid winter as the river and bayous overbank and inundation continues through early spring. Hunting is permitted with an Annual Public Hunting Permit (APH) and some special permit hunts may be offered. Check the Outdoor Annual and the Public Hunting Lands Maps Booklet for information on methods, species, seasons and bag limits.
Please note:
-Bring your own drinking water.
-Insect repellant is recommended for mosquitoes.
-High heat and humidity in the summer should be taken into consideration when planning a visit.
-There are no restroom facilities.
-The WMA is not wheel-chair accessible.
-Primitive camping is available.
$12 - $42 / night
The Piney Creek Horse Trail is a system of horse trails that meanders approximately 53 miles through the East Texas pineywoods in the Davy Crockett National Forest. Trail riding groups of more than 75 persons (including spectators) will need a Special-Use Permit and should contact the District Office three months prior to the ride date. The trail is primitive. Use caution in wet weather since parts of the trail flood. Some sections of the trail route around the bottomlands and can be used even in wet weather. ~ Map ~
This is a horse camp on the Piney Creek Horse Trail. ~ Map ~
$10 / night
Ebenezer Park features some of the most beautiful horseback riding trails in southeast Texas. It's the only Army Corps of Engineers park on Sam Rayburn Reservoir with equestrian campsites, making it the go-to destination for horse-owners. The horse trail terrain is soft and sandy, so horseshoes are not required. Trails glide over rolling hills through creeks and gullies. Some trails even have beach access, allowing riders and their horses to cool off on a hot day. Note: The horse access beach and majority of the trail system are located on USFS property.
In addition to horseback riding, activities include fishing, picnicking and swimming. Birding is also rewarding, with chances to see resident wood ducks and migratory birds on their journey to and from the Gulf Coast.
The campground, near the Sam Rayburn Dam, is fully shaded by towering pine trees. The lake is located deep in the woods, bordered by the Angelina National Forest and near the Sabine National Forest.
The 20,700-acre Bannister Wildlife Management Area is on the northern peninsula of the lake. Here, hikers and bikers can explore the designated Eastern Wild Turkey restoration site.
$150 / night
Guide
If looking to be near a campground but still out on your own then this is the place. I got lucky enough had the place to myself for almost 2 weeks, give or take the few groups that tried to tough the biting fish. I will share a tip. They seem to sit dormant at 10pm and 3am for a hour each. No biting. Please clean behind as you found it.
Guide
Has great camping. Entertains many hike trails. One even for handicap person to follow thru. Good for horses or bikes. You can go for miles even to a dispersed camping lookout point.
Guide
This is another Great in deep e. Texas. They have really clean it up over the years. Even thin out more by the swimming area and boat ramps. Has a boat ramp but no electric motors. Also a dump station. They upgraded a RV spot that also has a playground too. You will find remants of the old sawmill here.
Traveler
Nice area for dispersed camping. Several level areas. Great hiking / horse riding trails around. Would not recommend this area during hunting season. Accessible via car, good roads, smaller trailers. If RVing, will need levelers.
TravelerIf you're someone who camps to get away from everyone, this is not the spot for you. It should come to no surprise that it isn't secluded as it does have several sites available. There's bathrooms and showers, a swim area, fishing, and a selection of trails to do while staying here. At the primitive sites you get a fire pit and a picnic table. Great place overall.
ScoutQuiet national forest hunting camp with vault toilet and water, but no amenities at the individual campsites. Bring your own generator and dry camp. Great, well marked Trail system. Be careful during hunting season!
LegendPretty campground. Tall pine trees. Camped with our camper van along the loblolly loop. Not suitable for large rigs in this section. Level tent pads. Sites have access to the lake. Loved the tall trees. Restroom/shower rooms were very clean. See previous reviews about this. Paved roads & driveways in this section. No water & electric hookups in this section, but available in another section of the campground. Water spigot nearby for drinking water. Busy Hwy 7 is nearby; road noise from big rigs can get loud sometimes. AT&T cell/data service okay. No T-Mobile cell/data service. Would like to camp here again & explore some of the hiking trails.
GuideSolo camped with my big dog and had a blast. I went Sunday thru Tuesday, so I was the only camper on the entire loop!
Lots of water spigots, lots of shade, and sturdy fire pits make this campground really convenient. Most lakeside campsites appeared to have canoe ramps worn in.
The bathrooms were spectacular. Each pod of bathrooms had 4 separate ADA compliant facilities, and each facility/room had a shower, a toilet, a sink, benches, transfer bars, and MOST importantly a locking door. It meant I didn't have to leave my dog in the car or wrestle him into a bathroom stall every time I had to go! Also, the showers had hot water.
I didn't get a chance to use the trails, as heavy rains the day before I got there had knocked out the bridges on the trails, so, I had a great time hanging out at my site with a beautiful view!
TravelerWhat the campsites lacks in remoteness it makes up for with everything else.
Very well-maintained National Forest site just off Texas Highway 7 in the middle of the Davey Crockett National Forest.
Highlights for the site include:
very well-spaced apart offering more privacy than usually afforded
restrooms and showers were clean.
Access to hacking trails in the national forest
Easy access to food/fuel/firewood
A large variety of species for birdwatching
Small lake with deck for launching kayaks or SUPs
There was not water at every site, so bring a longer hose and be ready to fill your tanks or containers.
Road noise from highway was audible, but not too distracting.
GuideThis is one of our favorite campgrounds due to the sense woods, well spaced campsites, clean family style bathrooms, and activities such as hiking, fishing, and swimming. Highly recommend!
Traveler
There aren't many sites for basic tent camping here, maybe 10-15 tent sites, and the rest are equestrian. It's a pretty tidy looking campground. There is a park host that is usually hanging around if you need something. We ended up being neighbors with a large group that was using their fire like a bonfire so we let the park host know about it. Probably won't come back unless in off season. But it's good enough
GuideIn the fall I could imagine staying here for a week. I didn't, this time, but I could imagine doing it. campsites were large and deep. Obviously you don't want to hang around the grass near the lakefront too much, cause of gators. Pick your site carefully online before you go, there are good and bad sites. Our site had quite a bit of litter and small bits of trash. The site with the lake views are stunning. Get them if you can.
Bathhouse is fully enclosed bathroom and shower, fully ADA, and locking doors. Sinks have outlets. I don't know what else to say but the lolliby loop was really nice. Walking the campgrounds was very pleasurable. The little hiking trails were nice too. the sections of the 4C trail we walked were really chill, very flat. The more dynamic and better marked trails were in mission tejas about 20mins away, but, the better campsites were at Lake Ratcliff. Not a great or inviting park name, but it was nice campsite. Only downside was the highway was audible at all hours.
Amenities used:
Bathhouse
ScoutWe went in early March for tent camping. The park seems very well designed for equestrian, but also good for tent camping. The trails are nice and wide. Tent spots are spacious, although most sites do require a decent walk from the car.
ScoutI am a touring cyclist. I stopped here for an overnight. Small shelter I set up my tent under as there was rain in the area. A lot of trash in the area.
Tip:... if cycling the area. About a mile west of this camping area there is a pipe coming out of the ground on the north side of the road. Spewing cold potable water. Great place to fill water bottles if you can find it.
ScoutNice campground area. In the Davey Crockett Nat forest. Nice little swimming area. Clean bathrooms.quiet
TravelerNice, quiet, area to get away and enjoy alone or with family. Great trails and a small lake to enjoy kayaking, fishing, and swimming.
Guide
At least 14 sites with picnic tables on concrete slabs. Fire rings and Lantern poles. Very well kept and mowed. There is a loafing barn for horses. No bathrooms or water. Would be a 5 with just water. You need a Texas parks Limited use permit. It costs as little as $12 a year. If you want to fish or hunt the price goes up a little. Can be used to stay at any National Forest or Wild Management area.
TravelerGreat campground in the Pineywoods of east Texas. Stayed 14 days in site 20 on Dogwood loop. Nice size sites with plenty of room between. Restrooms and showers clean, though showers do need some repair. Plenty of walking/hiking trails and wood for fires. Swim area looks nice, though we visited in November so we didn't swim. Can see the foundation for the old mill in back of the park.
ScoutThe campground is located in the Davy Crockett National Forest, with spots located around the edges of a small lake. Although we could occasionally hear noise from the highway, it was mostly peaceful and quiet. The campgrounds are spacious, with tent platforms, poles to hang trash, and large picnic tables. The bathrooms were amazingly clean and with camp hosts and park rangers on site, we always had help with anything we needed. We hiked and kayaked (with our own boats) and it was all just lovely. I would go back for sure!
GuideWe rolled in at night, but woke up to a forest of breathtaking loblolly pines! The camp sites are very nice and spatious with plenty of room between your site and your neighbors site. Very clean, nice bathrooms. We loved it.
GuideBeautiful place! We are at campsite 10 right on the lake. Breathtaking tall trees. Well kept clean campsites with a fire pit. The park host brought over firewood right to our site. No need to buy firewood at all. Plenty of cut wood around the park. Easy kid friendly hiking trails around the park. Restrooms were immaculate. So peaceful and quiet at night. I am smitten.
TravelerEast Texas weather is so unpredictable. When we arrived at camp it was nice and sunny, so my friend and I decided to walk our dogs. On our walk we got caught in the middle of a down pour! We laughed our way back to camp and waited out the rest of the storm in our cars. It cleared up quickly and we were back out in the wild. We took an inflatable kayak out on the lake. Decent little lake. People were in the swimming area. Would camp here again.
GuideThis is a small primitive camping area in the Davy Crockett National Forest. There’s a small covered pavilion and shady sites. Sites are first come and fees are paid at the campground. The camp is a great place to camp and ride the adjacent horse trails. The trails are nice but not well marked.
GuideI believe this is the same campground reviewed under 566 Piney Creek. This is a small primitive camping area in the Davy Crockett National Forest. There’s a small covered pavilion and shady sites. Sites are first come and fees are paid at the campground. The camp is a great place to camp and ride the adjacent horse trails. The trails are nice but not well marked.
GuideThis is a nice little campground and a pretty little east Texas lake. It is clean and everyone we met was friendly. The tent sites don’t have electric but include a picnic table and fire pit. We had a great visit!
TravelerSwimming area is designated but kind of hard to get to
RangerI spent about 5 days in Sam Houston National Forest. The campsite was pretty good in my opinion. Yes, there is plenty of sites here as this is a big National forest. I came here with my boyfriend and friend and there was plenty of room. The only downside was that it was really difficult to find dry firewood. At night it was really chilly with a breeze blowing across. The neighboring site were very respectful in talking with a low voice especially because they had a big group. The sites were quite close with only bushes dividing up the camps with a 5 second walk. We were able to visit Huntsville state park on the east side of Sam Houston National forest the next week
Horse camping in Texas offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and equestrian-friendly amenities, making it a great choice for riders and their horses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Nacogdoches, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Nacogdoches, TX is Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area with a 4.7-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Nacogdoches, TX?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Nacogdoches, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.
