Hidden On A National Forest's Edge Is Texas' Underrated State Park For A Pristine Lakeside Escape

Just over an hour north of Houston by car is a modest Texas state park that's an ideal lakeside escape from the big city, and the perfect retreat for anglers, hikers, and boaters looking for some quiet time to connect with nature. Huntsville State Park is a 2,100-acre oasis on the shores of Lake Raven, hidden in the pines and hardwoods of East Texas on the edge of the Sam Houston National Forest. Visitors to this underrated destination can camp, swim, fish, or rent a kayak and venture out on the beautiful, tree-lined lake while taking in the splendor of this lush corner of the Lone Star State.

Constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, like another CCC-built Southern state park that boasts one of America's best campgrounds, Huntsville State Park boasts more than 150 campsites, including 23 with full RV hookups. Another 77 have electricity and water, and 54 only have access to water. For those not willing to part with the bulk of their creature comforts, the park also provides eight cabins for rent, and all cabins are heated and air-conditioned. They don't have bathrooms, but restrooms and shower facilities are within walking distance. 

Campsites start at a modest $15 a night, while the cabins rent for $60 nightly, with a two-night minimum. The amenities available at most sites offer guests to the park a level of comfort during the heat of the day (or the chill that's common in the winter) that makes the park a great family destination. The park also provides a fishing pier, a designated swimming area, and a host of trails for adventurers who want to wander the piney woods and get away from camp for a bit.

Lake Raven inside Huntsville State Park is managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife as a community fishing lake, and is home to largemouth bass, redear sunfish, crappie, catfish, carp, and both long-nose and alligator gar. The winter months are the ideal time to fish for rainbow and brown trout, which thrive in cold water. There is no minimum size, and anglers can have five trout in possession. Because it's located inside the state park, there's no need for a fishing license, but anglers can only fish with rods, reels, and lines. 

For hikers, the park is home to 21 miles of hiking trails, including the 8.4-mile round-trip Triple C trail that winds through the woods and allows trekkers to see some of the park's original Civilian Conservation Corps infrastructure from when the park was first designated and constructed. The trails offer visitors a chance to see some of the park's abundant wildlife, including white-tailed deer, opossum, raccoons, skunks, and even the alligators that live in Lake Raven and in the three streams that flow into the lake — Prairie Branch, Big Chinquapin Creek, and Little Chinquapin Creek. 

Avid paddlers can rent kayaks from a self-service rental station near Raven Lodge in the park and paddle the beautiful shorelines of Lake Raven. Anglers can cover more water in a kayak, and this is a popular activity at Lake Raven. While visitors can't float down a river in the Texas Hill Country like they can at another Texas state park, they can enjoy the water on a hot summer day.

Huntsville State Park is not a massive state park by any stretch of the imagination. But it is completely encircled by the much larger Sam Houston National Forest, which includes more than 165,000 acres of lush public lands. For that reason, Huntsville State Park might feel much larger to the average visitor. From the state park, visitors are within easy reach of an additional 260 miles of hiking, ATV, cycling, and equestrian trails, including the 128-mile-long Lone Star Hiking Trail that winds through the forests of East Texas. 

For avid hikers, there are 15 designated trailhead parking areas that offer access to the Lone Star Trail. During their trip to Texas, hikers might also want to check out the scenery on the other side of the state by hitting the trails at this remote national park in the South that's an under-the-radar gem.

In addition to its trails, the Sam Houston National Forest also offers enterprising fly fishers a unique opportunity — the forest's creeks and streams, including the East Fork of the San Jacinto River, offer legit stream fly fishing. Everything from catfish and bluegills to sunfish and native Texas spotted bass can be found in these streams, and many are easily accessed from the trails crisscrossing the national forest. The "Sam" is part of a four-forest complex in East Texas, which also includes the Angelina National Forest, the Davy Crockett National Forest, and the Sabine National Forest. At the heart of these great public lands is the city of Lufkin, a true hidden gem within driving distance of several major cities. Lufkin is just a 90-minute drive northeast of Huntsville State Park and all of its outdoor recreation opportunities.