Reviews

Jung Kim

Beautiful little State Park! Many campgrounds and picnic areas. Very friendly staff. Limited trail options but what is available is beautiful and fun to trek. It’s only $20 to rent a canoe for the day, which includes life jackets and paddles. Do not skip out on the canoeing! So much fun and so affordable. There are plenty of cabin/cottage options in the area, as well as shopping and restaurants about 20+ minutes away in Marshall and Jefferson.

Angela Sanderson

What a great park! We had the best time. We tent camped and the sites were perfect. The hiking trails are relaxed and pretty easy. The screened in shelter was larger than I expected and very clean. They had firewood at our site when we arrived. Honestly the lake is the main attraction but after we looked at it we hiked and enjoyed the scenery. I saw others kayaking it but we had other adventures to attend. ❤️⛺🥾🐾

Debashri Manna

Mystical Beauty! We visited this state park in April,2025. When we arrived at the information center, the officer told us that park's canoe rentals are closed, but she did provide us with a list of other tour providers. To arrange the boat trip, we then got in touch with Mr. Dan Walker from the list, who runs Chill-Lax-N Boat Tours. The greatest way to take in this state park's beauty is by boat. During the 90-minute trip, we understood how this natural lake formed, its history, and the breathtaking views of Big Cypress Bayou, bald cypress trees covered in Spanish moss, wetlands, and backwaters. The cypress trees have a vibrant green color during this season, and lilies bloom in the lake. Following our boat tour, we had lunch and took a short walk through the Caddo Forest loop trail. There are mosquitoes in some parts of the forest, so we used bug repellent. We also went by the famous CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) pavilion, a shelter house. The trail is well-maintained and properly marked. We had a great time in this park and would come here again.

UniQ Cinematics

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Caddo Lake State Park is absolutely magical! This place feels like stepping into another world — the towering cypress trees, drifting Spanish moss, and glass-calm water create one of the most surreal and breathtaking landscapes in Texas. Whether you're exploring the boardwalks, hiking the peaceful trails, or just soaking in the stillness of the swamp, every moment feels unforgettable. The atmosphere is serene, the scenery is one-of-a-kind, and the photo opportunities are endless — especially for nature lovers and photographers. The park is well maintained, peaceful, and perfect for a relaxing getaway. Highly recommend visiting Caddo Lake State Park if you’re looking for true natural beauty and a unique Texas experience. It’s a place you’ll remember forever! 🌿📸

Moriah Carter

Beautiful park. If it had been warmer we would have loved to canoe. We stayed at the squirrel haven campground (spot 45) which is the first site on the right when you pull in. There were water and electrical hookups and we dumped the tanks at a communal dump tank before we left. The cypress trees are just amazing in December and with it very overcast was almost spooky. I imagine it would be a fun place to visit any time of year.

Kimberly Ruden

We went here a few weeks ago with three of our kids and we had a blast. We hiked their nature trails and found some cool spots for pictures.The dock views were wonderful if you're not looking to work for a great view. But our favorite part was canoeing. I originally booked for 3 hours but we were out there for almost 5 hours. Definitely check out the paddle trails online before going. We ended up heading out of the dock area and going to the right quite a ways and taking a left at a little canal. Turned into a gorgeous lake of cypress trees 😍 We loved it! We want to go back in kayaks for faster travel, but the canoe was perfect and cheap for our family of 5.

Heather Pierce

A beautiful State Park! The park has ample camping, offering plenty of seclusion. Their are multiple restroom facilities, and they are always clean. The office has canoe rental and their are multiple hiking/walking trails. The view of the pond, from the pier, is spectacular!!!!

Kory Bumgardner

Caddo Lake State Park is one of the most magical places I’ve ever visited, and it truly feels like stepping into another world. The beauty of this park is simply breathtaking—from the towering cypress trees draped in Spanish moss to the still, misty waters that seem to glow in the morning fog. Every turn along the trails and waterways offers a new, picture-perfect view. As a photographer, it was a dream come true! The reflections of the trees on the calm lake created endless opportunities for capturing those once-in-a-lifetime shots. We arrived early in the morning, just as the fog began to lift, and the light filtering through the trees made the entire scene look enchanted. Each photo we took felt like a piece of art—so peaceful, moody, and full of natural beauty. The park itself is well-maintained, with friendly staff, great facilities, and plenty of spots to explore by kayak, on foot, or with a camera in hand. Caddo Lake State Park isn’t just a destination; it’s an experience that connects you deeply with nature. Whether you’re a photographer, adventurer, or simply someone who loves serene landscapes, this park will leave you in awe. I can’t wait to return for more fog-filled mornings and unforgettable shots!

Kay Lynn

Stunning! The cypress trees are just gorgeous and not like anything else in Texas! We hiked several trails but did not camp here, it was a great day trip (it’s a short drive from both Daingerfield and Atlanta state parks). Lots of great camping sites in the trees- the whole area is very wooded. Must be good fishing as we saw lots of boats going in and out. Lots of cabins, they look very nice and well maintained. It’s amazing that this park was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp— grateful for their work as we hiked the trails they made!

Donna Baird

Our little fam camps all over, near and far from TX. 🏕️ This was our last stop on our way home from the Red River Gorge and Smoky Mountains. We had site 36 in Armadillo Run. It’s large, lots of space, plenty of room for a bigger family. The drive slopes back a bit, but was pretty even side to side. We visited in mid October. I was concerned about mosquitoes being a problem (Sea Rim SP and Ute Lake SP in NM were insanely terrible on our visits, couldn’t even stay the night). BUT we wore bug spray, and we actually didn’t see that many. I was glad for visiting later in the year. The park HQ opens at 8:15am, and they have 15 canoes to rent. 🛶 First come, first serve. It was $10/1 hr or $20/3 hrs. They have a full day option, but I don’t recall the price. They don’t take reservations after 3pm. (But the office is open till 4:45 for normal business.) We came to canoe this park, and I WOULD recommend that activity to anyone visiting. It’s beautiful. The water had no current. So calm, super easy to navigate. The Saw Mill Pond is clearly the best part. I had thought the bayou would resemble the pond, and the bayou is also beautiful, but the pond is where it’s at. We got the 3 hr option and paddled a bit over an hour, maybe 1.5 hrs because we went up and down the Big Cypress Bayou. The 3hr window would be enough for most, I think. Super duper nice park staff and volunteer/host staff. 💙 💦 The bathhouse near us was new and clean. Oct 2025. When we take our tiny camper, we don’t have a bathroom, so bathhouse cleanliness and condition are super important to us. So I’m gonna start including photos and info about bathrooms in all my campsite reviews. 👍