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State Parks in Southeast Texas 
There are eight state parks in and around Southeast Texas, which makes a full aqenda for outdoor enthusiast the year round, from the salty spray of Walter Umprhey State Park on Pleasure Island to the wildlife wonders  of Martin Dies and Tony Houseman state parks,  the nature tourist will find a plethora of outdoor activities.

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Village Creek State Park
One of the newest state parks and only 12 miles north of Beaumont. The 1,004 heavily forested acres of  park  features camping, picnicking, swimming, hiking, fishing, canoeing, and bird watching. Village Creek is is located in the Hardin County community of Lumberton, 10 miles north of Beaumont. Acquired in 1979 and opened April 20, 1994, Village Creek State Park takes its name from Village Creek, a free flowing stream in what remains as the heart and soul of the Old Texas Big Thicket. Rainfall is abundant, and the banks of Village Creek flood every 3 or 4 years. 

Facilities for campers include campsites with water, electricity, fire rings and picnic tables; walk-in tent campsites with paved tent area, fire rings, lantern posts, picnic tables and benches (walk-in distances vary); hike-in primitive campsites (up to one mile in); a recreation hall (capacity 30) with kitchen (a sink, a refrigerator and a range; a restroom; 2 sleeping areas (a loft and a bedroom), and an open room for meetings; picnic sites; a group picnic pavilion (capacity 50) with electricity and water outlets, fire rings, and picnic tables; ADA- accessible restrooms at the park headquarters; one large ADA-accessible restroom facility with showers (across from water and electric campsites); 
children's playground; sheltered water fountains along Village Creek; 7 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and nature study; and a trailer dump station. 

The community of Lumberton can furnish picnic supplies, groceries, fishing licenses, and tackle. The park has canoe rental through Timber Ridge Tours, Kountze, TX 409/246-3107, Monday - Friday for reservations, or contact 
Timber Ridge Tours for information on fees, shuttles and schedules; Saturday and Sunday, a Timber Ridge representative is on site at the park, year-round 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.



Sea Rim State Park
Located on Highway 87 South, 22 miles south of Port Arthur or 10 miles west of the Sabine Pass town center, Sea Rim State Park preserves unique and important coastal ecosystems.

Acquired by purchase from Planet Oil and Mineral Corporation and Horizon Sales Corporation in 1972, Sea Rim State Park opened to the public in 1977. The Park is named for a unique portion of marsh grasslands extending along the coastline to the Gulf. Sea Rim's marshes were formed 3,000 years ago when sediment carried by the Mississippi River were deposited along the Gulf coast to form the marshes.

Sea Rim's D. Roy Harrington Beach Unit includes the Park's Visitor Center, nature trails, camping areas, and 5.2 miles of Gulf coast beach. The Marshlands Unit encompasses 4,141.1 acres of marsh wetlands, including two lakes and various brackish water ponds and estuaries. Located on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, Sea Rim hosts some 300 species of birds at various times of the year. Its marshes are a popular spot for viewing wildlife, particularly the American alligator. Activities include hiking 2 boardwalk nature trails; canoe rentals and paddle boat rentals at the Marshlands Unit; Marsh Airboat Tours in season (reservations required in spring and fall); beachcombing along the Gulf shore; surf fishing or fishing via boat in the marsh lakes; swimming in the Gulf (no lifeguard provided); walk-in waterfowl hunting sites (in season); Visitor Center at the D. Roy Harrington Beach Unit with a 300-gallon aquarium and other nature exhibits; birdwatching; nature photography.

Facilities include ADA-accessible restrooms with hot showers at the Visitors Center; ADA-accessible restrooms with rinse showers at the tent pad sites; 20 RV camping sites with water and electrical hookups, pedestal grills, and a dump station; 10 tent pad sites (2 ADA-accessible) with water hookups, pedestal grills, and fire rings; and primitive campsites on the beach. For campsite reservations call 512/389-8900.

For more information, call the Park Office at 409/971-2559 or write Sea Rim State Park, PO Box 1066, Sabine Pass, Texas 77655.


Walter Umphrey State Park
A multi-use seven-acre park located at the southern tip of Pleasure Island next to the Causeway Bridge to Louisiana, includes a handicapped-accessible, lighted fishing pier, and observation deck overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, spaces for recreational vehicle parking and other picnic and recreational amenities.


Sabine Pass Battle Ground State Park and Historic Site
Located 1.5 miles south of the Sabine Pass town center or 18 miles south of Port Arthur, this 57.5-acre Park preserves and commemorates the site of a September 8, 1863 Confederate victory over a U.S. Navy invasion fleet. In a battle lasting less than an hour, the men of Fort Griffin under the command of First Lieutenant Richard "Dick" Dowling disabled two gunboats, captured 350 prisoners, and left 68 Federals missing or dead. As a result of their actions, Union forces never penetrated the Texas interior and the ports of Beaumont and Houston escaped destruction.

The current park, which includes the former site of Fort Griffin, was acquired by deed of purchase from Kountze and Couch Trust in 1972 and opened to the public in 1974.

Activities include camping, picnicking, fishing, boating, and sight-seeing. Facilities include 9 RV campsites with water and electricity (2 of which are ADA-accessible) as well as primitive campsites throughout the non-historic area of the park; covered picnic tables and pedestal grills; an interpretive pavilion illustrating the story of the 1863 Civil War battle; an interpretive walkway with historical markers; the 14-foot high statue and monument, Richard W. Dowling; and ADA-accessible restrooms without showers. Four concrete ammunition magazines from World War II are scattered throughout the Park but are not open to the public.

A four-lane boat ramp, including an ADA-accessible "floating dock," provides access to Sabine Lake to the north and the Gulf of Mexico or the Port Arthur Jetties to the south. The 1/4-mile waterfront along the Sabine Pass Ship Channel is lined by handrails and is an excellent spot for fishing or crabbing.

Campsites are on a first-come first-serve basis; no reservations accepted.

Park Entry Fees charged; this applies to all persons including those launching from the boat ramp. Park Entry Fees waived for holders of State Park Annual Pass or Parklands Passport. For more information, call the Park Office at 409/971-2559 or write Sabine Pass Battleground State Park and Historic Site, c/o Sea Rim State Park, PO Box 1066, Sabine Pass, Texas 77655.


Tony Houseman State Park and Blue Elbow Swamp Wildlife Management Area
This 3,343-acre wildlife management area hugs the Texas bank of the Sabine River from just below I-10 in Orange to a ways north of the BNSF rail crossing at Echo.
The Texas Travel Information Center located on the I-10 provides interpretive displays for visitors. A 600-foot boardwalk leads from the center into the swamp. Outdoor recreation includes public hunting opportunities, fishing, wildlife viewing, hiking and canoeing.

Access to the park is mostly by water. Boat ramps under the I-10 Bridge and the Fish Camp on Simmons Drive provide good water routes to the Sabine River. The Park is marked by old logging canals that dart off of the Sabine River into the WMA. At the end of these are smaller canals that fan out -- these were used to float logs from the woods in the 1800's and early 1900's.

Fishing is good in all the inlets and along the Sabine. Blue Herrons, Egrets, Osprey, wood ducks and Mallards are common in the area, as are alligators -- keep your safe distance. There NO restroom facilities. Bring your own drinking water. Insect repellant is recommended. Boats are needed to get around the Area. Caution during heavy rains which causes high water in the Area. Use of ATV's, airboats and horses is prohibited. (800) 792-1112. 


Martin Dies State Park
Martin Dies, Jr. State Park, until 1965 known as the Dam B State Park, is a 705-acre recreational area in Jasper and Tyler Counties between Woodville and Jasper on B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir (15,000 acres). The land for the park was acquired under a 50-year lease from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1964 and was opened in 1965. 

Visitors can enjoy camping, hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, mountain biking and wildlife and bird watching. 

There are naturalist activities on weekends and outdoor educational facilities. For information on the schedule for these activities, contact the park. Group tours by reservation. Canoe trips down the Angelina or Neches River are taken on the third Saturday of each month. Call the park at least one week in advance to make reservations. 

Facilities include screened shelters; campsites with water; campsites with water and electricity (special rates are available); a group dining/meeting hall; restrooms with hot showers; trailer dump stations; playgrounds; lighted fishing piers; fish-cleaning facilities; boat ramps; rental boats; 4 miles of multi-use trails for hiking and mountain biking; 2 miles of nature/interpretive trail; an amphitheater with 4' x 6' platform stage, a movie screen, and electricity; and a Texas State Park Store and Nature Center.



Lake Livingston State Park
Lake Livingston State Park one mile southwest of Livingston, contains 635.5 acres along Lake Livingston a 84,800-acre reservoir.  It is located near the ghost town of Swartwout, a steamboat landing on the Trinity River in the 1830s and 1850s, and the meeting place of Polk County's first commissioners court before voters selected Livingston as county seat. 

The park offers camping; picnicking; swimming; mountain biking; nature study; fishing (crappie, perch, catfish, and bass); lake swimming (unsupervised); and boating. 

Guided Trail Rides: Enjoy a leisurely ride through 2.5 miles of scenic and wooded terrain while, observing the abundance of plant and wildlife the park has to offer. Eat 'n Ride - Breakfast; The breakfast ride begins at 8 a.m. and ends with a hearty breakfast. Steak Dinner or Hamburger Dinner - The dinner follows the 6 p.m. ride. For information and reservations, call Lake Livingston Stables at 409/ 967-5032. 

Park facilities include restrooms with and without showers; campsites with water; campsites (back-in) with water and electricity (premium sites available); screened shelters, some of which are accessible to the disabled. Other park facilities include a campground pavilion (capacity 50); picnic sites and an enclosed group picnic pavilion; an activity center with a capacity of 100 people with central heat and air-conditioning; 6.9 miles of trails, with 4.4 for hiking, 5 miles for mountain biking, 2.5 for equestrian, and 2.7 for nature study and birding; a seasonal park store (baithouse, gas, dock facilities- open March-October); a swimming pool with bathhouse; boat ramps; fish-cleaning shelters; playground; and trailer dump stations.

Seasonal rates are in effect for the months of December, January, and February. Campers pay the first two nights at standard rates (on all park facilities) and receive succeeding nights at 1/2 price. There is no time limit on length of stay during the three-month period. Special rates are available. Be sure to visit the Texas State Park Store. Day use equestrian is now available: Visitors use the horses provided by Lake Livingston stables and are not allowed to bring their own horses.