Caddo Lake was a prominent landmark for Buffalo Soldiers whose journeys took them through the Pineywoods of East Texas. These trails in this region were essential for travel for civilians and the military alike. These routes, part of the historic Old Spanish Trail network, were used to move between posts, escort officials, or as the 'road home' when soldiers traveled on leave or honorably discharged after their enlistment. While you fish, boat, or explore the cypress-lined waterways of Caddo Lake State Park today, consider the many miles these soldiers traveled through this very landscape.